Cross training should be fun – really fun!

Cross training is anything that is gets your muscles and lungs going that isn’t the same old thing you are training to do anyway.

As runners, we can’t only JUST run to stay fit. We need to stretch ourselves and experiment a little to remain balanced athletes.

Here’s some ideas to try out some new muscles, and become more of a rounded athlete and to have a whole lot of fun at it.

There is the standard cross-training – biking, swimming, yoga, pilates, weight lifting. But that can get boring. Change it up a little.

Try a triathlon

Take your family skating

Take whatever nature gives you and go with it. This is hardly your standard cross-training but a fierce snowball fight will leave you exhausted. Just what you’re looking for, right?

Full day hike

Climb a tree. Most of us would be pretty exhausted climbing any tree.

Wrestle your kids – You’ll be wiped for the whole evening.

Go biking with your kids

Random stretching in random locations.

Geocaching. You can do a lot of hiking to get to some of those geocaches.

Try out a new sport – why not try wheelchair basketball?

Tobogganning. In case you’re new to this, the hard part is carrying the kids sleds back up the hill.

Swimming for fun! Or just learn to swim better. Or to try a triathlon

Learn to play tennis.

Community sports – join a soccer or softball team.

Extreme hiking!

Extreme planking in random locations

REALLY extreme hiking!!

Well you have just seen what my style of cross training is even if you don’t agree that it is the best kind for you.

Just get out there once in a while and make sure it is NOT running. And have fun at it. A lot of fun!