Aerobic Cross Training for Weight Loss
By: Greg Landry, M.S.

Do you sometimes get bored with your

aerobic exercise? Do You sometimes

feel like you're not getting the results

you should from your aerobic exercise?

If so, then aerobic cross-training is

for you.

Aerobic cross-training refers to using

two to three different types of aerobic

exercise during an exercise session. For

example, if you plan to exercise for 60

minutes, you might start with 20 minutes

of walking or jogging, followed by 20

minutes of biking, and finish with 20

minutes of rowing.

Now, please don't get the impression that

you have to be in great shape to do this

or that it has to be 60 minutes long.

You can start with something as simple

as a ten minute walk followed by ten

minutes with an exercise video. This is

cross-training too. You can gradually

build up from there.

Here are some of the exercises you can

use in your cross-training program;

walking, jogging, biking, rowing, stair

climbing, swimming, exercise videos, etc.

Any combination of aerobic exercises

will do. You simply go from one to the

next with very little time between

them.

Aerobic cross-training is beneficial to

you in several ways:

1. It provides variety which eliminates

the monotony often associated with doing

the same exercise for a long period of

time.

2. If your exercise sessions are

less monotonous and more enjoyable, you

are much more likely to exercise more

often and for longer periods of time.

3. You are less prone to over-use

injuries that sometimes occur from

doing the same exercise movements over

and over again.

4. You tone more muscles because you are

using more muscles. For example, walking

tones mostly the lower body muscles and

rowing tones upper body muscles also. Even

exercises like walking and biking that

both tone lower body muscles, tone them

at different angles and each tones some

small muscles that the other doesn't.

5. Aerobic conditioning is very specific

to the muscles being worked. For example,

you can walk ten miles a day and still be

somewhat breathless after climbing stairs

because you haven't trained the muscles

for that specific movement. Aerobic

cross-training allows you to develop

more comprehensive aerobic training.

6. Aerobic cross-training is effective

for weight loss because your are toning

and training the fat-burning systems

of more of your muscles. It turns more

of your muscles into 24-hour fat-burning

machines! You are also more likely to

exercise on a regular basis and for longer

periods of time. this also promotes

weight loss and fitness.

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