1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: I am Tom Holland, and this is Fitness Disrupted. Cross training. 3 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: For many of you, it's a term you've heard before, 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: and for many of you, it's a term like so 5 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: many other topics I talked about here on the show, 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: that there's confusion about what is cross training. And I'm 7 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: going to start the show by giving you three different 8 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: definitions on cross training that I found. And it's one 9 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: of those topics where you know, so often I have 10 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: shows where it's truly like bad information, information that's gonna 11 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: not only keep you from getting results, it's not based 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: in science, and you know there's bias involved. There's bad 13 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: just exercise science interpretation and stuff that's gonna keep you 14 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: from not only getting results, but oftentimes get you injured. 15 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: This is not one of those shows a little more lighthearted, 16 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: but you need to know what cross training is so 17 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 1: you can be as healthy as possible. And it's one 18 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: of those topics in exercise science where you know, depending 19 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: on who you ask, you're gonna get different definitions. So 20 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 1: let's just cut through the confusion and get right to it. 21 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: And I have to just say as well, so often 22 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: on this show, I talk about things like this, and 23 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: it's down to this, just keeping it simple, keeping it simple. 24 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,199 Speaker 1: You know, we'll leave it at that. Keep it simple, alright. 25 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: So cross training, what is it? What is it? According 26 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: to the American Council on Exercise, which is a great organization, 27 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: was one of the certifications I got for personal training 28 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: many many years ago. They have and a definition that's 29 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: not It's not wrong. I would just say it's maybe confusing, right, 30 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: So their definition is cross training is typically defined as 31 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: an exercise regimen that uses several modes of training to 32 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: develop a specific component of fitness. Not wrong, but I 33 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: would just kind of take issue with to develop a 34 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: specific component of fitness. And that will make more sense 35 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: when I give you my definition, al right. Web MD 36 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: calls it when you say what ask what cross training 37 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 1: is and look it up on Google. Web MD says, 38 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: spice up your workout routine with cross training for whole 39 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: body fitness that mixes aerobic, strength training and flexibility. I 40 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: have more of an issue with that one, because my 41 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: opinion doesn't have to mix all those things. It's it's 42 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: good if it does. And again I'll give you the 43 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: reason why. But I think that serves to confuse right, 44 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: people go, Okay, I'm a runner and now I have 45 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 1: to do wait, strength training and flexibility. Okay, that makes sense, 46 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: but what is cross training? Is that telling me what 47 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: cross training is kind of it's not wrong. Again, I 48 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: would just say it could be much more clear. And 49 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: then finally, one just a random definition of cross training 50 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: is one that involves combining exercises to work various parts 51 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: of the body, often one particular activity, work certain muscle groups, 52 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: but not others. Cross training aims to eliminate this imbalance. Again, 53 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: not wrong, but we didn't hear anything about imbalance in 54 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: the other ones. So it's kind of a combination of 55 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: all three, I would say, But it's we can make 56 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: it much more simple, and that's what this show is about. 57 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: Here's my if someone said to me, give me in 58 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: ten words, are less uh you know, definition of cross training, 59 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: and for me, I would say, it's pretty simple. It's 60 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: doing exercise, any exercise other than the one you do 61 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: most frequently. That is, at its simplest form cross training. 62 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: So if you're a runner and you love to run, 63 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: it is anything other than running. And I'm gonna come 64 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: back to that in a second why. That is the 65 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: reason because we tend to do what we enjoy and 66 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: what we're genetically good at. Right, and that makes sense 67 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: of course human nature. Well if I'm good at it 68 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: and my genetics are such. And in my new book, 69 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: I talk about how there's five components of fitness and 70 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: you need to do all five. But here is the 71 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: reason why. And I'll give you several but the main 72 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: reason why for me, again breaking it down, keeping it simple, people, 73 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: why you cross train, it's so that you can continue 74 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: to do that exercise that you do most frequently. And 75 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: that in a nut show, is it because you found 76 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: what you love to do, swimming, you'll love to swim. Well, 77 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: if you only swim, you're probably gonna have issues. Oftentimes 78 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: it's shoulders. If you only bike, you're gonna have some issues. 79 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: Maybe it's lower back, maybe it's something else. So that's 80 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: why we cross train. So the simplest definition of cross 81 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: training is doing anything other than what you normally do 82 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: frequently so that you can continue to do that. That 83 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: is an explanation that again is so basic, but it's 84 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: not out there. We try to make it really complicated. 85 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: Now as a runner, and that back in the day 86 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: after I got through all the injuries and sat on 87 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: the benches a kid shin splints and everything from doing 88 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: too much too soon. I wanted to run right, and 89 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: so to run, I can do pilates, I can do yoga, 90 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: I can do strength training. As that web MD definition, 91 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 1: so doing anything other and the more you do the better. 