Cross Training
What is Cross Training?
Cross training is performing a different activity, sport or exercise, to the one you are used to. For example a long distance runner may do cycling as a cross training exercise, a rower may do running or circuit training.
Why Cross Train?
Cross training can help improve fitness and calorie burning potential. The body is being taken out of its comfort zone and has to adapt and use different muscles and energy systems to perform different activity.
It can also help with injury prevention. Performing a different sport once a week can help to reduce the risk of overuse injuries in sports that require the participant to constantly repeat a set motion. Cross training allows the participant to train to their desired exertion in a sport which will give their muscles a rest from their normal actions. This also means it can help with rehabilitation when coming back to a sport after an injury. It is important to gradually increase the exercise level over a period of weeks and months. Cross training allows you to do this, spreading the ‘load’ of the exercise over the whole body.
Cross training can be used to help with active recovery, it allows you to perform a different sport or exercise on your ‘off’ days to help the muscles get rid of any lactic acid and other effects of exercise.
Motivation and forms of Cross Training
Cross training helps you maintain your enthusiasm for your sport by breaking the monotony of the ‘normal’ training regime, allowing you to enjoy sports in a different environment - team or solo. It also helps to develop new skills, giving you the opportunity to build a new sport or exercise into your fitness regime and allowing you to learn new skills.
Examples of cross training for an indoor or water based rower are:
- Running
- Swimming
- Hill walking
- Cycling
- Tennis
- Squash
- Skiing
- Skating
- Circuit training
- Aerobics
Indoor Rowing as Cross Training for other sports
Indoor rowing can be used as a form of cross training for other sports, including running, rugby and cycling. It is an excellent form of aerobic exercise and can break up the training for these sports.
