Brookline 617-860-6430 Fort Point 617-608-3695 Acton 617-860-6426 info@postpt.com
With marathon season coming up, a lot of people begin to focus primarily on being a better person than the rest of us running, quickly forgetting the importance of cross training. The same is true throughout the year as people find a favorite activity and stick with only that one form of exercise. Although it’s great to be active, especially doing something you love, it is important to mix it up in order to prevent an injury among other reasons (one being you hear one biking story you’ve heard them all, am I right?No? OK).

Not mixing it up can lead to burning out or overuse injuries such as tendon injuries, muscle strains, or even stress fractures.

16602912_10206708305421397_4029138919075281076_n

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends incorporating cardio respiratory, resistance, flexibility, and neuromotor exercises, sometimes referred to as functional fitness training, into your regular routine. Incorporating just one other activity into your training regimen isn’t going to cut it, but doing multiple activities that include aerobic exercise, strength training, stretching, as well as balance and coordination training will provide the overall health benefits we all need . There is even evidence to suggest that adding exercises focused on improving core strength can help to prevent injury particularly in the hips and knees.

Yoga falls under functional training

Cross-training can  be a valuable aspect of a fitness routine once injured. If the appropriate activity is selected an individual may be able to continue to improve cardio respiratory and strength without causing further injury.

It's all about proportions

It’s all about proportions

References:

http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01/acsm-issues-new-recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3806175/pdf/10.1177_1941738113481200.pdf