 By Elena Voropay Step class, spin class, weight training, yoga, aerobics, body sculpting, bout camp, and, hey, throw in kickboxing. Why not? These days, your exercise routine doesn't have to a routine. Cross Training is simply a way of adding variety to your fitness program. Combining aerobic activity with muscular strength and flexibility training helps fight boredom, get you in shape, improve overall health, boost your self esteem, and bring a smile on your face. And on top of that, you get a well-rounded workout. Cross Training also refers to training in exercise activities other than your primary sport to improve fitness. Variety is the spice of your fitness life!
So, who should employ Cross Training? Every single person can benefit from mixing things up and pushing your body to go past its normal comfort zone. If any of the following apply to you, Cross Training is the solution you need: * You are in good shape, but good is not enough: you want to do something more * Exercise is boring for you, that is why you don't do it as often as you wish * Challenging yourself to a greater fitness level is demanded by your sport, mind, body, or spirit * You want better butt, stronger arms, or a flatter gut * You have been training for a long time, but passing through a plateau seems impossible * You have decided to take yourself to the next level and want to see improvement in all fitness components as they apply to you So, just let yourself go with the flow of Cross Training and enjoy the ride! Besides adding variety, there are several other Cross Training benefits added to your workout: - due to constant development of exercises, sports, and activities, you'll be less likely to suffer from burnout and quit - by switching activities you vary stresses on your body, leading to less injuries (most fitness injuries are overuse injuries resulting form doing the same thing over and over again) - your whole body with thank you for training - notice improvement in your cardio stamina, muscle strength, power, flexibility, and sports skills - forcing your body to adapt to new forms of stress will result in burning more calories The principles of cross training have now become the foundation of fitness programs of both recreational and professional athletes. The benefits of working the body physiologically in a complementary fashion and alternating intensity load have shown proven results in achieving peak performance and personal goals. |
Fitness and Sport 
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