CROSS-TRAINING
FOUR KEYS TO CROSS-TRAINING FOR RUNNERSMust know tips to keep you in your best running shape
By Ed Eyestone
PUBLISHED 11/09/2006
1. Choose workouts that are closest to running in terms of muscles used and aerobic systems taxed. Good options include elliptical trainers, cross-country ski machines, stationary bikes, and water running.
2. When cross-training, keep your heart rate at or above 70 percent of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age) most of the time. In other words, you should be working hard and sweating a lot.
3. Check your morning heart rate regularly. An elevated morning heart rate is a sign of overtraining, which can occur if you add too much cross-training too soon.
4. Combine cross-training with running to maximize running fitness with lower actual mileage. You can substitute 25 to 30 percent of your weekly "mileage" with cross-training. Endurance athletes are diversifying: swimmers are cycling and lifting weights, cyclists are doing more running, and runners are taking up stair stepping, cycling, and resistance training. Can such "cross training" workouts really help athletes in their preferred sports? Does being a better cyclist automatically make you a better runner, too?
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There are three ways that cross training might help you:
(1) Improved leanness: Doing some cross training can help you burn more calories per week. For example, runners who maintain their usual running schedules and add one 30-minute cycling workout per week can lose one extra pound of fat every 10 weeks, provided they don't increase their food intakes. Over the course of a year, that's about 50 additional cycling workouts and five pounds of lost fat. True, such runners could simply run 30 minutes more per week, but heightened running mileage often leads to injuries, whereas time spent on the bike is seldom damaging. The vanished corpulence that comes from the 30 minutes on a two-wheeler can make a big performance difference. For example, a female runner who trims her percent body fat from about 17.5 per cent to around 16 per cent can carve approximately one minute from her 5-K race time, without making, any other physiological improvements at all!
(2) Greater average workout intensity: A runner who is already completing two (or three in some cases) rugged running workouts per week can seldom cavalierly add an extra red-hot running session without increasing the risk of overtraining or getting injured. On the other hand, throwing in a hell-fire bike session produces little trauma to the leg muscles and can often be well tolerated. This upswing in intensity can do two great things: it can make the heart a bigger, stronger pump, and it can hoist blood volume.
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Blood volume? Sure remember that a 5'10', well-trained endurance runner has about 15-per cent more blood than the sedentary man on the street corner. This extra blood produces performance bonuses, because it allows the heart to send more blood (and thus fuel and oxygen) to the leg muscles during exercise and more blood to the skin for cooling.
Now, bear in mind that the best way to upgrade blood volume is to perk up the intensity not the length of your workouts. You get the picture now: adding a sizzling bike workout when it would be very difficult to add in a demanding running session can produce enhanced increases in blood volume, which would then improve running capacity. Putting in the incendiary bike workouts probably also improves the 'buffering capacity' of runners' leg muscles, making them more resistant to the fatigue-inducing effects of lactic acid.
Those two very positive changes higher blood volume and improved tolerance of high work rates probably represent the mechanism underlying a startling recent study, in which 10 well-trained runners added some scalding bike-interval training to their weekly schedules. Within six short weeks, the runners improved their 5-K times by almost 30seconds,from 18:16 to 17:48.
(3) Greater strength: One form of cross training resistance training adds generalized strength to your leg muscles. As a result, fewer muscle cells need to be activated when you run at your usual race intensity. This saves energy and improves your running economy, a key indicator of running prowess. This is why recent studies have linked weight training with augmented running efficiency and improved running performances. Strength training has also been linked with higher-velocity tennis serves, faster throwing speeds by baseball pitchers, and larger-amplitude jumps among basketball players. It's a form of cross training which really works.
Why cross training CAN'T work
All of that sounds fine, but there's also a key reason why cross training should not work. As you already know, the best workouts are the ones which are SPECIFIC to the demands of the event for which you are preparing. To get ready for 5-K racing, running intervals at 5-K pace is better than long, slow running, for example. Likewise, running is better than biking at preparing for running competitions, and biking is better than running when readying oneself for the Tour de France. In that regard, cross training is a waste of time, since it can never prepare athletes as well as more specific training. The overall idea is that a cross training workout doesn't groom you for the exact neuromuscular demands of your main sport. That's because the muscular and nervous systems work in contrasting ways in different sports, with differing accents on various muscle groups. The calves are the main muscles of running, for example, but are no big deal in cycling, a sport in which the quads go full tilt.
