Cross training exercises

Exercising is very important in everyone's life and eventhough physical activity is not something we implement in our daily scheduleregularly, it should be done because of its many positive effects on a humanbody.

Workout types

Basic types would include cardio workout, which emphasizesfat burning and creation of lean muscles, and there is also muscle massbuilding. These two basic forms have been used for creating many morevariations of exercising used today. One of the more interesting variations isa cross training. What are cross training exercises and what are its benefits?

It has to be emphasized that all experts recommend changesin a training schedule from time to time. This means that constant repeat of thesame schedule cannot create the same effect as it had in the beginning of theworkout. This is because of the fact that our bodies get used to a certainschedule after a while, meaning that exercises become easier to perform. How isthis countered? When it comes to muscle mass workout, adding weight willincrease the resistance, which will induce further growth of muscles. In cardioworkout, cross training exercises should be used.

Cross training means that different forms of exercisingshould be performed. For example, if a person is constantly using running as amain exercise or just for warming up, that should be changed with swimming oraerobics. The basic form of the workout will remain the same, low strengthoutput with allowed oxygen flow. But the muscles will be worked out differently,with slightly different contractions, speed, intensity etc. This is veryimportant because it develops muscles slightly differently and covers allpossible motions. This makes muscle even stronger and its endurance isincreased too, which means that cross training is something that is done by topathletes for further improvement of the organism. Cross training can be donewithin one basic workout, and it can also combine different workout types.

Example

One of the simplest examples is an athletic discipline calledtriathlon. It is a competition where athletes compete in three activities,running, swimming and riding a bicycle. It is obviously a very demandingdiscipline and only those in top form can engage in it. Cross training is excellent for weight reduction, because alot of calories can be eliminated by this source of energy. This is thanks to the fact that onemuscle is put under all possible forms of strain.