Diversifying your fitness routine. A concept that may sound daunting or confusing, but nonetheless one that will only benefit you and your body as you discover what fitness routine works for you. While you can do The Sculpt Society workouts on their own week by week, we recognize that many of you supplement additional forms of exercise, like running, in your routines on a regular basis. We want to provide you with the tools and resources to successfully integrate cross-training into your fitness routine so that you can feel empowered through movement.
What is Cross-Training?
Cross-training means a variety of exercises you can substitute for running or supplement in addition to running to improve overall conditioning. These cross-training exercises help to build stamina, increase overall fitness, and keep you healthy. It can mean anything from swimming, to yoga, to hiking. Strength and mobility work especially can help to decrease the possibility of injury and help to support positive physiological health.
Benefits of Cross-Training
Injury Prevention
Overuse injuries are extremely common for runners of any level. Cross-training exercises provide a break from the normal impact of running thereby giving the muscles that are most commonly used, or even overused, a break. This helps to correct any muscular imbalances that can be formed from solely participating in running. By strengthening opposing muscles, you will be able to continue running without as much of a risk of overtraining.
Builds Aerobic Fitness
Working to build your aerobic capacity will not make you a stronger and faster runner, but improve your cardiovascular system. Rather than focusing on lowering your heart rate, building aerobic fitness requires increasing your heart rate to an elevated state for an extended period of time without the high impact stress your body gets through running. Cycling, walking, swimming, and rowing are all examples of great ways you can cross-train with the intention of increasing your aerobic fitness.
Active Recovery
Part of cross-training is engaging in active recovery movement regularly. Not only will this make your high intensity days more effective but it will help to relieve any feelings of soreness. Think about engaging in low-impact, low-intensity exercise that increases blood flow to your muscles. Find the balance of getting your body moving to get the blood flowing while also being gentle enough to allow your muscles proper recovery time. This can look like mobility exercises, walking, pilates, or low-impact sculpting: lean into what your body is craving and with it! Our bodies instinctively know what we need and it's so important that we honor these feelings by engaging in active recovery.
Mental Motivation and Mindfulness
Not only will cross-training make you a more effective runner, but it will also give you the opportunity to build your mental strength. Running is a mental game as much as it is physical. Making it mile to mile for distance runners or sprint to sprint for those who prefer shorter distances, your mental strength is what will help you reach those goals. Engaging in any sort of physical exercise helps to improve mental clarity through the release of endorphins. Depending on whether you want to find calm in the midst of chaos or find release after a stressful day, your cross training is what will get you there. Consider taking a yoga class or doing a meditation to strengthen your mental clarity and feel calm. If you are searching for that stress release, lean into the aggression by trying a higher intensity workout like dance cardio.
Cross-Train With Us: TSS x New Balance Move With Us Program
This brand-new program focuses on full body cross-training for runners at any level, that will help strengthen your hips, core, legs and arms, to enhance your strength, stamina, and ultimately help you reach your running goals. Both New Balance and TSS recognize the benefits not only physically, but mentally when we move our body. Enjoy a mix of movement and meditation for a holistic approach to runner recovery and training. This program is FREE for anyone to participate, so click the button below to sign up if you are not a TSS member!
- Low-Impact
- Hip Mobility
- Core Strength
- Stamina
- Full Body Sculpting
