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KEEPING FIT; Cross-Train Your Way to Fitness

Posted on: Monday, 25 October 2004, 11:00 CDT

Wayne Westcott

Consider a cross-training program for increasing the benefits and reducing the risks associated with endurance exercise. Cross- training is easily accommodated at most fitness facilities due to the wide variety of aerobic equipment readily available (upright cycles, recumbent cycles, treadmills, stepping machines, stair climbing machines, elliptical trainers, rowing machines, running tracks and swimming pools). Even home gyms can be outfitted at a reasonable cost to enable more varied aerobic activity (cycle, stepper, rower). The two equally important objectives of a cross- training workout are: to provide 20 to 40 minutes of continuous endurance training for effective cardiovascular conditioning; and to use two or more modes of aerobic exercise to emphasis different muscle groups for reduced risk of overuse injuries.

For example, instead of 30 minutes running on the treadmill you may substitute 10 minutes of treadmill running plus 10 minutes of upright cycling, plus 10 minutes of rowing. This cross-training workout provides 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise but emphasizes a variety of major muscle groups. Physiologically it enables you to train harder due to less muscle fatigue, with less potential for overuse injuries. Psychologically, it offers a more interesting workout with periodic changes in movement patterns and motor skills. Consider these aerobic activities that may be interchanged during your endurance training sessions and note the major muscular emphasis of each:

Upright cycling supports your body weight and puts more stress on your front thigh (quadriceps) muscles. Recumbent cycling also supports your bodyweight, but places more emphasis on your rear thigh (hamstrings) and hip (gluteal) muscles. Treadmill walking/ running, which uses your bodyweight resistance, places more emphasis on your rear thigh (hamstrings) muscles at slower speeds and more emphasis on your front thigh (quadriceps) muscles at faster speeds. Stepping and stair climbing both use your bodyweight resistance and put more stress your front thigh (quadriceps) and lower leg (calf) muscles. Elliptical training machines use your bodyweight resistance and produce a movement pattern that resembles a combination of running, cycling and stepping, which places more equal emphasis on all of the lower body muscles. Rowing machines involve both external resistance and body movement. Unlike the other endurance exercises, rowing involves both your upper body and lower body muscles, with greatest stress on the pushing muscles of the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals) and the pulling muscles of the torso/arms (upper back, lower back, biceps). Swimming is similar to rowing in that you use both your upper body and lower body muscles, with emphasis on those that pull your body through the water (chest, upper back and arms). Of course rowing and swimming are excellent cross-training activities when integrated with leg emphasis exercises such as cycling, running and stepping. There is no specific pattern of cross-training combinations and no particular time limit for each exercise segment. Choose the activities that you like best and try a variety of match-ups. For example, you could do two different activities for 12 minutes each or four different exercises at 6 minutes each. After a few experimental sessions you should develop a personalized cross-training program that is perfect for you. Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., is fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, and author of several books including "Building Strength and Stamina" and "Strength Training Past 50."

Source: Patriot Ledger, The; Quincy, Mass.

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