Is Cross-Training the Key to a Complete Fitness Routine?
Key takeaways:
Cross-training includes different types of exercise in one fitness plan. An ideal cross-training routine should include aerobics, strength training, and flexibility exercises.
The cross-training method can boost motivation and help you avoid injury.
Try doing short bursts of cross-training exercises to get into the habit of moving your body in new ways.
Embracing one sport like running, tennis, or golf has plenty of advantages. It can help you master your skills and boost your confidence. But it can also set you up for challenges like overuse injuries and boredom.
"Any sport — especially those with a high degree of physical demand such as cycling or running — involves the risk of overtraining the same muscles, joints, and tendons," says Bruce Moseley, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Baylor College of Medicine.
"Cross-training is a significant part of mitigating that risk." And it may be just what you need for a balanced workout plan.
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What is cross-training?
Cross-training is an umbrella term for combining different types of exercise into your fitness plan. It's designed to complement your primary training method or standard workout routine. For example, a yoga teacher prioritizes flexibility exercises with regular classes. They might balance that by cross-training with weekly swimming and bodyweight workouts.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), an ideal cross-training routine should include the following:
Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises
Strength training
Flexibility exercises
What are the benefits of cross-training?
Cross-training is a great way to create a well-rounded workout routine. It offers many benefits, such as:
Improved skill, agility, and balance
Better recovery
Lower risk of injury
Opportunity to continue training while injured
Less boredom and more motivation
This training method allows you to engage muscle groups throughout your body. Transitioning between exercises also gives your muscles time to recover. This can help you avoid overtraining and overuse injuries. Plus, you learn new skills as your muscles adapt to different movements.
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Examples of cross-training
You can cross-train different muscles within the same sport — like marathon runners who do sprint workouts. Or, you can pick new activities.
Examples of this may include:
Cyclists: playing tennis, lifting weights, or practicing yoga
Weightlifters: swimming, running, or rowing
Runners: kayaking, boxing, or doing tai chi
Yoga enthusiasts: doing HIIT workouts, walking, or cycling
The goal of cross-training is to prevent overuse while building new skills. People often pair a cardio sport with a non-cardio cross-training option or vice versa. For instance, weightlifters can improve endurance and breath control with swimming.
But there's more than one way to cross-train. Long-distance runners might cross-train with another cardio exercise like boxing. This can offer benefits –– like powering up their leg muscles in new ways.
Try adding a couple of cross-training workouts to your weekly routine. This is a good way to maintain consistency, Moseley says. But cross-training doesn't always have to be a structured, scheduled session. Instead, you can sneak it in every day. You can do this with short bursts of higher-intensity moves, according to Emmanuel Stamatakis, Ph.D. a researcher at the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney in Australia.
He led a study that showed that just 1 minute of this kind of exercise could be beneficial. People who did these "exercise snacks" every day had better cardiorespiratory fitness after 6 weeks.
Examples include:
Sprinting for 1 minute while walking your dog
Running up and down the stairs
Doing bear crawls around your living room
Adding jumping jacks to your morning routine
This can be part of cross-training because it draws on different movements. It works multiple muscle groups, and it can boost endurance and power. Plus, Stamatakis adds, it’s a way to build a habit. A couple of minutes of daily cross-training can make it easier to do longer, more structured sessions.
Exercise tips to get started with cross-training
Along with short bursts of activity, these tips may help you get started with cross-training:
Identify your fitness goals. Are you looking to improve endurance, strength, power, or flexibility? Choose cross-training activities that fit with those goals.
Consider your current training plan. Remove a couple of sessions from your usual fitness routine to make room for cross-training activities. Moseley says layering cross-training on a robust fitness schedule could raise the risk of overtraining. Instead, try starting with 2 cross-training sessions of about 15 to 30 minutes per week.
Ease into it. Treat your cross-training exercise like any new sport. Even though you might be doing a playful activity like pickleball, Moseley suggests upping your activity level slowly.
Add a longer warmup for cross-training. This is important if your cross-training activity is new to you. You'll work different muscles, joints, and tendons. Moseley says they'll need to be "activated" more deliberately. A few more minutes in a dynamic warmup should do the trick.
Log your progress. The AAOS says cross-training gradually boosts your health and fitness. Keep a daily activity log to see how you're advancing toward your goals.
One of the biggest tips? Have fun, says Moseley.
Finding cross-training activities that are enjoyable can keep you motivated. That could mean everything from indoor rock climbing to stand-up paddle boarding. Trying a range of new activities can help you pinpoint which ones give you a sense of play.
To boost motivation even more, Moseley suggests adding a social part. Try golfing with friends or taking walking meetings with colleagues.
The bottom line
Whether your usual workouts feel lackluster or you want to prevent an injury, cross-training is an effective way to improve your fitness. Adding different exercises to your routine can help you recover and avoid overtraining. Plus, you can discover fun new ways to move your body.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2020). Cross training.
Jenkins, E. M., et al. (2018). Do stair climbing exercise “snacks” improve cardiorespiratory fitness? Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
