Cross Training
Fitness Tip
The use of more than one activity in your workout schedule is called cross-training - a combination of activities, such as jogging and cycling.
Many people find this type of training enjoyable. On days when jogging becomes "the same old, same old," a ride on a bicycle through a different neighborhood may be the answer to keeping you motivated.
During inclement weather, a swim at an indoor pool may refresh your fitness program.
Cross training also helps to reduce "overuse" injuries. This type of
training strengthens a variety of muscles, reducing the tendency for
stress injuries such as tendinitis, shin splints, and runner's knee.
Also, if you can't do one of your activities because of an injury, you
may be able to do another of your activities. For example, a knee
injury may keep you from jogging but not from swimming.
Cross training allows for overall fitness. All of the health-related components should be included in a fitness program: flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition. A cross-training session of stretching, water aerobics, and weight-lifting exercises would meet all five of the requirements.
See also: Play to Get Fit - Four playground favorites you can use as a personal gym!
By Fitness and Freebies Fitness Consultant
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