Using this technique favored by trainers and coaches can get you better results and fewer injuries.
You’ve faithfully jogged three times a week for years, ran a few 10k’s , even a marathon or two. You consider yourself to be in pretty good shape. But when a friend invites you to spare on their ultimate Frisbee team, you’re shocked to discover you can’t keep up.
Perhaps you’re the master of the elliptical machine, and can “go hard” for 60 minutes at a stretch. But one day you bend over to pull out some weeds, and you end up with a back injury that lasts for weeks.
Or maybe you’re lifting some serious weight at the gym. But when your 5 year old takes off running, you get winded trying to catch him — and he isn’t even breathing hard.
All of these scenarios show what can happen when you think fitness means mastering a single activity.
When you only practice one fitness activity — like running or weight lifting, for example — and you only work on the muscles involved in that activity, you’ll soon discover that you are far less fit than you think! And in turn, using just one set of muscles repeatedly can also increase your risk of a repetitive or overuse injury.
Training your body with multiple types of exercise, essentially, alternating your workout routines in a way that will increase your performance and overall fitness without stressing your body to the max is the best way to increase your true fitness and decrease your risk of injury.
This means using many different activities can ensure total fitness. This training methodology is gaining popularity as more weekend workout warriors discovering its benefits. In other words, to get the most out of any activity, and to do it safely, you must pay attention to all the muscles in your body that are involved, not just the ones directly related to that activity.
By adding a variety of activity into your workout routine almost certainly guarantees that you will be much more functionally active … and complete seemingly routine day-to-day tasks with much more ease. Yup, I said it. This can also help us with the tasks of our daily lives.
Raking leaves, working around the house or yard, or taking your dog for a walk takes much less effort when you’re “functionally fit,” and easier to avoid injuries related to those everyday activities.
How to do it?
If running has been your only activity, your “prescription” for overall better fitness, maybe include resistance (weight) training for the booty and hips, as well as upper body workouts.
If all you do is lift weights, you’d be well served by adding a cardio workout — like kettlebell swings or sled push\pulls for instance.For people who are simply looking get the most out of their workout time, as long as you have variation in your activity, you will reap the benefits. The point is to vary activities between aerobic conditioning, strength training, endurance, coordination, flexibility and balance to name a few.
“Practice and train major (resistance) lifts. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports. “ ~Greg Glassman, Founder CrossFit Inc
It’s easy to confuse this methodology with the rotating workouts involved in circuit training. Circuit training is just doing one exercise after another, but that doesn’t always ensure true training variation or optimal and complete fitness.
If you are not sure where to start, try incorporating group fitness from a credible facility and qualified trainers. The most important thing is to make sure fitness is a priority in your life. If you’re currently exercising twice a week or less, finding time for one more workout or activity during that week will help you achieve complete fitness.
Richard Thomas
Head Coach & Owner
Shinobi Fitness home of CrossFit Shinobi
www.shinobifitness.ca