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We’ve all been there: We find a workout we love and get in the groove of doing it all the time. Then we begin to notice certain aches and pains creeping up or our progress stalling. While committing to exercise consistently is the best way to maintain our health, there’s a strong argument for mixing it up when it comes to the types of activities you are incorporating into your routine.
Enter: Cross training.
“Cross training is typically defined as an exercise regimen that uses several modes of training to develop a specific component of fitness,” according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
True cross training takes this the idea of simply mixing up your routine one step further. Instead of choosing seemingly random activities, you are designing a fitness routine that includes activities that complement each other in order to improve your performance.
Benefits of cross training
There are notable benefits beyond improving your athletic performance that can be reaped from adopting a cross-training mentality.
A recent study published in The British Medical Journal found that mixing up your activities and getting the minimum recommendation of aerobic and strength exercise each week can actually add years to your life. Cross-training can also reduce your risk of injury, aid in weight loss, improve your overall fitness, and make it more likely that you stick with an exercise routine, according to ACE.
Cross-training “adds variety so we don’t get bored of doing the same thing all the time, which helps keeps workouts interesting,” personal trainer Christina Dorner told TODAY during a segment on June 16.
Why is cross training important for walkers?
Even those who engage in a low-impact, accessible workout like walking can benefit from incorporating cross-training into their routine. Strength exercises lead to a…
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