Bear in mind that that's not necessarily such a bad thing, though. Runners who take up cycling might improve their quadriceps strength enough to become terrors at hill running, or they might improve the 'anaerobic' and buffering capacities of their quads to such an extent that they could more easily tolerate very high running speeds.
Note also that the cross-training arguments are definitely biassed toward the idea that cross training is a good thing. We have three key positives about cross workouts higher workout intensities, improved leanness, and greater strength and only one real knock against them the lack of specificity.
That's probably why scientific research has been very kind to the concept of cross training. There are now four separate studies documenting improvements in running capacity after runners took up biking. In two of those studies, runners completely substituted cycling for running; in two others, they added cycling to their existing running programmes. Other studies have suggested that stair stepping and aquarunning can do a nice job of preserving running capability when it's not possible to run.
And we still haven't mentioned the possible mental benefits of cross training. If you can learn to mentally tolerate a super-tough bike workout, you can probably better cope with the pain of running fast, too. Plus, it's important to consider the 'muscle-trauma scenario'. Let's face it, most runners do a great job of battering their legs. They run when they're tired, run when they're hurt, run so much that they never really let their leg muscles recover completely. Switching over to bike workouts can at least produce partial recoveries, because it prevents the damage which can accrue to leg muscle cells when a tired runner decides that a 20-miler is just the thing to improve fitness.
Which other sports are best for runners?
Many runners aren't sure which alternative forms of exercise are best for their running. For that reason, we've listed some popular sports or activities below, ranking them from best for your running (no. 1 ) to least beneficial (no. 11).
(I) Cycling: Narrowly edging out resistance training, cycling comes in no. 1 because of the large number of scientific studies which have shown that cycling helps runners. These investigations have shown that cycling can improve 10-K race times by 9 per cent, quicken 5-K race performances by 3 per cent, upgrade two-mile times by 1 per cent, or boost V02max by 15 per cent! Cycling allows runners to attain all three goals of cross training heightened workout intensities, improved leanness, and greater strength.
(2) Resistance training: Easy choice here. Recent scientific research has linked strength training with a 4-per cent improvement in running economy, reduced heart rates while running, and improved race times at distances ranging from the SK to marathon. Older research linked weight training with a 20-per cent uptick in endurance (at intensities which could be sustained for a little over an hour) and a 13-per cent spike in endurance when running at about onemile race pace. Resistance training probably also protects runners against injuries, and circuit training provides a decent cardiovascular workout, in addition to hiking muscle power.
(3) Soccer: A bit of a surprise here, but soccer competitions can give your running a real boost. During a typical game, soccer players travel from 9000-11000 metres, which includes 4000 metres of jogging, 2000 metres of running at a high but not maximal speed, 800-1000 metres of sprinting, 2500 metres of walking, and 600 metres of moving backwards. Soccer players' heart rates are above 150 beats per minute for most of a game, and blood lactate levels often rise to 6-10 millimoles per liter, comparable to the concentrations commonly observed during 5-K and 1 0-K running competitions. Overall, a soccer competition is like an excellent, prolonged interval workout. It's not surprising that many of the top Kenyan runners were originally excellent soccer players.
(4) Deep-water running (aquarunning): It's a strange and boring activity, but slipping into a life preserver and running in place in the water can actually help your running, especially if you're too injured to run on terra firma. In a recent study, deep-water runners who totally abstained from regular running for six weeks were able to perfectly preserve their racing ability. Aquarunning actually mimics real running more closely than cycling, but the tedium of spending time in the pool gives the activity only a no. 4 ranking on our list.
(5) Stair climbing: Stair stepping sends your quadriceps muscles' aerobic capacities into the stratosphere and transforms you into a hillclimbing demon. In a recent study, individuals who participated only in stair-climbing workouts for nine weeks improved their running performances as much as athletes who engaged in regular running sessions. If there's a negative to stair climbing, it's that actual stride rates are seldom very high even during maximum exercise, so it's hard to learn to run fast on a stair-stepper.
