How To Perform The Best Cross Training For Runners

Fitness centers provide a wide variety of exercise equipment for you to use. Unlike outdoor training, cross-training machines allow you to decide for yourself when there are hills and other challenges during the training. How To Perform The Best Cross Training For Runners, is about how we focus on runners’ best choice and performance by Cardiovascular training in Fitness machines.

Cross Training With Variation

As a cross-training starting point, all modern Cardio Machines have built-in computers that measure time, distance, pedal rpm (steps) and calorie consumption. You can create your own training program, or you can also follow one of the very excellent pre-programmed training programs that most Cardio machines have included.

The resistance or load can be adjusted, so you constantly train at the intensity you choose. And you can easily do interval training, which is the fastest way to get in shape. You can enter your desired heart rate zone and the program will be controlled according to the heart rate. This means that you have a “personal trainer” to guide and push you along the way.

Fitness Equipment For The Cardio Vascular System

The Cardio machines are often used to warm up before the more specific training starts. The most common Fitness machines are the treadmill, exercise bike, stair-master, rowing machine and elliptical trainer/Cross Trainer.

As mentioned All Cardio machines today are equipped with a computer-controlled panel, some are very advanced, which can be incomprehensible in the beginning, but if you give yourself the time needed or ask the instructor if you need a little guidance.

That’s a part of the Instructor’s job – it will be easier and the time invested in learning it, will be very beneficial for future Cross-training. The different training programs you can choose to make the exercises more fun and much more motivating.

If it gets boring just to make the same movements again and again in the machine, there are in most fitness centers, rows of flat screens on the wall that you can look at while exercising. Some read books and magazines, talk on their mobile while others listen to music from the speakers or their own headphones/earplugs.

Fitness Machine And Cardio Exercise For Runners

When you exercise in fitness machines, you exercise the cardiovascular system. When you are ready to start, you are often asked to enter your personal data such as age, weight and gender on the computer. Then you can choose between the machine’s various standard programs. Once you have chosen the program type, you often choose the degree of difficulty on a scale of 1 – 10, where 1 is the easiest.

Decide your program

You also decide the exercise parameter you want to follow during the training. It could be a certain number of miles, walking a certain number of steps, training according to a certain heart rate schedule or whether you want to focus on burning and predetermining the number of calories, etc.

On many machines, you can also measure training yield in watts. An expression of the effect of the work performed per. second.

There is a myriad of variations on which programs you can choose to follow. So, let’s take a closer look at which programs you can choose to follow in general:

Manual training

A program where you run, bike or step straight out of the road for the number of minutes that you enter the computer yourself. The program is similar to so-called continuous training, where you constantly train at the same speed or intensity.

On most machines, you can just press the quick-start button and start immediately – the easiest and fastest choice.

Interval training

Programs that change speed and load, either according to a particular pattern (ex. Pyramid) or more unsystematic (ex. Mountain programs). Interval training consists of a work period in which the training is harder than usual, followed by a short break period in which training is quite easy.

Intervals are most often repeated from 4 – 20 times. Interval training gives results because it is possible to train harder than usual, since it’s only in short periods, from 10 seconds to 2 – 3 minutes at a time.

In this way, energy consumption can be increased, so that more energy is consumed than by continuous training of the same duration and it’s the most effective way to train the oxygen uptake.

Heart Rate Training

Is a program that assumes that you carry a heart rate monitor belt around your body at the heart level so that the fitness machine can detect your heart rate – unless there are heart rate sensors built-in the handles on the machine, like If you look closer at the picture above you can see the “metal-colored” handles on the left and right side from the red button in the middle.

But it’s not easy for everyone to keep their hands fixed here while exercising. The heart rate monitor can be borrowed or rented at the fitness center. You can train according to different heart rate programs and training zones.

The Most Effective Fitness Machines to Cross Training For Runners

Exercise Bike

Compared to some other types of cardio equipment, a stationary bicycle puts less stress on your joints, but it still provides excellent cross training.

There are many types of exercise bikes and some are more advanced than others. The better models have a large flat screen that simulates a route you ride on while simply sitting in the saddle of the exercise bike and getting nowhere.

The seat height is adjusted up and down as well as back and forth. The saddle height must be adjusted, so you do not overstretch your knees when you press the pedals to the bottom. The load is adjusted on the orange screw as in the picture above.

Training on an exercise bike does not strain the legs in the same way as running. When you sit down, you do not carry your own body weight on one leg at a time and receive pressure up through the body during the landing phase for each running step.

