Cross Training

Many athletes are in great shape for their sport. They run daily, lift weights, and practice the skills needed for their specific sport. But when friends challenge them to a game outside of their training program they often find themselves tired or sore the next day. The reason for this is that although they are in great shape, they have only trained their bodies to do specific functions, leaving their over-all fitness level lower than they may want. The simple answer to this problem is cross training.

Cross training is the inclusion of a number of different exercises and activities which challenge your over-all fitness level. Although an athlete may need to focus on the necessary training for their sport, adding cross training exercises challenges your body to improve beyond the range of your usual activities. Cross training challenges your body to react to new motions and the use of different muscle groups. It also is a great way to improve your body's ability to recover, your flexibility, your balance, and even your body's appearance.

Cross training is an excellent addition to your workout for a number of reasons. First, it reduces the amount of boredom you may feel when exercising. Mixing up the activities not only challenges your body, but your mind as well. You may find yourself looking forward to workouts more when they are varied. Cross training also allows you to be flexible when planning workouts. If one facility is closed (say the weight room) you can use a different one (like the pool, or an outdoor run). Cross training also improves your all around condition, and expands your conditioning to new muscle groups, not just the ones you routinely use. It can also reduce the risk of over-use injuries as movements and pressure on specific joints, muscles, and tendons are not repeated as often. This variation also allows some muscles to rest while others are still in use. For example, swimming one day may tire your arms, so jogging the next utilizes your legs which are fresh. This also allows you to train your body when you experience an injury by varying the muscle groups away from the site of injury. And it has a great overall effect on your flexibility, agility, and balance, as your body is facing new challenges and using new and more muscles.

Consider these exercises when planning your cross training fitness program:

Cardiovascular Exercise (Think about adding three different exercises from the list below):
-Running
-Swimming
-Cycling
-Rowing
-Stair Climbing
-Rope jumping
-Skating (inline or ice)
-Skiing
-Racquetball / basketball / other court sports
Strength Training
-Calisthenics (push ups and crunches and pull ups)
-Free Weights
-Machines
-Tubing and Bands
Flexibility (stretching, yoga)
Speed, agility, and balance drills
Circuit training, sprinting, plyometrics and other forms of skill conditioning