Why you should cross-train

One of the most common reasons why people quit working out or exercising in general is because eventually they get bored. And this is very understandable, just think about it for a minute: let's say you wake up every Monday morning, put on your running clothes and shoes and whoosh! Off you go for a jog; two days later, you do the same thing and then two days after that. It really doesn’t matter how well-adapted a creature of habit you are, if you do this over a period of a few months, you will definitely get bored at one point. The same applies to people who go to the gym day in day out and do the same workouts over and over again.

Enter cross training; in the simplest of definitions, cross training means mixing up your workout. For example you could go for a morning run on Monday, swimming on Wednesday and Biking on Saturday. Cross training is all about taking up as many exercises as possible and also making a few changes to a particular workout. So let’s start with taking up numerous exercises. If you go to the gym, don’t do the same thing repeatedly over a long period of time. For example you shouldn’t just be going to the gym to lift weights; mix it up with aerobics and even some martial arts.

A few months ago I decided to pick up Muay Thai just for the fun of it. I soon came to realize that I wasn’t as fit as I had imagined. You see Muay Thai is all about fast, sustained movements which give the heart, leg and arm muscles a crazy workout.

Another way of approaching cross training is by concentrating on a particular exercise for a specific period of time then switching to another. For example in week one, you can focus entirely on boxing; week two on running; week three on swimming; week four on weight lifting and so on. Once you are done with the cycle, repeat. This is will prevent overuse injury and promote overall fitness.

If you are an ardent runner, don’t use the same running route over and over again; this is a sure way of getting bored. A change of scenery every now and then will go a long way in keeping your running experience fresh and exciting – this in fact is how I have managed to keep running for more than 5 years.
Another reason why you should cross train is because the undertaking enhances weight loss. Mixing up exercises causes your body to work hard in its entirety because a wide range of muscles are involved and consequently more body fat is ‘burnt’. Needless to say, if your monotonous exercise regimen is just not yielding good results; you might want to start thinking about cross training.

There is no doubt that cross training will enhance your fitness levels in addition to improving your muscle tone. This is because, as mentioned, a wide range of muscle groups are targeted. You don’t believe me; ask Gerard Butler and his army of Spartan warriors in the movie 300. It was through cross training that they managed to get so ripped in a short period of time.NBA and NFL athletes are also doing it so really, there must be something good about it.

If you are just an average person looking to achieve a higher level of fitness then you can cross train however you want. On the other hand, if you are a certain type of athlete then it would be a good idea to find the most effective formula. Runners for example should preferably cross train with cycling and/or swimming. Martial artists on the other hand should focus on intense cardio exercises and strength training.

It really doesn’t matter how you go about it as long as you mix things up in such a way that no muscle group is overworked or remains dormant. Cross training will break plateaus and bring you closer to where you need to be as an athlete; that my friends is why you should cross train.