Cross training exercises or cross fit have always been in demand, as it offers you an extensive range of fitness workouts that nevertheless push you to the road to fitness. This type of exercise training is a rapid increase in the number of people who are interested to blow their body at an extensive level. The name cross fit is used to refer to a broad range of exercise regimens, often at commercial gyms or fitness centres.
Workouts involved in cross-training are conditioned programs that involve varied functional movements which are constant like lifting, climbing, and rowing. These moves are often done with higher intensity, both with weights and without weights. Though it can be done without weights, some prefer weights like dumbbells to add to their core strength. This daily program forces you to change your daily routines.
Forget about mere squats or push-ups, Cross training workouts include a whole range of varied intense exercises and movements which burns out the calories at a double pace compared to normal workouts. The exercises in cross-training promise to keep your body fit and firm, by burning out calories at a quick pace. This intense training program makes sure that each and every part of your body is involved in one or the other movement. This makes the muscles more flexible and adaptive to new movements. Before diving into the harsh workouts.
Benefits of Cross Training Exercises
- Great For Weight Loss – Performing cross-fit exercises are great for weight loss. Incorporating these exercises into your daily workout regime safely burns a significant number of calories and also helps to burn off excess body fat and help you lose weight. Doing two or more cross training exercises of 30-45 minutes per machine during each workout session is a great way to support your weight loss journey.
- Maintains General Fitness – Performing these exercises is the ideal way to help improve your overall fitness, as it indulges you to take on a variety of exercises, you work a variety of muscle groups, helping with both muscular and aerobic fitness. Indeed, research has shown that an individual’s muscle fitness will improve more if they engage in a cross training exercise regime that includes resistance workouts than if they work on strength training alone.
- Reduces Chances of Injuries – While doing cross training exercises helps you to avoid injury, as these exercises involve many different exercises, which work on a variety of muscle groups and joints. The load is well spread across your body. This means no one area gets over-loaded and so you are much less likely to suffer an injury. As a result of this, you will be much more likely to keep going with your regime, with no breaks. This allows you to achieve your fitness goals at a very fast pace.
Top 10 Cross Training Exercises
1.) Front Squat
The front squat is one of the best exercises that you can perform conveniently. In the front squat, you support the barbell in the front rack position, resting across your shoulders. This position takes the load off your back, reduces spinal compression, and forces you to contract your upper back muscles better to prevent the bar from falling forward mid-lift. Compared to the back squat, the front squat trains the body’s anterior muscles more heavily, engaging the quads and anterior core to a greater degree.
Steps To Perform
- Assume a proper front rack position by putting the barbell high up onto the shoulders, ensuring the bar is supported by the shoulders and upper chest.
- Keep your shoulders down and chest up and take three steps back from the rack.
- Descend into a squat keeping the back in neutral while minimizing the forward lean of the torso.
- Once you have hit the bottom position, push through the whole foot and stand up, maintaining an upright torso, chest, and forward elbow position.
2.) Deadlift
Performing a deadlift is another brilliant exercise that engages multiple muscle groups. With this move, you will feel the burn in your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, as well as your lats and traps. Deadlifts can be done with a barbell as well, but are great to do with kettlebells as an alternative.
Steps To Perform
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and the kettlebell positioned between your feet.
- Squat down to grasp the kettlebell with both hands in an overhand grip. As you squat, keep your back straight and chin up.
- Drive up through the floor out of your squat, pulling the kettlebell straight up, until your body is upright. Your arms should be straight down, and the kettlebell sitting in front of your thighs.
- Lower the weight back down, with control, until you’re back in the squat position.
- Repeat for a full set.
3.) Pistol Squat
The pistol squat is one of the best cross training exercises that you should consider for your fitness. These one-legged squats get their name from the way your body will look somewhat like a pistol as you descend into the proper squatting position. Performing this exercise will reward you with some serious burns.
Steps To Perform
- Stand straight holding your arms right out in front of your body.
- Raising your right leg, flex your right ankle and push your hips back.
- Now lower your body. Make sure your right leg is raised.
- Hold for a minute and then return to a standing position.
- Repeat with the alternate leg.
- Do for 4 to 6 reps.
4.) Push Press
This powerhouse workout is one of the best cross-training exercises to be considered. This super energetic exercise will allow you to handle some seriously challenging loads. An initial warm-up before starting this exercise.
