Do you think your fit because you go out and run an hour a day, or lift weights in the gym 6 days a week? If you do then you’re probably not going to like it when I say you’re not! You may be good at performing that specific exercise and may even look the part, but the problem is because you stick solely to that one type of training your body is not functionally fit. This means that as soon as you add another factor into your training (e.g. asking someone who just lifts weights to run in between sets) you can’t cope and soon have to stop.
Cross Training workouts increase your strength, speed and stamina. As well as the functional fitness benefits, workouts like "crossfit exercise routines" provide unbeatable results in body sculpting and definition. Furthermore it allows you to rest by varying training instensity and muscle groups, helping prevent injury.
Fitness: The ability to adapt to your changing environment with a level of ease and without injury.
By looking at the definition of fitness; stated above, we can understand exactly what we mean by “functionally fit” and exactly why we should use cross training at all levels. To call yourself truly fit you must be able to cross your training over each other. A perfect example of this would be rugby. In this contact sport each individual player must be able to run for a full 80 minutes, whilst being hit from every angle and battling players that can weigh in excess of 18 stone / 114kg / 252 Pounds! This shows their ability to adapt and use every aspect of fitness when required.
Benefits of Cross Training:
- Injury Prevention
- Help Rehabilitation
- Improve all aspects of fitness, including: Endurance, Strength, Stabillity, Power, Speed.
- Increased Fat burn
- Increased definition
- Active Recovery
- Reduces risk of boredom
- Enjoy other sports and activities
- Stay fit when pregnant
- FUN!
Cross Training can and should be used at all levels, it’s just a matter of intensity and how you place the training techniques together. If you’re new to Cross Training, or aren’t really looking to push yourself to the limit, then you would simply split up your training days. This could simply be splitting your training up into cardio, stretching days and weights, stability days. However if you’re really looking to become Cross Fit then you should combine all aspects of training and use a wide range of exercises. You then integrate together making a smooth flow of exercises. Take a look at the example workouts below.
Cross Training Workouts
Cross Training can and should be used at all levels, it’s just a matter of intensity and how you place the training techniques together. If you’re new to Cross Training, or aren’t really looking to push yourself to the limit, then you would simply split up your training days. This could simply be splitting your training up into cardio, stretching days and weights, stability days. However if you’re really looking to become Cross Fit then you should combine all aspects of training and use a wide range of exercises. You then integrate together making a smooth flow of exercises. Take a look at the example workouts below.
Browse through Fit2Talk's Free Online Workouts and progress your training to the next level or visit our Vids page for full video workouts and training techniques.
