The Benefits Of Diversified Training
- By Mario Fraioli
- Published Aug. 19, 2011
- Updated Mar. 15, 2012 at 5:09 PM UTC
Muscle Activation
Running on different surfaces, or cycling, or even working out on the elliptical machine at your gym will activate a variety of new and different muscles. If your body is use to running on the treadmill, increase the incline or take a run through your local park. If you are a trail runner, try mountain biking. When you start to vary your terrain, add inclines and descents, cross-train, or even run in different shoes you increase your strength and activate muscles you may not be currently using.
More from Competitor.com: Get Off Your Asphalt–The benefits of switching up your running surfaces.
For example, swimming is a great full body workout with impact. Upper body and core strength are important for a runner and swimming is a good way to help you achieve an all over strength gain. You can, and should, also incorporate strength or resistance training into your daily routine. This will make you stronger, fatigue less quickly and become more toned. After a strength training session, your body burns a lot of calories and needs additional energy to repair the muscle tissue just broken down, therefore increasing your metabolism.
FILED UNDER: Running Injuries / Training TAGS: cross-training / Goal Setting / Running / strength training / Trail Running / Training
Mario Fraioli
Mario Fraioli is a senior editor at Competitor magazine. A cross-country All-American at Stonehill College in 2003, he now coaches the Prado Women's Racing Team in San Diego and was the men's marathon coach for Costa Rica's 2012 Olympic team. His first book, The Official Rock 'n' Roll Guide To Marathon & Half-Marathon Training (VeloPress, 2013) is available in bookstores, running shops and online.