Cross-Training for Beauty Fitness

Cross-training is the act of doing a variety of activities in order to condition the body. I highly recommend it to everyone!

"Cross-training" is currently a big buzzword in the wellness world because some high-profile athletes are reaping its rewards, from tennis star Maria Sharapova (she practices yoga in addition to the hours she spends on the court), to Olympian Sasha Cohen, who credits her one-on-one Pilates training for creating an "injury-proof" skating physique. I recently spent a weekend in Lake Placid, New York, home to an Olympic Training Center. One thing I noticed is how much the athletes cross-train. The crew team goes running, the figure skaters take ballet, the downhill skiers train in the weight room — all excellent examples of cross-training. They're no dummies: Cross-training does a body good! Studies show that the mind and body stay fresh and responsive with variety in movement.

Many people think they are in great shape, but because they focus solely on one activity, whether it's running or cross-country skiing, they may be fooling themselves. In fact, they might be setting themselves up for physical injury: When the body does just one type of activity, the physical challenge tends to wane over time and the lack of variety in movement creates muscular imbalances that make it easier to get hurt.

By combining walking and strength training, you are already tapping into the powers of cross-training, but you can definitely take it a few steps further. First, try varying the duration and intensity of your cardio workout. A simple example of duration variance might be something like this: On Monday, walk around the track for 30 minutes, then on Wednesday make it 60 minutes. As for intensity, try an uphill hike one day, and then return to a steady-paced walk around the track the next.

The second thing you can do to enhance your cross-training is to think outside the box about strength training. It doesn't always have to be traditional lifting (using free weights or Nautilus equipment) — it could include other strengthening techniques like Power Yoga or mat-based Pilates. And when you do use those free weights, try varying the routine by targeting the lower body one day and the upper body the next, and maybe training the entire body in one long strength-training workout once a week. The sequence of exercises, the number of repetitions and the pace at which the reps are performed should be dynamic. As with changing up the cardio, this will challenge both your body and mind, and keep things exciting.

The third thing you can do to enhance your fitness routine with cross-training is to take up a new sport. Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, horseback riding, surfing ... pick something that interests you and go for it! Even if the activity is "lite," like golf or cricket, the hand–eye coordination, balance and body-awareness practice are all valuable pieces of the fitness puzzle. Last winter, I took up paddle tennis and had a ton of fun — plus, it spiced up my fitness routine.

Cross-training keeps your workouts fresh, which is key to keeping up your fitness mojo.