Cross-Train Tip No.4: Boost Your Flexibility
Judi Ketteler
"Yoga and Pilates build core strength, mental focus, balance—and perhaps most important for runners—flexibility. But in our attempt to loosen our hamstrings, calves, and hips, we can push ourselves too far and end up with a strained muscle or joint. Start with a beginner's class, or find an instructor who offers modified poses.
"'It's better to practice a beginner's version with good form than an advanced pose with bad form,' says Wendy Puckett, a marathoner and owner of Steamboat Pilates in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Tell your instructor that you're a runner and whether you have any chronic injuries. They could show you how to use yoga blocks or straps to help you ease into positions.
"Runners are conditioned to run through discomfort, but if you feel pain, back off. Recognize your body's limits and have realistic expectations."
More: Cross-Train Tips from Judi Ketteler
Cross-Train Tip No.6: Pick Your Spots
Josh Clark
Of course running is always the best training for the runner, but it's also wise to remember that running is not the be-all and end-all of fitness.
Other sports can improve muscular fitness in those neglected areas while also maintaining your aerobic fitness. While you can pursue a weight-training program to address the muscle groups of your choice, you can also target specific muscle groups by choosing the right cross-training exercises:
Quadriceps
- Biking
- Cross-country skiing
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Stair climbing
- Skating
- Snowshoeing
- Water running
Buttocks
- Cross-country skiing
- Rowing
- Swimming
Abdominals
- Cross-country skiing
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Water running
Lower Back
- Rowing
- Swimming
Upper Body
- Cross-country skiing
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Water running
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