Cross training?

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soccerella
soccerella Posts: 623 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started (or rather will be starting shortly) a 1/2 marathon training plan that calls for 2 days of cross training a week....1 day for 30 minutes and another day it basically gives you the option of a 2 mile run or cross train.

What do people (runners especially) do for cross training? I always kind of thought it was another cardio based activity like biking or playing soccer, but could it really be anything? Namely I'm thinking I might do something like 30DS on the crosstraining days, or maybe just lifting by itself. Thoughts?

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  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    The training program I follow for my half marathons states that the cross-training days should still be a cardio-based exercise as there are already strength training days built into the program. I've read and know a lot of runners that do biking as their cross-training, but I don't have a bike and stationary bikes bore me to tears, so I don't go that route.

    My most typical cross-train day exercise is the ARC trainer at the gym. Second most common for me is the stair mill (the one that's like a never ending escalator) I've also done some roller skating as well as the very rare elliptical. But I find that when I stick with the ARC trainer, I see the most improvements in my running pace.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
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    I'd get some lifting in. Maintaining/gaining muscle mass while running a lot can be dificult.
  • soccerella
    soccerella Posts: 623 Member
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    The training program I follow for my half marathons states that the cross-training days should still be a cardio-based exercise as there are already strength training days built into the program. I've read and know a lot of runners that do biking as their cross-training, but I don't have a bike and stationary bikes bore me to tears, so I don't go that route.

    My most typical cross-train day exercise is the ARC trainer at the gym. Second most common for me is the stair mill (the one that's like a never ending escalator) I've also done some roller skating as well as the very rare elliptical. But I find that when I stick with the ARC trainer, I see the most improvements in my running pace.

    I don't know why i didn't even consider gym machines. We dont have an ARC trainer, but defintiely have the stair climber and ellipticals that would work out. It looks like this program has 2 days that have strength training in them so maybe i'd be better off doing other cardio workouts like you said and doing strictly strength on the other days
  • Abbygrlbff
    Abbygrlbff Posts: 52 Member
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    I am currently training for a 1/2 marathon, and I've been doing Zumba and the NIKE fitness ap for my cross training. I would really like to incorporate swimming, but I am sore from my runs!
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Two days with strength and two days of cross, with one being cross or 2 mile run...are you on Hal Higdon's Novice plan?
  • soccerella
    soccerella Posts: 623 Member
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    Two days with strength and two days of cross, with one being cross or 2 mile run...are you on Hal Higdon's Novice plan?

    Yep, thats what everyone seems to recommend thoguh I may have to tweak things slightly with work and such
  • SelkieDiver
    SelkieDiver Posts: 260 Member
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    Biking or Spinning is a good complementary exercise to use for cross training. It uses the muscles that don't get used as much when running. I'll also use the elliptical or swim. I don't consider strength training cross-training - that I do separately one or 2 x a week when I'm training for a race.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    I swim between runs 3 or 4 times a week. I find it makes the legs feel better and stops my back from hurting durng runs.
  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
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    Although I follow Hal Higdon's plan regarding mileage for HM training, I kind of do my own thing in regards to cross training doing 3 days of running, 3 days of strengh training. I actually do some form of cardio every day (walking my dog, pre-strength training warm ups on treadmill) but I don't do any other serious cardio other than my running days.
    Typical week looks like this for me:
    Monday: Upper body/abs/core
    Tuesday: Run
    Wednesday Lower body/abs/core
    Thursday: Run
    Friday Upper body/abs/core
    Saturday: Long run
    Sunday: Rest or stretch, light cardio

    Sometimes I switch it up and work lower body 2 times instead of 1 but not when my long weekend runs are real long!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    I run, I lift and I cycle. Sometimes I swim, and I row at the gym, sometimes I'll take in an exercise class, sometimes I do yoga or body balance. But mostly run, lift and cycle.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
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    bump...ideas for later.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Two days with strength and two days of cross, with one being cross or 2 mile run...are you on Hal Higdon's Novice plan?

    Yep, thats what everyone seems to recommend thoguh I may have to tweak things slightly with work and such

    I do a modified version of his intermediate plan for my training. :) I followed one of his 10K plans to the letter for my 7K and 10K races last year and it did wonders for my pace and endurance. So when I was going to do a half, I knew exactly where I was going for my training plan. But I added in some hill training since my first half was in San Francisco, and I've kept it in there just because it's what I was used to. heh

    I also love that when I had some questions about some stuff on the plan the first time I was going to use it, I asked it on his forum and Hal Higdon answered me personally, which was pretty cool.

    Here's the current schedule I follow:
    Monday - strength (I do a three set circuit that covers upper and lower body)
    Tuesday - run (usually just under half the distance of whatever my Sunday run was)
    Wednesday - alternates weekly between speed training and hill training
    Thursday - strength (same circuit as Tues) and 3 mile run
    Friday - rest day
    Saturday - cross training (increases gradually in length over the course of the training, around 50 minutes right now)
    Sunday - long run (I run further than his plan said because I wanted to run closer to the race distance than his original plan had me going before my first race. For my next half, I will actually be getting up to 14 miles for my longest run prior to the race)

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