Cross training workouts include yoga, running, cycling, swimming, etc. and many people incorporate various yoga exercises in the middle of these workouts to get additional advantages. In this article we will be telling you about yoga for cross training.
People who incorporate running, swimming, cycling and other cardiovascular exercises in their daily workout have to regularly deal with chronic pains and pulled muscles. These workouts are great for building large groups of muscles and for building endurance, but they do take a toll on the body. For instance, when one is running there are several things that can go wrong due to the wrong posture or due to improper balance while running. The same problem can occur in other cross training workouts as well, and yoga is often suggested as a highly effective and preventive measure.
Cross training is simply a collection of workouts that add diversity to one’s daily routine. There are several people who cannot stand the thought of lifting weights in an air conditioned gym, or running on a treadmill on one stationary spot. For people like this, cross training is the best possible solution since it enables them to embrace the outside world and also add some much-needed diversity to the training regime.
Why Yoga Cross Training is Great
There are various forms of yoga that can be incorporated into special cross training workout routines. DVD’s of these workouts are usually released by experts and athletes and these can be found with relative ease. The primary aim of adding yoga into your cross training routine is to boost the performance during training by providing the right structure and body balance, and to prevent several injuries from occurring. The reasons why yoga is great are universally known to most fitness fanatics, but in a nutshell, it makes your body more flexible and your mind more active.
Yoga also teaches one how to stretch in the right manner, and this warms up the body very effectively and prevents injuries that occur due to clamped up muscles. It also adds to the stability of the body by improving one’s balance. In exercises like running, your foot will be hitting the ground hundreds of times, and it is important to maintain good posture and balance so that you do not injure yourself in the process. Golfing is another such sport, and the swing of the golf club takes a toll on the back. Again, it is vitally important to maintain the right posture and balance here in order to prevent injury and to improve the swing itself.
| Cross Training Exercise | Incorporation of Yoga | Body Parts Benefitted |
| Cycling | The Side-Angle Standing pose is recommended by athletes and professional bikers. | This aids the alignment of the spine and also strengthens the upper back, the chest and the neck. |
| Golfing | The Warrior II pose should be performed since it affects many muscle groups. | Strengthens the ‘core’ by targeting the abs, the back, the groin and even the ankles. |
| Jogging | The pose known as Downward-facing Dog has been recommended by many professional athletes. | This will strengthen the calves, the hamstrings and the spine of the runner. |
| Swimming | The series of poses known as Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskar. | Will improve the breathing pattern and strengthen the shoulders. |
| Tennis | A reclining twist pose is recommended. | This benefits the shoulders, the lower back and the knees. |
All these workouts require a very strong ‘core’ in an individual. This is an area that consists of the back and the upper butt, and if this area is durable you will be able to carry out many workouts in a better fashion. Yoga is a well-known core-strength improvement exercise, and when it is incorporated into these special cross training workouts, the core-strength increases and so does the performance. yoga also influences the mental state of the individual and makes him calmer, and this also helps in performance. Moreover, it also aids in the recovery process if an injury has been suffered, and it allows the athlete to recover at a faster pace.
There are plenty of pro athletes who preach about the importance of yoga as cross training, and some of the famous names are Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, Ryan Giggs and some other famous names from the NFL world as well. In addition to all of this, it also teaches one how to control breathing, and this is also something that influences how fast one gets tired while running or cycling. Thus yoga also aids in the improvement of an individual’s stamina and endurance levels, and this is something that is very useful indeed.
People who scoff at yoga and deride it, really need to give it a try once, to understand its true potential. When this effectiveness of yoga is combined with the benefits of cross training, the end result is an athlete with perfect body balance and extremely high fitness and endurance levels who can reach the peak of fitness sooner.
