We’ve all hit plateaus. Even if you’re exercising regularly you may be feeling unmotivated about your current routine. Maybe you went on vacation and stayed on fitness vacation even after returning home. Or even being new to fitness you had hit the gym running but suddenly you’re making excuses to skip the workout.

One of the most common reasons for these plateaus is lack of variety. Cross training is a solution that allows benefits for both beginners and experienced athletes. Here are some advantages of cross training.

  • Keeps you interested in workouts by adding, say, exercise classes or inline skating to your routine.
  • Develops your entire body, adding functionality
  • Reduces risk of injury by distributing workout loads evenly
  • Allows an injured trainee to continue training but utilizing different movements
  • Reduces risk of overuse injuries

 

To see how fun and exciting a cross training routine can be, one is included. Please consult a physican before engaging in any exercise regime. This sample cross training program, a conditioning interval, is a great motivator. It incorporates cardio, strength, and speed and will have you begging for more.

Sample Cross Training Routine

Warmup, treadmill, 10 minutes

Boxing, non-stop punch drills, 4 minutes

Jump rope, 2 minutes

Yoga, Sun salutation, 10 minutes

Sprint drills, 3 x 40 second run/20 second rest, 3 minutes

Pushups, 100 as fast as possible, breaks as necessary, maximum 3 minutes

Pilates, 7 minutes

Ellipitcal, max resistance, 1 minute

Tai Chi, 5 minutes

Basketball drills, 4 minutes

Pullups/Assisted Pullups, as many possible in 2 minutes

Jumping jacks, 2 minutes

Indoor cycling, jumps, 4 minutes

Wall Sit, 1-5 minutes

Cooldown, light crunches and stretching, 5 minutes

Use this and similar ideas to formulate exciting new workouts for you and your clients. They say “Variety of the spice of life”…Well, variety is the ultimate key to prolonged health and wellness. Cross train and enjoy.