Ultimate Cross Training Program

as good as it gets

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=1065781&page=0

btw, running is not a sports, it requires no athleticism

That thread is very informative, but are interval type workouts on a bike necessary during a base building phase of training? Would I be stressing the wrong system by performing fartlek type workouts?

Mike Rowave wrote:

btw, running is not a sports, it requires no athleticism

You are correct. Running is A sport. Whether you run cross country or track it is still just ONE sport. The sport of running. "Ball throwing", by the way can be multiple sports - baseball, football, basketball just to name a few.

One of the Brooks Hansons Blog guys on Flotrack got hit by a car and cross-trained for something like 17 hours a week. He ran killer at Boston, IIRC. I bet his blog posts are still up there.

By the way, what hip injury do you have? if it's a hip flexor thing (or similar) you might want to lay off aquajogging--it'll still irritate it!

My doctor diagnosed it as hip bursitis but I am still waiting on MRI results.

take a spinning class to get an idea of what you can do on a bike to get a good workout. Then spend an hour (or more) at the gym everyday conducting your own workouts. Depending on your level of motivation, you can get a killer workout on a spinning bike.

Also, I could never get that good of a workout on an elliptical, but my school's gym just got a few machines that are like a cross between a stair stepper and an elliptical (pretty much just a real steep elliptical). That's a good workout as well.

Hit a few machines too do some strengthening exercises for the legs.

Ride a bike outdoors...it's only cold and windy!

Cycling is your best bet. Just go for time. I'd suggest 1.5 times your running time. So if it takes you 70 minutes to run 10 miles, aim for a 105 minute ride.

You could try to convert calories but it won't work exactly right. Say an average of 100 calories per mile running and an average of 40 calories per mile cycling. Again...not exactly accurate.

Fatigue on a bike will at first come in the form of local muscular fatigue because your quads are weak.

I'd say:

M/W/F: cycling

T/T: bodyweight circuit:

Bodyweight circuit:

1. Pushups to failure

2. Inverted Row (on smith machine) to failure

3. BW Squats to 50

Repeat 3 times

Remember though...you have a hip injury for a reason...don't overdo it.

Alan

Alan, my gym has a rowing machine do you think this is a great xtr tool?

ecne reffid wrote:

Alan, my gym has a rowing machine do you think this is a great xtr tool?

Rowing machines (Concept II) are GREAT, as long as you learn the right technique, and allow some time to adapt to the new movement. We all rode bikes as kids but few are used to rowing.

I spent a year as massage therapist to a world class rowing crew (5 Olympians), watching them train and have needles poked in them in the lab, and discussing the differences with the athletes and coaches.

On a bike, you'll find it impossible to reach the same heart rates as running. But you can get it HIGHER rowing than you can running, so it's great for intense 5k-style workouts. You can also get to even higher levels of lactate than runners normally do. As it was explained to me, runners can only push themselves to the point of falling over, but on the rowing machine you're already on your bum and you still have to keep going ;-)

Another plus is the strength component. You do less reps per minute than running or cycling, but each one is basically a squat or clean, so you train with more fibres.

Luckily my injuries have been brief enough that I never built up to long, steady efforts on a C2. But I'd highly recommend using it for the 'high end' sessions - 5k-type or lactate-tolerance work, and doing your 'mileage' on bikes and ellipticals.

hands of death wrote:

ecne reffid wrote:

Alan, my gym has a rowing machine do you think this is a great xtr tool?

On a bike, you'll find it impossible to reach the same heart rates as running. But you can get it HIGHER rowing than you can running, so it's great for intense 5k-style workouts. You can also get to even higher levels of lactate than runners normally do. As it was explained to me, runners can only push themselves to the point of falling over, but on the rowing machine you're already on your bum and you still have to keep going ;-)

s.

wrong. it's quite easy to get HR up on a bike

I appreciate that you have stood back from the frustration of a hip injury and are determined to gain that strength back. In your case, I would suggest you the following things:

1. Stay Consistent

2. Focus on aerobics

3. Gradually Increase Volume

4. Incorporate high-intensity workout

5. Cross train

6. Listen to your body

Hope this helps, do let me know If I can guide you with something else!