The Essential Guide to Cross-Training for Runners
Cross-training for runners can help with improving your aerobic fitness, endurance, and strength. Cross-training covers a broad range of exercises from weightlifting to yoga to swimming, and more. These exercises can be incorporated into your training schedules as a complement to a training run. For instance, you could schedule one yoga session per week and a short weightlifting activity with a run. Most runners utilize cross-training to help improve their performance and keep engaged. It can get monotonous to just run for your training. As you review the information below, remember to always consult with your physician before starting an exercise program.
Types of Cross-Training
There are 2 categories of cross-training—strength and aerobics. Strength exercises help create a more efficient and powerful runner, and aerobics can improve endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
Strength Workouts
- Yoga: Yoga can be done for strength, recovery, and flexibility. It focuses on the core. A strong core and increased overall flexibility can help strengthen your lower body. A yoga workout can include planks, back bends, and abdominal exercises. Another aspect of yoga that complements running is the discomfort it creates. Yoga poses are designed to push past your comfort level. Running a race operates with similar principles, particularly if unpredictable weather affects the race. Yoga creates a mindfulness that is useful for enduring the difficult periods of a race.
- Weightlifting: Lifting weights can help improve your tendons, joints, and ligaments. Adding muscle strength can help make you a more efficient and powerful runner. To get stronger, do fewer sets with heavier weights. For instance, targeting each muscle group with 5-10 repetitions for 4 sets is good practice. Focus on your lower body doing squats, deadlifts, and lunges. To keep your body balanced, you need to do upper body exercises that target your chest, back, and shoulders. For offseason workouts, lifting 3 to 4 times weekly is recommended. While training for a race, reduce your workouts to twice weekly.
- Plyometrics: Plyometrics is a type of exercise that combines speed and force to create power. Power is the combination of strength and speed. Powerful runners are efficient and fast. Some good plyometric exercises include jump squats, single leg deadlift hops, and box jumps.
Aerobic Workouts
- Elliptical: Training on an elliptical machine mimics the motions that runners use. You stretch and pump your arms by grabbing the bars and pulling them close to your chest while you run. It’s a low-impact cardio exercise where you can push as hard as you want. If you’re training for a race, an easy 30-minute elliptical session can be helpful. More intense elliptical workouts are an option in the offseason.
- Swimming: Swimming can help build cardiovascular endurance and overall body strength. It works both your upper and lower body. It’s also low impact. Swimming, particularly outside, can be more energizing and fun than training on a machine in a gym. You can do short workouts, recovery workouts, and speed workouts. It depends on your preference.
- Cycling: Biking can be a great low-impact leg and cardio workout. It can be done inside or outside with different types of bikes. An easy 30-minute ride during training is a nice break. Runners can dial up the intensity during offseason with longer, more challenging rides that include hill work.
There are dozens of different exercises that can be targeted for strength and aerobic workouts. Others to consider include using a stair-climber, Pilates, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, and in-line skating. It’s important to remember that cardio exercises aren’t replacements for running workouts. A 30-minute easy bike ride isn’t the same as a 30-minute easy run. They exert your cardiovascular system differently. It’s why you must train doing the same kind of running that you’ll do on race day.
Cross-Training Gear Recommendations
Cross-training gear varies depending on what kind of sport you’re doing. If you’re going to cross-country ski, you’ll need a pair of skis and some warm Winter clothing. Yoga might require a mat, and outdoor cyclists need a good helmet. Below are some recommendations for gear that could help you.
- Training Shoes: A cross-training shoe should be versatile, quiet, and rugged to handle different types of exercises from weightlifting to elliptical work to cycling. Look for comfort and breathability. Serious cyclists will want to invest in a pair of cycling shoes.
- Shorts: Shorts should fit comfortably. A moisture-wicking short that is lightweight and breathable is important. Another factor to consider is appearance. If they look and feel good to you, it can help elevate your energy level.
- Shirts: For warm weather, a quick-drying tank top that is soft and breathable can help you stay cool. Long-sleeve shirts for cold weather should be form-fitting, lightweight and breathable, and fast drying.
- Weightlifting Gloves: A good pair of gloves will protect your hands from the bruising and scraping that sometimes occurs with metal weightlifting bars. The best gloves are made of durable leather that breathes well and is flexible.
- Swimsuit: A pair of shorts that’s good for both water and land and can be used for running and cross-training is a good option. The shorts should be comfortable, light, and stretchy. For women, a comfortable moisture-wicking body suit is effective for running and swimming.
Cross-training is standard practice for most experienced runners. It alleviates the boredom of just focusing on running, and it can help improve your overall performance. Develop a cross-training plan that’s tailored to your goals to improve your overall performance and keep you interested and motivated for your workouts.