Active Recovery and Cross-Training

One of the ways to prevent injury and aid recovery is through cross-training. There are many other sports and activities that will give you a good cardiovascular workout without impacting your muscles and joints the way that running does. Cross-training also has mental advantages as a day outside cycling or swimming or doing some other sport can clear your head and give you a fresh prospective on running.

One of the ways many runners cross-train also involves running, but in a whole different environment--water running. A day in the pool can be a great alternative to outside running, even if you are using the same overall motions. In the water there is plenty of resistance for a good workout but none of the pounding of the legs as on pavement or dirt.

Water running can help you as a runner in several ways:

1. It's a great cardio workout.

2. Water is soothing, relaxing, & helps repair injuries.

3. It uses the same motions as running.

4. There's no pounding or jarring.

5. It's a mental break from running outside

Many pools have different types of water workouts scheduled throughout the day, and you might even be able to find a group to do some water running together. Most pools have various kinds of flotation devices you can use just for this purpose, like the Aqua Jogger ™. You can go as slow as you want or as fast as you want. Because water does provide so much resistance, at first you might be quite surprised at how much work it is.

The flotation device will keep your head and neck out of the water. You will be amazed at how light you feel. When submerged in water, your body actually weights 90% less than it does normally.

When in the water you need to concentrate on standing straight up and running with the same sort of stride and rhythm that you have when you run outside. You can do many of your outside workout drills in the pool if you like. One of the reasons it's good to do water running with someone else is that you are not moving to any new territory as in running outside, so it can get a bit boring. You can also use a cd player and headset to listen to your favorite music while you run in the water.

Cycling can make for a wonderful afternoon outside and won't stress the muscles you use while running, making it another great option for cross-training. Whether you prefer a road ride or to mountain bike in the countryside, cycling can help improve your mental attitude while giving you a good aerobic workout.

Cycling will help you maintain your level of fitness and easy spinning can also help you relax your leg muscles. Cycling can be as hard or as light a workout as you want it to be. However, don't think that you need to be pedaling 50 or 100 miles on a cross-training day. You are supposed to be giving your legs a break so take it easy.

For those times when you do want a hard bike workout, you can do intervals and fartleks just as you would during your running workout. Try to imagine pedaling in circles as your feet go around. Wear proper gear for cycling--especially always wear your helmet, and bike shorts are in order if you plan on spending any amount of time on your bicycle seat.

A trip to the local gym or fitness center can give you multiple ways to cross-train, all in the same location. While many runners would rather be exercising outside, aerobic machines are a great break from running and a real boon during inclement weather. Anyone who lives in a snowy, cold winter climate will really appreciate the warmth of the fitness center, especially when outside temperatures are below zero.

Not only that, you can even take aerobic and cycling classes and make good use of the pool if it has one. The workout machines themselves can also be a lot of fun, and monitoring yourself or following pre-set workouts on the machine's computer can help the time to pass quickly.

Among the most popular machines at the health center are , elliptical machines, stair climbers, Nordic Trak™ machines, bicycles and rowing machines. The recumbent bicycle also makes for a great change of pace. Each of these machines gives a fantastic cardiovascular workout without overstressing running muscles. You can preset a workout to go as long or as far as you wish.

Don't forget that regular swimming is also a nice complement to running and makes you stronger without stressing any of the same muscles as running. Many people find swimming to be especially relaxing. And, if you want to do a hard workout, you have the choice of doing laps incorporating any amount of speed or interval work you wish.

While cross-training can be a form of active recovery, an easy run the next day after a hard run can also be active recovery. Active recovery means to exercise at a lower intensity instead of resting after hard workouts. Studies have shown that athletes can recover more quickly by doing a light workout. It is believed that low-intensity exercise helps with blood circulation, which in turn helps to rid the body of lactic acid which speeds muscle recovery. This is especially true after endurance runs such as a 10K.