Cross training what is

It is a good practice to stress multi-joint areas with different types of exercise. This will reduce overloading joints with repetitive movements. Common problems areas for many runners or walkers involve pain in the shoulders, knees, ankles, and low back. It is especially important for people who are running or walking to also incorporate other movements as well to help strengthen these multi-joint areas of the body.

Cross training will help with overuse injuries and hopefully reduce long-term pain in your joints. Often times individuals that are doing the same workouts week after week become bored and fall short of their overall goals. With cross training you are able to constantly adjust your programming with new activities. This allows you to try something new or reduce boredom. Maybe your cross-training plan calls for a run outside on Monday and go to a cycle class on Tuesday. Cross-training will help you increase strength, power, speed, endurance, agility, and balance.

And maybe the best news: Cross-training might just let you say so long to your PT; athletes who specialize in one sport had an 85 percent higher chance of getting injures than those who did multiple activities, according to research from the University of Wisconsin.

Maybe the easiest kind of cross-training to squeeze in to your already packed schedule is a workout that combines cardio and strength into one efficient session. But keep in mind what you really want to get out of it. If your main priority is gearing up for a marathon, the right kind of cross-training for you will be different than if your go-to exercise is hitting the yoga mat each morning. Consider scheduling at least a few sessions with a personal trainer to help you outline your goals and how to stay on track to reach them.

As a general rule, aim for a couple times a week. What are the benefits of cross training? Here are few of the numerous documented benefits cross training has to offer: Reduced risk of injury. By spreading the cumulative level of orthopedic stress over additional muscles and joints, individuals are able to exercise more frequently and for longer durations without excessively overloading particularly vulnerable areas of the body e.

People who are particularly prone to lower-leg problems from running long distances should consider incorporating low-impact activities such as elliptical training, cycling and swimming into their regimens.

It should be noted, however, that competitive cross-trainers can experience certain overuse injuries due to inadequate muscle rest, an unbalanced workout schedule, or both. Enhanced weight loss. Individuals who want to lose weight and body fat should engage in an exercise program that enables them to safely burn a significant number of calories. Research has shown that such a goal, in most instances, is best accomplished when individuals exercise for relatively long durations i.

Overweight individuals can effectively achieve a reduction in body weight and fat stores by combining two or more physical activities in a cross-training regimen. They can, for example, exercise on an elliptical trainer for 20 to 30 minutes and then cycle for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.

Improved total fitness. Cross training can include activities that develop muscular fitness, as well as aerobic conditioning. While an individual's muscular fitness gains will typically be less than if he or she participated only in strength training, the added benefits of improving muscular strength and endurance can pay substantial dividends.

Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. You may be a dedicated runner or cyclist and enjoy exercising several times a week. However, if you aren't cross-training, you could be setting yourself up for injury or mental burnout. Cross-training simply means mixing up your exercise routine by incorporating several different types of exercise.

This works more muscle groups, improves agility, and makes it easier to participate in a variety of recreational sports. In addition, cross-training reduces boredom, which many people find helps to keep them motivated. It's essential for an athlete to train specifically for their sport if they want to excel. But cross-training is a beneficial way to achieve and maintain a higher level of overall fitness.

For example, if your favored form of exercise is biking, you might swim each week too. Your swim workouts help improve your overall aerobic capacity, build overall muscle strength, and reduce the chance of an overuse injury. Cross-training limits the stress that occurs on a specific muscle group because different activities use muscles in slightly different ways.

Cross-training is a great way to condition different muscle groups, develop a new set of skills, and reduce the boredom that creeps in after months of the same exercise routines.