Cross-Training: The Key to Being a Versatile Athlete

If you train and move in any form of physical fitness, wouldn't you consider yourself an athlete? And if you're an athlete who doesn't incorporate multiple aspects of training other than weight lifting, why don't you?

If you perform in one or more sports, I believe that you have the potential to be the most versatile athlete there is and that potential shouldn't be wasted. With this week's newsletter, I want to give you insight on explaining what cross-training is, why it can be the most beneficial approach to training, and how you can incorporate it into your routine.

What is Cross-Training?

Cross-training (/ˈkrôs ˌtrāniNG/) involves participating in different types of physical activities or exercises to improve overall performance, prevent injury, & enhance physical fitness. It typically complements an athlete’s main sport they attend to or activity by incorporating movements, skills, and strengths developed in other disciplines.

The key benefits of incorporating cross-training can include:

Injury Prevention: With varying movement patterns, it can help reduce repetitive strain on specific muscles and joints that typically are being used in a specific activity or sport.
- For example, as a runner, it's ideal to strengthen the muscles that surround the foot/ankle complex rather than only just the calves, thighs, and hips since there could be times where the running route has different terrain or uneven roads. This can then lead to an unexpected rolled ankle or worse. Not tryna scare you but you can lessen those chances and can prevent that from happening with cross-training!
Improved Overall Fitness: Not every activity is built the same so engaging in a much broader range of activities helps target multiple aspects in our fitness such as our flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular fitness.
- For example, with dancers that I've trained in the past, they do well in learning and taking choreography classes but they fall short from mobility issues, their cardio isn't the greatest, and/or they underperform moves that the choreographer displays. However, once incorporating a dance-specific training regimen, they seem to flourish in their dance capabilities.
Overcoming Plateaus: If you've hit a plateau in your training, chances are you aren't challenging your body enough. With different & new exercises added into the routine, the body can then be stimulated for further improvement and positive progression.
Enhanced Recovery: Low-impact cross-training, like walking, yoga or in some cases, a light jog, can promote recovery while maintaining activity levels.
Variety: This allows for less boredom in the same routine. Having a change can help the body adapt to different environments and ultimately prepare for whatever life throws you with. This gives you a less chance of excuse making.
- For example, if you are unable to drive to the gym, you can choose another activity that you are able to do such as doing an at home workout or running around your neighborhood for a quick cardio session if you're cut on time.

THE TRANSITION

A How-To Guide Approach into Cross-Training

First, we want to understand what your goal is if you were to start cross-training?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

Are you trying to prevent injury? Build strength? Improve your endurance? Improve your flexibility & mobility?

Then, once you figure out what you're trying to add, figure out what complementary activities pertain to to those goals.

BEFORE YOU GO

Helpful Tips to Take Note Of

Start small with 1-2 sessions per week for the first month. After that first month, you can decide if you need to add more or take out sessions.

They can be same-day activities on top of the program you're currently doing (i.e., lift session in the AM, other activity in the PM) or they can be on opposing days from your program (i.e., Mon: lift session, Tues: run session, etc.)

If you are interested on implementing this into your routine and would love some guidance in the approach, feel free to sign up for a consultation on me and we can talk shop!