Cross Training on Athletes Can Help Improve Performance

What is Cross-training?

Jumping Rope is a Kind of Cross-training

Cross-training is an effective way to train muscle groups, decrease the possibility of injuries and build up new set of abilities. It can also decrease tediousness after long hours of doing the same exercise routines. Boredom can occur when an athlete practice the same routinely exercises and can create stressful feelings.

“Cross-training (also known as circuit training) refers to an athlete training in sports other than the one that athlete competes in with a goal of improving overall performance. It takes advantage of the particular effectiveness of each training method, while at the same time attempting to neglect the shortcomings of that method by combining it with other methods that address its weaknesses.”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-training)

Does Cross Training Improve Your Performance?

Cross-training also creates ability to diverge stress on a particular muscle group into a positive and productive one. If you are working out for months on a specific part of your body, that group of muscles becomes very stress and will not be able to perform well when the actual competition takes place due to fatigue and exhaustion. Cross-training allows the athlete to change his direction while toning the muscles at the same time. It is also needed to avoid the possibility of injury and strains due to overtraining.

“The term cross training refers to a training routine that involves several different forms of exercise. While it is necessary for an athlete to train specifically for their sport if they want to excel, for most exercisers cross training is a beneficial training method for maintaining a high level of overall fitness. For example, you may use both biking and swimming each week to improve your overall aerobic capacity, build overall muscle strength and reduce the chance of an overuse injury. Cross training limits the stress that occurs on a specific muscle group because different activities use muscles in slightly different ways.”

(http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/Cross_Training.htm)

Athletes and sports-minded people are common nowadays. Olympians and their trainers associate other activities rather than focusing on their respective fields. Runners integrate swimming into their training while swimmers combine running and cycling to condition other parts of their bodies. Professional triathletes use gymnastic movements and other warm up exercise such as jumping ropes on their cross-training.

There are important ways that cross-training can help an athlete. While regular training is very essential to an athlete, consistent training can sometimes lead to negative conditions like muscle stress that will affect the overall performance. Cross-training will avoid that situation and will improve the performance- physically, mentally and emotionally.