Steps To Perform
- With the barbell in position stand with your feet hips’ width apart.
- Slowly, pull the barbell up until it reaches your chest.
- Slightly retract your head backwards.
- Bend your knees and ankles slightly.
- Push your body upwards by using your legs and every ounce of energy you have to push the barbell above your head by extending your arms.
- Come back to the initial position and repeat again.
5.) Dumbbell Shrugs
This workout is often called an isolation exercise for the upper part of the trapezius. The best way to execute this is to shrug the shoulders and keep the joints of the shoulder in position while lifting heavy weights.
Steps To Perform
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your shoulder and feet wide apart.
- Get a stronger grip on the dumbbells using lifting grips if you have to.
- Relax your shoulders and keep your arms stretched by your sides.
- Now, slowly lift the dumbbells by elevating shoulders in a shrugging way and hold for a while.
- Slowly lower your shoulders back to the original position.
- Repeat until you’ve hit your target reps.
6.) Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing is one of the finest kettlebell exercises which allows you to elevate your heart rate and strengthen your posterior chain. It’s a hip-hinging move that requires full engagement of the hamstrings and glutes to initiate the hip thrust to swing. Performing this move will strengthen you faster, burn fat, and give you a great cardio workout.
Steps To Perform
- Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, with the kettlebell on the floor just behind you.
- Bend your knees to grab the kettlebell behind you. Make sure to tilt at the hips, pushing your butt backwards. Keep your chest up and back straight.
- Drive forward with your hips in a thrusting motion, and as your knees straighten, use that momentum to swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height.
- Repeat in a continuous loop for a full set.
7.) Shoulder Press
The shoulder press is a quite simple and beginner workout compared to other cross training exercises. The method to do a proper shoulder press includes.
Steps To Perform
- Stand straight with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Place your hands slightly apart from shoulder width with the bars.
- Hold the bar at shoulder level.
- Now slowly extend the arms above your head and lift the bar.
- As a safety measure for your shoulder, to avoid injuries, use the chicken neck movement, tuck your neck out and tuck it in after pulling the bar up.
- Repeat the workout for 10 reps. Make sure you keep your back straight and your head looking forward throughout the exercise.
8.) Pilates
Pilates will improve flexibility and add strength to key areas. Your core will be rock solid if you do classes regularly and your back will be stronger too. Pilates is ideal for stretching tired and aching muscles and it is another great way of opening up your diaphragm, which will help you get more oxygen into your lungs. With improved strength and flexibility, your running economy will improve.
Steps To Perform
- Lie faceup with your arms by your sides, palms down.
- Bend your left knee and place your left foot flat on the floor. Extend your right leg up so that it’s perpendicular to the floor.
- Circle your right leg out to the side, down toward the ground, and return to your starting position. Make the circle as big as you can while still keeping your lower back on the floor.
- Reverse the circle.
- Complete all reps on one leg, then repeat on the other.
9.) Push-Up to Side Plank
Push-Up to Side Plank exercise strengthens the upper body and core, including the obliques, to help you maintain posture and stability when running.
Steps To Perform
- Start in a standard push-up position, with your hands flat on the ground directly below your shoulders, your arms straight, your back flat, and your feet no more than 12 inches apart.
- Complete a strict push-up: lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, elbows tracking backwards, and return to the starting position, all in a rigid plank position.
- Then transition into a side plank by rotating to one side until your hips are perpendicular to the floor, your feet are stacked, and your upper arm is extended to the ceiling.
- From here lower your hips toward the floor and raise them back up, targeting your obliques.
- Transition back into the high push-up position, and repeat the exercise including the push-up on the opposite side.
- Alternate sides every rep.
10.) Forearm Plank
Performing Forearm Plank builds strength and stability in the core muscles through an isometric hold. It is considered one of the best cross training exercises that you can perform at the convenience of your home.
Steps To Perform
- From a kneeling position, place your forearms on the ground shoulder-width apart, with your elbows directly below your shoulders.
- Extend your legs behind you, feet together and toes tucked under so that your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head.
- Engage your core. Keep your back flat no sagging, arching, or tipping the hips and your head up so your neck is in line with your spine.
- Hold this position until you break form, remember to breathe. If you lose form in less than a minute, begin with multiple shorter, and work your way up to a minute.
- If one minute feels too easy, lift one limb from the ground for a three-point plank, wear a weighted vest, or have a friend place a plate weight on your back.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