92 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: But you don't have to do too much. So in 93 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: other words, if you love running and you do it 94 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: four times a week, well then you want to mix 95 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: in other things. And yes, as web MD said, strength training, 96 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: that to me is a form across training anything other 97 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: than what you're doing. So you're gonna balance those imbalances 98 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: out as that third definition put forth right, Because what 99 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: you want to do if you want to go, okay, 100 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: now let's go a little scientific. You want to spread 101 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: the cumulative load of your musculo skeletal stress. I wrote 102 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: that down, so you go, okay, give me the science. 103 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: You want to spread out the load the stress. No 104 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: matter how healthy, that exercise form is mode that you do. 105 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: If you only do it, I say this all the time, 106 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: if you only do it, you're gonna have problems. You're 107 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,799 Speaker 1: gonna get injured, most likely because the body needs variation. 108 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: You need complementary exercise. So over the years, I've gotten 109 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: this question from the media. So you want complementary exercise 110 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: that again can be anything. But if you're a biker, 111 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: then you should run. If you're runner, you should probably bike. 112 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: And that's why I do triathlons. I don't consider myself 113 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: a triathlete. But it's here you go forced cross training. 114 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: So and you don't have to do as that one 115 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: definition put forth. You don't have to use different muscles 116 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: necessarily you should and mix it up. You just have 117 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: to use muscles differently, differently, different motor pattern Okay, low 118 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: impact versus high impact. Now we're getting into like you know, 119 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: you need variation. When someone tells me they're doing high 120 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: impact hit workouts every day, I say, you're not doing 121 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: it right because you're not doing it hard enough. You're 122 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: truly going hard enough. You can't do it every day. 123 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 1: So cross training means engaging in different forms of exercise 124 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: that are complementary. But I don't even like that term 125 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: because they're all complementary as long as it's not too similar. Right, 126 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: you want to mix up your exercise variation so that 127 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: you can continue. So that's the number one reason I 128 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: have for cross training, it's so you don't get injured, 129 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: so you can continue to do that form of exercise 130 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: that you love. And give you two more quick reasons. 131 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: Two more. Secondly, so you don't get burnt out. You know, 132 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: I always feel sad when someone says, you know, oh, 133 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: I found group cycling. I love it. I'm doing it 134 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: seven days a week. And then I see them a 135 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: couple of months later and they're done. They're mentally burned out, 136 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: and they got injured and overuse injury. But a lot 137 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: of times it's mental. So when you cross train, it's 138 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: not just for the physical, it's so that you enjoy it, 139 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: so you enjoy it more. It's like if you have 140 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: ice cream every night, no matter how much you love it, 141 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: you have the same kind of ice cream. After a 142 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: certain amount of time, you're gonna go. But when you 143 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: have it every now and again, or mixing other things, 144 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: you enjoy that thing more. And then, finally, for those 145 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: of you out there who want to actually improve sports performance, yes, 146 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: runners will benefit from cycling. Okay, and written this article 147 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: so many times separate podcasts on this. Does biking improve 148 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: running performance? Well? Yes, for a whole host of reasons, 149 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: the number one being that it keeps you injury free 150 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: so that you can keep running. That is the simple 151 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: answer that is so infrequently talked about, almost never. You know, 152 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: we talked about strength training for runners. Does strength training 153 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: improve performance? Well, yes, you know. The number one reason 154 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: or one of the top reasons strength training improves performance 155 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: and runners it's so that it keeps them healthy enough 156 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: to keep running. Because of course you want to become 157 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 1: a better runner. You run, but if you're hurt, you 158 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: can't run. So cross training, strength training, whatever that modality is, 159 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: to compliment meant that which you enjoy doing really frequently. 160 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 1: That's why you do it. And that's the answer. Cross 161 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: training complementary form of exercise. But when I say complimentary, 162 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: anything other then what you're normally doing. And the more 163 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: varied you can be, the better. Okay, you know, a 164 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: little bit of yoga, a little bit of strength training, 165 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: a little bit of flexibility, mixing it up, exercise other 166 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: than what you do frequently, so that you can continue 167 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: to do that for the rest of your life. And 168 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: there you go. Thank you for listening. If you have 169 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: not yet rated the show, please do so. Thank you 170 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: so much. For doing it. If you did already, any 171 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: questions or comments we can leave them if you have 172 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 1: a place where you're listening to the show. If not, 173 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: go to Fitness disrupted dot com. You can email me 174 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: right through there. Any questions comments you have my social 175 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: media Tom h Fit on Twitter and Instagram. Tom h 176 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: Fit can reach out to me there. I really appreciate 177 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,839 Speaker 1: you listening. I love what I do. I've been doing 178 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: it forever. I'm gonna go continue to do it forever 179 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: because I have the greatest job in the world helping 180 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: you live longer, look better, and feel better. And remember 181 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: there are three things that we can all control, how 182 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: much we move, what we put into our mouths, and 183 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: our attitudes, and that people is awesome. Thank you for listening. 184 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: I'm Tom holland Believe in yourself. Fitness Disrupted is a 185 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,199 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from My 186 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 187 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.