Cross-Training. The Benefits are
There.
Off all the questions I get, nobody ever asks me what I do
about staying fit. People see the way that I work
and comment, "You probably don't have to exercise with the way
you work."
Wrong.
I have to exercise in
order to maintain my fitness so that I can work
like I do!
Some patients have heard me say that the reason most people
end up on my table, if not from a traumatic injury, is
ultimately due to a lack of variety of
movement.
There's profound information there. I hope you get
it.
My workouts vary with consistency. I lift weights
(moderately-not heavy), I do aerobics, self-defense training,
balance and coordination drills, plyometrics, run, ride a
stationary bike, and much more.
I generally won't do the same workout more than once a
week.
Why? Because muscles and the body in general, adapt to
the stimulus you place on it, whether that's sitting at a desk
or walking or running. You must change your routine, or
you become victim of that routine.
New recommendations from the American Academy of Orthopedic
Surgeons list the following benefits from a cross training
program:
- A variable workout strengthens a variety of
areas and muscles.
- It prevents boredom, which could otherwise derail your
exercise regimen.
- It helps prepare the muscles for new forms of exercise,
thus preventing atrophy, entropy, and general loss of
reaction time.
- Variety reduces the risk of an overuse injury
stemming from repetitive movements of the same
muscles.
- In the event of an injury, you may not have to stop
exercising. Instead, you can try other exercises that won't
aggravate your injury.
I always tell our patients that they can go over exercise
routines with me if they want guidance. Since I'm
familiar with their condition and exercise in general, I can be
a very good resource for recommending exercises.
Few take me up on it, however, it is my hope that you will
glean some value from this article (and all articles we post)
and use the information to make positive changes in your
well-being.
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