(6) Cross country skiing: Very much like running, but without the hard impacts. Great for losing weight, hitting high intensities, and raising muscle strength around the hip areas.
(7) Aerobic dance provides an outstanding cardiovascular workout, boosts quadriceps and hamstring strength, improves coordination, and can make runners quicker on their feet. Plus, the upper-body movements used in aerobic dance may even tone up runners' torsos a bit.
(8) Walking: It's not as biomechanically similar to running as you might expect, but walking does employ the major muscle groups required for running and can burn beaucoup calories IF you keep at it long enough. Plus, the high impact forces associated with running are much reduced.
(9) Tennis and squash: A good game can serve up a nice workout for your cardiovascular system, and these racquet sports can improve your speed and agility over short distances. Unfortunately, the start-stop nature of the games is sometimes hard on runners' knees and quadriceps muscles.
(10) Swimming: It's nice for your ticker, may improve your flexibility, and gets you off your feet for a day, giving your leg muscles a bit of recovery. (11) Golf: Just slightly better than cigar smoking
The five rules of cross training
Cross training shouldn't be approached haphazardly. Use the following rules to guide your cross-training efforts:
(I) Being in great running shape does not mean you're ready for prolonged exercise in another sport, so approach new activities cautiously. An hour on a stair stepper or two hours of tennis if you've never tried those sports before may leave you too sore to complete a running workout you've planned for the following day. When you try an alternative sport, limit your first workout to no more than 20 minutes.
(2) Don't immediately add an alternative workout to an already strenuous running schedule. If you run five times per week, adding a cycling workout (to give you six workouts per week) might transport you into a zone of fatigue and poor performances. At least initially, it's far better to SUBSTITUTE an alternative workout for one of your running sessions. You can increase your total number of weekly workouts later.
(3) Avoid activities which might aggravate running injuries. For example, runners with sore quads or Achilles tendons sometimes find that cycling aggravates those conditions, and runners with plantar fasciitis or lower-back stiffness often don't respond well to long-distance walking or court sports.
(4) To achieve maximal fitness benefits, match the duration of your alternative workouts with the length of your usual running sessions and also try to do something hard during the alternative workout. For example, if you usually run 45 minutes a day, let your cycling workouts last for 45 minutes, too, if you've had previous experience with cycling (see rule no. I above). Within the 45 minutes, throw in a couple of tough two-minute intervals, increasing the number (and length) of the intervals gradually over time.
(5) Whenever you feel tired during an alternative workout, stop! Fatigue is a sign that your body needs rest, not extra work. Remember that the whole idea behind cross training is to keep your fitness and interest in exercise high over the long term not to leave your body drastically depleted.
Two common questions
Here are two questions which are frequently asked about cross training.
Question: On a day when your muscles are too sore for running or you feel too tired to run, are you better off cross training or resting completely?
Answer: If you are PHYSICALLY tired or hurting, it's better to avoid exercise completely, because any training you do will divert energy away from muscle repair and into the process of fueling your workout. If your muscles really need restoring, that's obviously a bad thing. On the other hand, if you are physically OK but MENTALLY tired, you should base your decision on what the workout will actually do for your psyche. If the cross session will recharge your mental batteries and reinforce the idea that working out doesn't have to be humdrum routine, then by all means do it. If the effort is not going to be fun, avoid it.
Question: Why does cross training seem to be better for some sports rather than others?
Answer: It's true that the effects of cross training are specific to the main-sport, cross-sport combination. For example, cycling appears to be great for runners, but running doesn't do a hell of a lot for cyclists. This is partially a matter of muscle trauma. Running is a sport with a high incidence of leg-muscle trauma, because of the repeated impacts associated with the sport. Of course, there's no impact involved in cycling. Therefore, when runners take up cycling, it keeps them from abusing their leg muscles and may allow their leg muscles to heal a bit. This recovery process represents part of the 'bonus' which runners get from cycling. On the other hand, cyclists who add running to their programmes begin to experience impact-related trauma to their leg muscles. The damage incurred by their muscles can actually interfere with function; therefore, it's unlikely that cyclists' performances will really 'take off' after they start running, whereas runners who initiate a biking programme can really soar.
