Cross-training: everything but the kitchen sink

Cross-training: everything but the kitchen sink
Dayton Daily News
by Debbie Juniewicz
September 20, 2012

Running, rowing and power lifting. Using a jump rope, kettle bells, medicine ball or maybe even an indoor sled — you never know what to expect when you step into a cross-training class.

“If you keep your workout the same, your body and mind get used to it,” said Darlene Reid, senior health and wellness director at the Coffman YMCA. “These classes keep you engaged because they are ever-changing.”

Coffman YMCA in Springboro recently opened its Cross X Training room and the response has been overwhelming as the 21 classes they offer are usually full. That comes as no surprise to Mike Lyons, owner of CrossFit Troy and co-owner of Centerville CrossFit. The CrossFit prescription is “constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.”

“CrossFit has really been redefining fitness training in recent years,” Lyons said. “We want athletes to be developing their skills, not just mindlessly moving their bodies.”

Cross-training is nothing new as runners and elite athletes have been doing it for years. According to the American Running Association, cross-training can increase power, add flexibility, build stability, and increase motivation.

And with the emergence of CrossFit and similar programs, cross-training has achieved mainstream status. Local gyms and recreation centers as well as personal trainers offer a variety of cross-training options.

Why cross-training?

Too much of a good thing might be just that – too much.

“Your body gets adjusted to the same motions over time,” said Angela Stahl, an athletic trainer and certified strength and conditioning coach at the Miami Valley Hospital Sports Medicine Center. “And when you do the same thing all the time you can also develop overuse injuries.”

According to the American Running Association, overdosing on one type of exercise is unhealthy and can result in overtraining injuries, metabolic imbalance, and mental fatigue. It can also be – quite simply – boring.

“When I was a college gymnast, I loved working out but, after I got out of school, working out became boring,” Lyons said. “When I discovered CrossFit, it was like I was in college again – it’s new and exciting and different every day.”

Cross-training can also help athletes get past frustrating plateaus.

“Plateaus are a stopping point for more people than you know,” Reid said. “Cross-training can take people from this point to a higher point.”

Who should try cross-training?

If a climbing rope brings back feelings of dread from junior high gym class and power lifting seems better suited for Olympic athletes, cross-training might appear a bit intimidating.

“When people come in for the trial class, some of them are shaking in their boots,” Lyons said. “But what they discover is ‘Wow, I can do this and these are people just like me.’ ”

Of course there are serious athletes in some classes but there are also a fair share of potbellies. And, according to Lyons, everyone from kids to senior citizens can benefit from the CrossFit program.

That’s not to say cross-training is easy.

“I had one of my instructors take my class and he said it was the hardest class he had ever taken,” Reid said, smiling. “But, as with any workout, there are always adaptations the instructor can make for beginners.”

Where can you do cross-training?

The simple answer is anywhere.

“You don’t have to go to a gym to get into a cross-training regimen, you could use the stuff around you,” Reid said.

The gym, however, does have some distinctive advantages like knowledgeable instructors and trainers.

“With CrossFit, you never work out alone,” Lyons said. “And you really become part of a community.”

Most cross-training classes are small by design. The average class size at Centerville CrossFit is about 12. The Cross X Room at the Coffman YMCA is at capacity with less than 10 participants.

And while these facilities are ideally equipped for cross-training, many traditional recreation centers and gyms also have cross-training opportunities. The Kettering Recreation Center offers a variety of combination classes – like TRX and Cycling as well as Cycling and Yoga. The Kettering facility also offers Boot camp classes that combine calisthenics, like push-ups, sit-ups and chin-ups, with plyometric exercises, like ladder drills and various jumping and agility exercises, along with running sprints.

“Boot camp is a very engaging and exhausting form of exercise or cross-training conducted in a group setting,” said Jim Engelhardt, Kettering Recreation Complex division manager of fitness programs. “Sweat does like company.”

Or, you can create your own cross-training workout by utilizing multiple facilities, like the pool and the running track or the weight room and the hiking trails. Implementing a cross-training program, whether you go to a specialized facility or create a routine yourself, will likely pay off.

“It challenges the body, it’s a lot more interesting and it can be more motivating,” Stahl said.