Put some variety into your summer routine and feel the burn!
By TOM BONANTI
Ancient Greeks praised the virtues of multi-sport training two thousand years ago, claiming it created wellrounded athletes who possessed bodies of strength, speed, skill and beauty. Modern tri-athletes achieve astonishing levels of fitness by combining swimming, running and cycling. This multi-sport training is called “crosstraining” and, among other great benefits, it can add real variety to your workouts.
Cross-training is a super way to get and stay in shape. Simply, this method combines two or more different activities into a fitness program while avoiding overtraining injuries and boredom. The advantages of this type of training include: various parts of the body are worked to improve overall fitness; muscles and joints in one activity are rested avoiding stress related injuries; new activities are introduced into your workouts, keeping them fresh and fun.
The key to cross-training is variety. Aerobics classes are great cardio-vascular training, but injuries to joints from overdoing it are common. Weight training gives you stronger, bigger muscles, but does not bolster aerobic fitness or increase flexibility. Cycling builds mighty thighs and killer calves, but does little for your upper body.
Expanding your workouts and diversifying your routine through cross-training can help you achieve several fitness goals at once (bigger bi’s and tri’s, better stamina by including some cardio, decreased body fat, etc.). Studies show that too much of one activity can lead to injury, which increases the likelihood of exercise drop out. Muscles also adapt and refuse to grow doing the same routine day-in and day-out. Cross-training avoids these crises by strengthening weaker and more underdeveloped muscles while not over-working others. In short, crosstraining can prevent you from getting burned out, fed up and bored!
So, how does all of this work and how do you get started? First, break out of the box you’re in and be willing to try new things. Second, get ready to sweat and feel the burn this summer!
If you’re hitting the gym 3-4 times a week to build serious muscle in your upper body, you may want to take up running on 2 or 3 of the days you are not lifting to give your upper body a break. Running is a gre
at heart, lung and lower body workout.
If your primary form of workout is cycling (a low stress workout for lower body), try rowing on alternate days or for the second half of your workout to tighten and tone the upper body.
If your major form of exercise is regular walking, try adding some laps in the pool or a light free weight routine to your fitness agenda to tighten and tone upper body.
Whether you are a serious athlete in training for a sport, or a regular guy whose goal is a healthy, good looking body, cross-training may be for you. Just be creative, enjoy yourself, get into a regular routine, and start today.
For more ideas on cross training routines, send email to trainertomb@aol.com.
TOM BONANTI is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. On the Internet at: www.pumpnincgym.com