Many competitive athletes fall into their niche activity and (usually) never deviate throughout their training. Swimmers swim, Runners run, and Cyclist push pedals. We have our disciplines and we do what we love training block after block, race after race.
When an athlete is beset with injury (as I myself currently endure) the emphasis shifts to finding activities that don't aggravate the injury yet provide a cardiovascular/neuromuscular stimulus. "Crosstraining", as it is commonly called, is a vital part of coming back stronger from injury and staving off injuries before they hit.
I take issue with the very word of Crosstraining...Cross-training. I'll start with why: When I was in HS I ran. I ran a lot and go injured a lot. I started using cycling in the summer months as a way to keep overall training volume up while also building the steady mileage base needed for the competitive Fall XC season. I called it crosstraining on all those Runner's World training logs (I have STACKS somewhere back home).
It wasn't until college when I kept getting really injured from running too much volume, intensity, and with little regard for recovery that I finally answered the Clue Phone that had been ringing. Crosstraining, if incorporated into regular training, can make me a better athlete all around and my running will succeed bc I will be fitter overall. I now approach crosstraining as what it is...training!
The following are the activities are particularly enjoy as a regular part of my weekly training. I offer no advice on how to train in these disciplines, I only stress to find experts in whatever other training activities you wish to take up. Obviously with my ankle injury these activities have had significant volume increases with the void of trail/mtn running left out. Slow and steady progress on the injury front...
Cycling-- first and foremost, cycling has always been my second love from running. The fact is that riding your bike really fast for a long time is one of the hardest sports on the planet. When my cycling volume and quality is high, I come out of the longer arduous runs with more snap in my legs. Strength gains in my glutes, hamstrings, and quads all equate to making breakfast out of hills.
It's also one of the sports that appeals to an aesthetic scope of mine.
Kettlebell- I stopped doing Olympic barbell lifts after I quit doing CRASH-B racing and started with Kettlebell training. The results have been amazing. Explosive movements, with a more comfortable weight, and higher repetitions mean I condition my muscles to take a pounding on the trail and get comparable strength gains as standard compound iron weight lifts.
Caveat: don't go get a KB and swing and snatch away without proper instruction. I had an amazing coach back in Ohio that taught me the competition swings and proper form. He was certified in Kettlebell-- not a crossfit wannabe giving out KB swing advise (THAT'S a whole other topic to discuss...).
Rowing--I started rowing in college on my own and briefly on a club team. My main motivation was fitness built while (surprise) going through an Achilles injury. I recently acquired a Concept2 indoor rower and have been slowly ramping up my workload and adding some quality.
Rowing is another sport where your form is crucial to avoid injury. My research advisor in college was a Div II varsity rower-- many mornings at the Eastern rec talking the intercellular signaling in myofibril and giving me tough talk on how to get my rowing improved. I really recommend getting a coach to help hone your form. Again, don't get advice from the Crossfit folks (OMG can they even spell 'form'?).
One downside I have found with rowing is that my muscle mass gains are significant compared to say, cycling Some may not find this a problem, but hills don't get any less steep and gravity sucks proportionately to how much you weigh. An upside is that my overall leg power improves--already I have seen significant gains in the short time I've been back to it!
Yoga-I do yoga once a week for about 45 minutes. I hate it. It's good for my spine/hip flexors and always feel better after. I will keep doing it.
I am by far nowhere an expert and I fall over a lot. I try not to let anyone see me doing it.
Core Work- you should all be doing this anyway. suck it up, get on the floor, and start some planks.
A Few More Thoughts
Don't try to equate your crosstraining to your primary sport. It is NOT THE SAME physiologic adaptation but you can reap the benefits of maintain muscle mass, cardiac fitness, and the physique that makes Her want to look your direction. Focus on getting more stamina at reasonable intensity then progress from there. Ask experts (or get the legit training books) if you like the activity or think you should keep it around.
For myself, the activities outside of running comprise 40-60% of my weekly training load. It ebbs and flows based on training goals, racing schedule, and my own selfish wants. "To each, their own" applies here.
In short, I don't just show up to an ultra race ready to run...I show up
knowing my TOTAL fitness is where it needs to be to tackle this ultra.
How we put those fitness puzzle pieces are up to the individual.
-P.
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