What does cross training mean to YOU?

endurojcb
endurojcb Posts: 170
edited April 2008 in Health, fitness & training
I'm about to start this 16 week training schedule (Regular MTB Rider version as I'm just coming back from a 3 month lay-off due to a torn vastus medialis tendon) http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/training/8.php to get me nice and fit for the summer (i'm not planning on doing any events or anything). Worth a go I thought.

Anyway, my question is what does the cross training element mean to people? What do you do to cross train?

They have cross training machines at my gym (doing the sort of motions that a XC skier would do with your arms and legs), which I like and it's good for getting your heart rate up and burning those calories. Is this the sort of cross training they mean or do they mean a mixture of stuff?
2007 Merlin Malt 4

Comments

  • explosifpete
    explosifpete Posts: 1,327
    I've allways taken cross trainning to be any other activity that will get your heart going and use muscles in a diffrent way than your cycling.
    So the cross trainer is perfect.
    http://www.iwaxstudio.co.uk/
  • Matteeboy
    Matteeboy Posts: 996
    Almost all outdoors.

    Trail running (a fair bit)
    Surfing (a lot when there's surf)
    Weights at home.
    Daily 3m + hike with the dog.
    Two Stumpjumpers, a Rockhopper Disk and an old British Eagle.

    http://www.cornwallmtb.kk5.org
  • jmeadows
    jmeadows Posts: 335
    to me its essentially different forms of training to complement the main one.
    a martial artist will box, do thai, kickbox all with the main goal towards one discipline,
    you could run, do weights, martial arts, core strength all towards cycling.. :)
    never hurts your eyes to look on the bright side of life...
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Cross training is also to even out muscle group enlargement. You often do completely different activities as part of cross training, so that you don't have issues with muscle asymmetry and the associated issues. Running is always a good one as it works many different muscles.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • woody-som
    woody-som Posts: 1,001
    swimming for the upper body, running for cardio and different leg muscles and a few weights for the whole body, also pilates for the core.
  • endurojcb
    endurojcb Posts: 170
    I do weights and crunches at the gym at the moment anyway on mondays, wednesdays, thursdays and fridays. Pretty much all upper body work though.

    I can't do much running, mainly because I used to and still do get alot of pain (after 10 mins or so of running) just below my knees on the outside at the top of the tibia (which I have been reliably informed is probably something called Illiotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)), hence why I took up cycling 2 or 3 years ago because it's low impact. Never been able to get rid of the ITB problem tho.

    A cross training machine uses all the leg muscles in a different way to a bike so if I use that for the cross training element of that fitness programme I shouldn't go far wrong. After 6-8 weeks I'll probably introduce some spinning each week too to increase my anaerobic power for hill climbs etc!
    2007 Merlin Malt 4

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