The exercise bike is therefore also good for active restitution especially after demanding intensive running intervals. cycling also loosens up fatigued leg muscles in general. Remember to keep your back straight and relax your shoulders and neck.

Keep your legs pointing straight ahead. Use the pedal straps that your feet can get stuck in. On most Exercise bikes today, you can invest in bike shoes that fit the pedals as on a real race bike.

Elliptical Trainer / Cross-trainer

This Cardio machine provides great total body cardiovascular training. The oval-like (ellipse) motion provides the user with the feeling of classic cross-country skiing – The sport where you can achieve the highest oxygen uptake – stair climbing, and walking in an all in one combination.

In its design, the Cross-trainer is similar to the old Step-Machine, but where you in the Step-Machine just press the pedals straight down and up, you run in this machine in elliptical movements.

This makes the movements more evenly distributed to the treadmill, sparing the joints from shocks in the landing phase because there is no landing here. The machine has two big flat plates on which you set your feet.

It will be a runner’s benefit if you can imagine that you run. In that way, your feet’ movements become as you normally run with the difference that you will never leave the underlay – the plates – and in that way avoids the landing shocks.

As with the Stair-Master, it takes a little time to learn these elliptical movements, but eventually, you become good at it, and then it just goes on. Be aware all the time, keeping the upper body upright so you do not hang in your arms. This requires that you constantly tense the abdominal easily.

In my opinion, the Cross-Trainer is the best Cardio Vascular machine and the most gentle for the body. I can make highly intensive intervals in this machine and the next day, I’m only tired in a good way but have absolutely no sore muscles or other kinds of body pain at all.

Treadmill

Here you can both walk and run on a resilient and comfortable surface as opposed to asphalt or concrete on the roads. Thus, the treadmill is much more gentle on the joints. Before you start, position yourself with one foot on each side of the treadmill to make sure you don’t lose balance when the belt suddenly starts.

The treadmill also has a computer where you, among other things. can adjust the inclination of the belt to give you the feeling of running uphill.

Since you do not have to keep an eye on the traffic and other obstacles on the road, it will be a benefit to focus your attention on improving your running technique and style, i.e. the style that fits best for you.

Avoid supporting and hanging too much on the railing. The disadvantage of the treadmill is that you sweat more as there is no wind to cool down the body i.e. get the sweat to evaporate as effectively when you are not moving forward in reality.

Stair-Master

The stair-master is often a tough but effective Cardio machine that not only sends your heart rate up but also is ideal if you want to train your legs and buttocks. It is also gentle on your legs and joints as the transition from one leg to the other takes place in a sliding up and down motion.

However, it should not replace a day of rest. You can set up the computer for different types of hiking and mountaineering with different levels of difficulty. Put your feet on the steps and lean only easy on the railing.

Keep your body upright and step in with vigorous steps. It requires some time to get used to the stair master and learn the technique, it will therefore be a good idea to try out the machine’s various programs.

Rowing machine

This is a great cardio-vascular activity that can be done on a rest day. It strengthens the hips, buttocks, and upper body while sparing the legs. This machine consists of a sliding seat and two footplates for the feet.

The movements from you take place through a handle in a strong string, which is attached to a fan that is driven around and creates wind resistance, i.e. load.

In performing the rowing movements, the seat slides back and forth, which means that the exercise requires a little coordination to learn and get used to in the beginning. Avoid stretching the legs completely, but maintain a slight bend in the knees. You may want to lean forward a little and let your upper body and shoulders follow the movement. Keep your lower back straight.

Training At Home For Runners

Maybe you prefer to do cross-training at home because it’s easier, and the pandemic times have changed the rules for training in many fitness centers. We all need to pay more attention to our behavior and personal hygiene.

So, we have found a really good alternative to training at home. I did not know that there are so many exciting types of workouts you can do from home or for yourself outside the fitness centers – Try this link below:

Final Thoughts

As you see, vary your training by cross-training in Fitness machines with great benefits. It gives you a break from your daily running routines. An alternative training form that is easy to manage, working directly specifically on developing the cardiovascular system, sparing the body from almost any kind of unintentional loads and bringing you various exercise opportunities and choices.

I hope you like this blog and if you have any questions about the topic or want to leave your own Personal review, please leave a comment below.

What are 3 benefits of cross-training?

Cross-training has a great range of benefits, regardless of training goals. By incorporating it into your running routines, you can: 1) Create variation 2) reduce your risk of injuries 3) improve your overall fitness.