| No matter what the sport, most experts agree that | | | | or stair climbing. If you are over 40 years of age, you |
| athletes and fitness enthusiasts should cross train. For | | | | have probably lost some muscle strength and mass, |
| injury prevention, muscular balance, and improved | | | | translating to slower acceleration and speed. Working |
| performance, most top athletes today do more than 1 | | | | on strength training and regular stretching can help. If |
| kind of exercise. | | | | you are just interested in staying in shape, you may be |
| That was not always the case. Back in 1972, Frank | | | | able to avoid burnout by changing workouts. |
| Shorter proved he was the best marathoner in the | | | | In recent years triathlons have been increasingly |
| world when he won the Olympic gold medal. Although I | | | | popular. Triathletes seem to enjoy the challenge of |
| remember reading stories about how Frank liked to | | | | preparing for 3 very different activities; swimming, |
| cross country ski during the winter, I doubt he did | | | | running, and cycling. Although not perfect, triathlon |
| anything except run in the months leading up to the | | | | training probably offers the best example of a |
| Olympics. | | | | balanced fitness program. Swimming gives you a good |
| Cross training, as defined by exercise expert Bryant | | | | upper body workout, running develops leg muscle |
| Stamford, PhD, is the performance of two or more | | | | endurance, and cycling adds muscular power in the |
| types of exercise in one workout or alternately in | | | | legs with a blend of endurance. All 3 are effective |
| successive workouts. For example, distance runners | | | | cardiovascular exercises. |
| may finish their workout with some weight training, or | | | | Cross training may be counterproductive if you fatigue |
| they may give their running muscles a rest and | | | | the same muscles on consecutive days. Swimming |
| substitute cycling or swimming 2 or 3 days a week. | | | | might be a better alternative than a bike ride before or |
| There are many variables to consider when selecting | | | | after a hard running session. If you are a runner, bike |
| cross training activities. What are your fitness goals? | | | | interval or hill training offers a refreshing break from |
| Do you have any physical deficiencies or | | | | the pounding of run intervals. |
| weaknesses? What do you like to do? How old are | | | | One of the great benefits of cross training is that it |
| you? If your goal is to lose body fat, then your priority | | | | offers a means to stay in shape while recovering from |
| should be endurance training with 2-3 weight-training | | | | injury. Remember when complete rest used to be the |
| sessions per week. I cannot say for sure that you will | | | | prescription for any and all injuries? Today we know |
| lose weight faster, but 2 or 3 different types of | | | | that deconditioning can and should be minimized |
| cardiovascular exercises might be better than sticking | | | | through cross training. |
| with just 1. | | | | Whatever your fitness goal might be, it is safe to say |
| If you want to improve your running speed, then I | | | | that well-rounded strength and endurance training of |
| would recommend cross training exercises that work | | | | the lower body, upper body, and trunk is the ticket to |
| some of the same muscles as running such as cycling | | | | better performance and injury prevention. |