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Owen Anderson Benefits of Cross-Training for Runners
Cross-training is any sport or exercise that supplements your main sport -- in this case, running. Whether you're a beginner runner or an experienced marathoner, you can benefit from cross-training. Here are several reasons why runners should cross-train:
It helps balance your muscle groups. Cross-training helps strengthen your non-running muscles and rests your running muscles. You can focus on specific muscles, such as your inner thighs, that don't get worked as much while running and may be weaker than your running muscles.
You'll maintain or even improve your cardiovascular fitness. Many cross-training activities are great cardiovascular workouts, so they build on those similar benefits of running.
It reduces your chance of injury. By balancing your weaker muscles with your stronger ones, you'll help reduce your chance of injury. Participating in low-impact cross training activities, such as swimming or water running, will also lessen the stress on your joints, which are often a sore sport for runners.
You'll avoid getting bored with running. Running day after day will eventually burn out even the most hard-core running enthusiast. Cross-training gives runners a much-needed mental break from their sport, which is especially important for those training for long-distance events such as marathons.
You can continue to train with certain injuries, while giving them proper time to heal. Runners suffering from injuries are sometimes told by their doctor to take a break from running during their injury recovery. But, with certain injuries, it is possible to continue with cross-training. Cross-training can help injured runners maintain their fitness and deal better with the frustration of being sidelined from running. When Should I Cross-Train?
The amount of cross-training you do really depends on how you're feeling -- both mentally and physically. In general, if you're a recreational runner, try to supplement your 3-4 days of running with 2-3 days of cross-training. If you're a competitive runner and run 4-6 days a week, you can substitute a low-intensity cross-training workout for an easy run or a rest day on 1-2 days week. Cross-training can also be great for runners who are traveling and may not be able to run outside or on a treadmill, but have access to other sports.
If you're dealing with an injury and sidelined from running, you may need to cross-train more frequently. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist to get advice on how much you should cross-train and what activities are best for your specific injury.
Some runners, both beginners and experienced runners, may hit periods in their training when they are feeling bored or uninspired to run. Cross-training can be a great way to work through those unmotivated phases. Taking a couple days off from running each week to do another activity can help get you excited to return to running. Here are some of the more popular cross-training activities among runners:
Swimming: Swimming is an excellent cross-training activity for running because it's not weight-bearing, so it gives your joints (which take a lot of stress when you're running) a break. It allows you to build strength and endurance, and also improve flexibility. It's a great balance for running because you'll really work your upper body, while giving your leg muscles a breather. Swimming is especially recommended for people who are prone to running injuries or are recovering from an injury. Some runners also find it very relaxing and meditative.
More on Swimming
Water Running: Water running is a great alternative for injured runners or as a substitute for an easy running day. It's also a smart way to get in your runs during hot and humid weather. While you can run in the water without flotation aids (vests, belts, etc), you’ll find the workout to be easier with them.
More on Water Running
Cycling or Spinning: Cycling and spin classes are also great low-impact ways to boost your cardiovascular fitness and strength, especially your quads and glutes.
More on Cycling
Elliptical: You'll get a total body cardiovascular workout on the elliptical machine. Their oval-like (ellipse) motion provides the user with the feel of classic cross-country skiing, stair climbing, and walking all in combination. You can program the elliptical to move in either a forward or backward motion, so you can work all the major muscles in your legs. Because the muscles used on the elliptical are similar to those you use when running, the machine is a good low-impact alternative when an injury prevents you from running.
More on Elliptical Machines
Walking: Walking is a good activity to substitute for an easy running day, especially if you're recovering from a long run or speed workout. With certain injuries, you may be able to walk pain-free, and speed-walking is a good way to maintain cardiovascular fitness while you're recovering.
More on Walking
Rowing: An excellent cardiovascular, low-impact activity, rowing strengthens the hips, buttocks, and upper body. Just make sure you learn proper the rowing technique to maximize the benefits of this activity and avoid injury.
