Mix It Up

by Leslie Aronson — May 6, 2008

I primarily classify myself as a runner. I flirt with yoga (no headstands yet, though) and cycling to the point that my bike gets me to work and the grocery store. But right now, running is what I really enjoy. I'm still relatively new to the sport, so I'm still learning all the nuances and recommended techniques, and as my first marathon approaches, I'm being reminded again and again of the importance of cross-training. Whether your fitness goals are specific, like a marathon or trying to lose weight, or general, you just want to get more in shape, you can benefit from mixing up your routine.

At some time, most of us have hit a wall in our workout routine - you just get bored doing the same old thing or maybe your routine has stopped yielding results. If this has happened to you, you know it's time to change things up. Your body adapts relatively quickly to your routine, and if you want to keep building muscle mass, losing weight, increasing speed, or whatever your goal, then you have to adapt along with it. Plus, if you engage in a variety of activities (or machines at the gym), you'll be a more well-rounded kind of fit. I was appalled the first time I got on my bike (it had been a long while) after I'd been running for several months. I was totally out of breath and my legs were quivery. I expected that because I'd been running and engaging in a regular cardio routine, biking wouldn't be that difficult. But cycling uses your body differently. And I realized that just because I felt fit in one dimension didn't mean I was fit in all. So mix it up! Try a new machine or convert one day of your usual activity to something else - your body will love it.