| Over-all fitness improvement can only be | | | | bike.Since physical training is specific... |
| achieved by making a compromise between ALL | | | | you are effectively training your body's |
| of the physical abilities needed for fitness | | | | ability to perform machine resistance |
| excellence... and using cross training to | | | | exercises and ride a stationary bike.Your |
| improve those abilities.If you are a fitness | | | | body will make the necessary changes to allow |
| enthusiast interested in improving health and | | | | you to perform those activities more |
| over-all physical abilities which will enable | | | | efficiently in the future.However, since true |
| you to meet the challenges of sport, work and | | | | fitness is the compromise of physical |
| life with excellence... you should be cross | | | | abilities and the seamless transition from |
| training!Cross training is a form of training | | | | one physical ability to another... your |
| that uses more than one method to achieve the | | | | physical training time would be better served |
| desired physical goals.For example, a runner | | | | by using cross training between a wider |
| might also train on the stationary bike with | | | | variety of training methods, stresses and |
| the hopes of improving their running | | | | intensities.Cross training allows you to use |
| performance.The debate continues as to | | | | many different training methods, stresses and |
| whether this type of cross training is truly | | | | intensities to create an environment for you |
| beneficial for elite athlete performance | | | | body to improve over a wide spectrum of |
| improvement.But what about when we look at | | | | physical abilities... and not just one |
| the training methods of the fitness | | | | method, stress or intensity producing |
| enthusiast?... someone that physically trains | | | | specialized fitness.Cross training can keep |
| for health and over-all fitness | | | | you from overtraining one aspect of |
| improvement.In my opinion... Fitness | | | | fitness... at the expense of all the |
| enthusiasts should be cross training if they | | | | others.Cross training is fun... meaning you |
| want to optimize strength, conditioning and | | | | will be more likely to keep you physical |
| fitness.One physical training method cannot | | | | fitness training program on track for the |
| provide enough varied stimulus to improve all | | | | long haul.Cross training can help you make |
| the physical abilities needed for fitness | | | | physical activity a part of your lifestyle... |
| excellence... this can only be accomplished | | | | the surest way to long term health.In short, |
| by using cross training between various | | | | cross training can develop a body that is fit |
| physical training methods, stresses and | | | | to do many activities well under the greatest |
| intensities.The #1 Reason Fitness Enthusiasts | | | | amount of circumstances... allowing you to |
| Should Be Cross Training?Fitness is the | | | | meet the random challenges of sport, work and |
| degree of competence in the ability to | | | | life with excellence.In conclusion...Most |
| perform in all the areas of cardiorespiratory | | | | commercial fitness programs are a limited |
| endurance, strength, power, speed, | | | | form of cross training... combining |
| flexibility, balance, coordination, agility, | | | | resistance training in the form of machines |
| accuracy and toughness... not the ability to | | | | and cardiovascular training in the form of |
| perform one physical ability well.That's | | | | aerobic activity.Unfortunately, this cross |
| right... fitness is a compromise between | | | | training combination alone is not enough to |
| various physical abilities!It would then | | | | train all the physical abilities needed for |
| stand to reason that a physical fitness | | | | fitness excellence.Only through cross |
| program should be designed to "optimize" the | | | | training with a large variety of physical |
| competence of all the physical abilities and | | | | training methods, stresses and intensities |
| their interaction with one another... and not | | | | can the fitness enthusiast reach their true |
| "maximize" only one physical skill.This can | | | | physical potential.Cross training is the best |
| only be done through cross training.Let me | | | | way to optimize physical performance for the |
| give you an example of what I mean...Suppose | | | | fitness enthusiast!Eddie Lomax is a strength, |
| you are limiting your training to the | | | | conditioning and fitness coach and founder of |
| combination of resistance training in the | | | | Optimum Physical Training. We recommend his |
| form of exercise machines and aerobic | | | | book Unchained Bodyweight Workout. |
| exercise in the form of riding the exercises | | | | |