More on Rowing
Strength (or Weight) Training: Strength training allows runners to improve the strength in their running muscles, create balance between unbalanced muscle groups, and focus on keeping their legs strong during injury recovery. You can do either resistance training, where you use your own weight for resistance (pushups, for example), or weight training, where you use weights (free or machine) for resistance (leg press, for example). Strength training is an excellent opportunity to strengthen your core, which helps runners avoid fatigue and maintain their form.
More on Strength Training
Yoga: Yoga offers some of the same benefits as strength training, since you'll use your body weight as resistance to strengthen your muscles. You'll also improve your flexibility since it involves a lot of stretching. Many runners find yoga a great way to relax after a long run or tough workout.
More on Yoga
Cross-Country Skiing: With cross-country skiing, you'll get a great cardiovascular workout and focus on many of the same muscle groups as running. You'll skip all of that the pounding on the road, so it's a great cross-training activity for runners with injuries. You'll also work on your flexibility, as the gliding motion stretches your hamstrings, calves and lower-back muscles. And if there's snow on the ground, you can always use an indoor ski machine, which provides a very similar workout.
More on Cross-Country Skiing
Ice or Inline Skating: Inline or ice skating is also another no-impact sport (as long as you don't fall!) and it's a great activity if you're recovering from shin splints, Achilles tendonitis or knee injuries. You'll really work your quadriceps, buttocks and lower-back muscles. 大哥你弄得都是英文，小弟看着真吃力不过内容不错的 交叉训练很熟悉，也很陌生。谢谢楼主的分享。
交叉训练最早是由铁人三项起源的，铁人三项运动员要擅长游泳，长跑和自行车才能取得好成绩，我们这里并不是鼓励大家去参加铁人三项，而是在做有氧健身时，经常的变换运动种类，这样做有几大好处，其一就是使你的健身更有趣，当你不断的参加新的运动，你的兴趣也就越来越高，其次是不同的运动对你身体不同的刺激，这样可以是的健康得到更全面的发展，让你身体不断进步的最佳的办法就是不断的给予心得挑战，最后也是很重要的原因是交叉训练可以有效的防止关节和肌肉的损伤，比如说跑步，每跑一步你的下肢关节就受到一次冲击，长期以往会造成劳损和伤病，而你如果不仅经常跑步，而且还游和泳骑单车的话，劳损的机会就小多了。 未来的研究趋势是在专项上下功夫。如何打造出适合专项特征、符合运动员个体特征的cross training是值得研究的。毕竟运动训练方法在逐渐走向综合。 其实这就是国内的组合训练
从系统论来讲，综合训练或者组合训练是未来的趋势
运动训练学里面有循环训练等，其实，如果感兴趣的话可以做些实验研究。 Marathon Training Program:
Cross Training
Over the past few years, runners of all abilities have discovered the many benefits of cross-training as a means to enhance their total conditioning and running performance. Yet despite its recent popularity, some runners still wonder why they should participate in other aerobic activities if the central purpose of marathon training is to complete a 26.2-mile event, not a triathlon!
Rowing is a great cross-training activity as it strengthens the hips, buttocks, and upper body while sparing the legs of heavy pounding.Although cross-training can provide numerous benefits for those aspiring to run a marathon (see below), too much of a good thing can be counter-productive and detrimental to one's marathon training and participation in his or her chosen event. For example, partaking in certain cross-training activities on a scheduled rest day may leave one tired prior to attempting an important workout such as a long run. Furthermore, some cross-training activities can actually increase the likelihood of an injury, particularly during the mileage build-up stage. This in turn may prevent a runner from completing the training necessary to participate in, and finish a marathon. After reading this section, it is hoped that you will select your cross-training activities carefully and schedule these sessions to enhance, rather than detract from your marathon training.
Benefits and Purposes of Cross-Training
* Adds variety to your training and decreases the chance of burnout. Can occasionally be substituted for "easy day" running (as an aerobic workout). Can serve as an injury prevention measure - Certain activities such as cycling can strengthen related muscle groups and soft connective tissue. Provides an additional means of burning fat
* Increases upper body strength - This is very important late in a marathon as neck and shoulder muscles often become fatigued. Upper body strength is an important asset in ascending hills.
