Just try new things. Don't be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar, all right? ~Michelle Obama
Maybe you've just started to exercise, or maybe you are well into your fitness groove and have your routine down. Either way, you will probably benefit from adding ANOTHER form of exercise - cross-training! I did the same exercise routine for decades -- running + yoga + weights. The cardio, strength and stretching worked well for me. I also had different kinds of running workouts - speed, tempo and distance. The routine counted as cross-training as there was variety and it included cardio, flexibility and strength. Over the years I switched in some Pilates and flirted with spinning since many of my friends loved it, but the two or three times I tried spinning I HATED it.
Then I started my own business, and due to time constraints I no longer trained with a team, and the running dwindled down to a jog. I missed the variety of high-intensity workouts, and though I could do it on my own, I didn't.
During one of my trips last year, the hotel I was staying at had a Peloton bike. I looked at it for a few days, thinking about how much I hated spinning. Then for some reason I decided to try it, and I LOVED it. I liked how they told you exactly what cadence and resistance to pedal at, and I also liked the instructors. I missed team running and a coach, which is what Peloton provides for spinning. Besides having a coach, there's a bit of a virtual team. I now own a Peloton, and I have used it regularly once to twice a week over the last year. It's not my main source of exercising but it's great cross-training - it improved my running, and it's a fun change of pace. I hadn't realized how much I missed interval training! It is also incredibly convenient for when you are running late/short on time and would like to squeeze in a fast sweat session.
Coaches and fitness experts extol cross-training for:
- Improving your fitness. By cross-training with a different sport you will work different muscle groups and add additional types of training (interval, stretching, etc)
- Faster muscle recovery. Using different muscles means you let other muscles rest. You'll recover faster and be able to train harder (if you want)
- Enhance motivation/avoid burnout. Get out of your rut! Learning a new type of movement/sport will fire different neurons and keep your workout fresh.
- It improves your cognitive performance. A study published May 2018 in Journal of Neurology and Clinical Practice found that two hours of exercise a week delivers lots of brain benefits, including global cognition, processing speed and attention span and executive function (a set of mental skills that helps you get things done). You know what will help you get there? Cross-training!
What to do - Cross Train
- First, find some regular exercise you can commit to. Make it a habit that you can do several times a week.
- Make a list of all the sports and exercises that look interesting to you. Want to try barre, Orange Theory, cross-fit, hiking or krav maga? Throw them all on the list.
- Try something on your list at least once a month. Do a little research to figure out where you can try it most conveniently. Hire a trainer or take a new class - you will often pick up something different.
- Say YES when you see a free trial or someone asks you if you want to work out with them. Who knows what you might learn?
- Like one of the activities? Schedule it for next week.
- If you love one of the activities, make it a regular part of your week. 1-2 times per week.
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What I ate: 12 oz green juice, 16 oz matcha latte, 6 spanakopita, cheese popcorn, 1/2 cup beef jerky, raw celery + raw carrots + tzatziki, 6 Bibigo dumplings, salad, 7 pierogis, 14 oz hot chocolate, 2 peanut butter Reeses cups, 16 oz water
Exercise: 10 min yoga
