Mix it Up with Cross Training
Keep your workouts fun and exciting
A lot of young athletes first start to see real results from their training routines once they fully commit themselves to a program, but even the most dedicated and hard-working athletes can sometimes get burned out from a repetitive workout schedule.
One of the best ways to keep your training routine interesting and fun is to use cross-training as a major component of your program. Cross-training means that you are simply alternating the types of exercise activities you are trying, and mixing up these activities helps keep things fresh and fun while also keeping your body primed and conditioned for whatever you throw at it.
Here are a few tips for including cross-training into your workout schedule-
- Don’t let your workouts become boring. If you are going to be a long-term athlete, your training program is not going to work unless it’s something you can enjoy and get excited about. To keep your motivation up, start out by making a list of activities that you really enjoy doing. Don’t restrict yourself to just the basic cardio and weight-training routines. Get inventive and come up with some activities that you can really look forward to.
- For cardio and aerobic activity, don’t be satisfied just running on the track or the treadmill. Mix it up a little. Try out a spinning or martial arts class, or head to the pool a couple days a week for water aerobics, volleyball, or just some swimming. Switching up your routine will keep your body from becoming accustomed to the same old workouts, which will prevent you from
reaching the “plateau effect,” which means your body has gotten used to your training routine and is stuck in a rut.
- For weight and strength-training, try out a group weight-training class or resistance training in a pool. You can also try fast-paced circuit training or a military-style “boot camp” workout for a real challenge. Try using muscle groups that you haven’t really paid attention to before. This will help you achieve more total-body strength and decrease overall fatigue.
- Don’t overdo it. Give your body time to rest and recover, especially after strength training. Use weights or resistance training only 2 or 3 days a week with cardio training days in-between, and don’t hesitate to take a day off if you are feeling burned out. It’s better to take a day off and come back rested and ready that to push too hard and wind up hurt or overly fatigued.