Precautions and Considerations
* Cross-training is not intended to replace running - In other words, don't substitute three hour bike ride for a three hour long run. This is the concept of sports specificity (as a three hour bike ride won't provide the training effect needed to run a marathon). Refrain from lateral, stop and go, bounding, and high impact activities along with those with quick/sudden movements - It is crucial that you refrain from the following sports as doing so can traumatize the soft connective tissue that surrounds the knee and ankle regions: Tennis, racquetball, handball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, rugby, down-hill skiing, and aerobic dance. While this is not an exhaustive list, use common sense when deciding whether to add certain sports to your fitness regimen. Rest Days - At least one day per week should be scheduled as a complete leg rest day. Prior to your long run, this is particularly important, as it is crucial to be as rested as possible. While participating in your favorite cross-training activities can be helpful as a means of losing weight, don't overdo by skipping rest days, particularly for your legs. Over-training can lead to a variety of injuries.
* Stretching - Stretch thoroughly after working out in any manner. If you choose to stretch prior to running, be sure to warm-up your muscles by walking briskly or by lightly jogging. See Stretching for more information.
Benefits of Specific Sports
The following are great cross-training options that when infused carefully into your workout routine will enhance your marathon training. Be sure to follow the precautions and considerations above. Whether you use a fitness center's exercise equipment/gear or your own, it is vital that you obtain instruction in its correct use for the specific sports you select for cross-training. To receive the maximum benefit while minimizing your chances of incurring injury, it is also very important that you perform these activities utilizing proper form, technique, and posture. A certified fitness instructor can provide guidance in these areas.
* Cycling
Cycling exercises related muscle groups such as the quadriceps and shins, both of which don't develop as rapidly as the calf muscles and hamstrings. Cycling also strengthens the connective tissue of the knee, hip, and ankle regions, thus reducing the risk of injury. After a stressful run, cycling also loosens fatigued leg muscles. Key points to remember: Don't cycle on a scheduled rest day. Since it's much more difficult to run after cycling, run first before heading out on your bike. Spin easily as opposed to grinding the big gears. Be sure your seat height and pedals are properly positioned. Finally, always wear a helmet and leave the music headphones at home.
* Swimming gives fatigued leg muscles a breather while providing an excellent upper body workout.Swimming
Swimming is one of the best cross-training activities for several reasons. Swimming enables one to build muscular strength and endurance while improving flexibility. It is especially recommended for those who want to prevent injury, are pregnant, are recovering from an injury, are suffering from joint or bone conditions, or are overweight and want to exercise in a weightless environment. For the compulsive runner who has a hard time taking a rest day, swimming gives those fatigued leg muscles a breather while at the same time, provides an excellent upper body workout. Additionally, water is considered a healing medium, providing a therapeutic effect for all muscle groups. While gentle kicking alleviates some muscle soreness and fatigue, avoid using the kickboard for hard kick sets on your running rest day. Keep in mind that compared to other cross-training activities, your heart-rate may not reach as high a level while swimming (typically 10 to 20 beats per minute less than what it is for dry land activities) due to the loss of gravitational force, the horizontal position, and the cooling effect of the water temperature. Nevertheless, what truly counts is that the heart, lungs, and muscles are still processing oxygen.
* Deep Water Running
This cross-training activity is just what the doctor ordered for the rehabilitation of many running injuries. Because there is no shock from foot strike, water running is a great alternative to a mid-week "easy day" run. For either purpose, it should be based on your current level of ability and present dry-land running schedule. While it is possible to run in the water without floatation aids, find a pool that has these devices (e.g., vests, belts, etc.) to make your workout easier.
* Ergometer (Rowing) Machine
This is another great cardio-vascular activity that can be done on a rest day. It strengthens the hips, buttocks, and upper body while sparing the legs of heavy pounding. Be sure to learn proper rowing technique to maximize the benefits of this activity.
* Nordic Track Ski-Simulator Machine
This challenging workout is highly effective in building/maintaining aerobic conditioning and endurance while strengthening the muscles of the upper and lower body. Because it requires the ability to balance and coordinate duel action movements of the upper and lower extremities, proper form must be learned and utilized. In short, this is great workout for runners interested in supplementing their training.
