Cross-training flexes new muscles

Editor’s Note: The following is the ninth in a 12-part series of columns from Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Move & Improve is an outreach program of EMMC’s Community Wellness Service promoting healthful lifestyles for Maine people.

Whether you are new to exercise or are an established, avid exerciser, you can breathe new life into your fitness program by trying out new physical activities. This is referred to as cross-training. Recent research has pointed to the many benefits of cross-training as a means of enhancing total conditioning. It provides exercise variety, which is good not only for the mind, but also for the muscles.

The major benefits of cross-training include:

. Adding variety and decreasing the monotony of single-activity programs.

. Serving as an injury prevention measure. Substituting a different exercise eases the demand on muscles you use most frequently and at the same time strengthens different muscle groups and joints and improves overall muscle balance.

. Providing an additional means of burning fat.

Here are some popular cross-training ideas:

Bicycling

For those who usually run or walk, cycling’s big plus is that it provides a break from the repetitive impact of running or walking. Cycling exercises related muscle groups in the legs, while also strengthening the connective tissue of the knee, hip and ankle regions. This can help reduce the risk of injury.

Swimming

For land exercisers, swimming is one of the best cross-training activities. It builds endurance and upper-body strength leading to better overall muscular balance particularly for runners, walkers and bikers. It improves flexibility and is especially recommended for those who are pregnant, recovering from an injury, have joint or bone conditions, or are overweight and have difficulty tolerating the impact of weight-bearing activities. If you don’t swim, you can always take advantage of the water environment with deep-water walking-running or by joining an aquatic exercise class.

Walking

If you’re a runner or cyclist, don’t underestimate the benefits of a brisk walk as a recovery activity and a break from your usual pace. Those who tend to be water exercisers need to incorporate weight-bearing activities, such as walking or running, in order to ensure bone strength.

Other popular choices include in-line skating, cross-country skiing or group exercise classes. The important point is that cross-training gives you the opportunity to develop a more holistic approach to your exercise perspective, one that allows you to connect exercise to the rest of your life. The key is to select aerobic activities you enjoy so that you really look forward to doing them. Challenge yourself to test out a different activity, even if that means learning new skills. Try sports such as volleyball, tennis or softball. Turn your leisure time activity into cross-training; go for a hike on the carriage trails in Acadia or spend the afternoon working in the garden. These all count as physical activities that promote the expenditure of energy, provide a break from daily workouts and contribute to health-related fitness.

Be the best you can be, eat well, be active, stay strong, and enjoy moving to improve.

Stephanie Peavey is director of health and fitness for the Bangor-Brewer YMCA and a member of the Move & Improve Coalition. For more information, contact Move & Improve coordinator Elanna Farnham at 973-7245 or efarnham@emh.org.