* Stair-Master
This activity provides a great cardio-vascular workout while being rather gentle on the skeletal system. To achieve maximum benefits, proper form and posture must be utilized. Because of the vigorous exercise the leg muscles receive from this machine, it is not recommended as a supplemental workout for a complete leg rest day.
* Versa-Climber
This great cardio-vascular activity provides a total body workout because all the major muscles of the upper and lower body are fully engaged and thus strengthened. Because of the coordination required by the arms and legs (climbing against gravity, similar to the motion of ascending a ladder), it can be a challenging machine to learn to use correctly. Again, procure the guidance of a knowledgeable fitness instructor to learn proper technique. The Versa-Climber can serve as a "stepper" machine when only the handrails and foot pedals are used.
* Elliptical Trainer
These machines provide a great total body cardio-vascular workout. Their oval-like (ellipse) motion provides the user with the feel of classic cross-country skiing, stair climbing, and walking all in combination. The elliptical trainer can be programmed to operate in either a forward or backward motion, providing a low-impact workout for all the all the major muscles in the legs. The backward motion emphasizes the gluteal muscles (buttocks). A great upper body workout can be achieved by using the two poles located on each side of the machine in conjunction with the leg motion.
* Walking
This is a very under-rated activity that provides great therapeutic benefits following a long run or speedwork. While walking is not intended to be a substitute for an easy running day, a relaxed two to three mile stroll is a great way to loosen up the legs the day prior to a big race. Depending on the type of injury, speed walking is a great rehabilitation activity to maintain cardio-vascular fitness. Cross Training
If the thought of doing the same old exercises every day keeps you from starting an exercise program, cross training may be the answer.
Cross training simply means that you include a variety of activities in your fitness program. For example, you could alternate jogging and swimming during the week, and play a game of tennis on the weekend. All three are aerobic activities and use similar muscles, but in different ways.
Benefits
Cross training began to build in popularity during the 1980s. Now, with increasing numbers of multi-sport events such as triathlons, it is a common training technique. Cross training is an ideal way to develop a "balanced" fitness program and has several benefits, whether you are a serious athlete or just someone interested in becoming more fit and active.
* Cross training can provide a "total body tune-up," something you won't get if you concentrate on just one type of activity.
* Including a variety of activities in your fitness program will help prevent boredom. That can help you stick to the program.
* Exercising various muscle groups may help your muscles adapt more easily to new activities.
* Because you won't be using the same muscles in the same way all the time, you may experience fewer overuse injuries.
* If you do become injured, you usually won't have to give up your entire fitness program. You may be able to modify or substitute activities, based on your physician's suggestions.
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How to Cross Train
A general fitness program has three components:
* Aerobic exercises (stair climbing, walking, skating) improve cardiovascular capabilities.
* Strength training (weight lifting, push-ups) helps develop muscle mass.
* Flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga) help keep muscles limber.
With cross training, you can easily incorporate all three components in your fitness routine. First, talk to your physician and make sure that it's safe for you to begin a program. Some activities are not appropriate for people with certain physical limitations.
Then consider what kinds of activities are readily available to you. Select activities that are convenient and enjoyable. You should be doing at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days. You can break your exercise routine into shorter periods, as long as it adds up over the course of the day. Remember that physical activity isn't limited to sports like jogging or weight lifting. Dancing, gardening, and housework count too.
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A Sample Program
A balanced weekly cross training program might look like this:
* Three times a week: 30 minutes of aerobic exercises, alternating activities such as walking, swimming and stair climbing.
* Twice a week (not consecutive days): 30 minutes of strength training, working each major muscle group.
* Every day: 5 to 10 minutes of stretching. It's also safe to walk every day.
Start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your exercises. Try to follow the "10 percent rule": increase the frequency, duration, or intensity of an activity by no more than 10% each week. You can use A Daily Activity to record your progress.
You may not see results overnight, but cross-training will have a beneficial effect on your health and fitness level. Regular physical activity increases your chances for a longer, healthier, and more independent life.
Keep at it!
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