If you are a runner and want to include other activities in your workouts that help you meet goals and improve your marks in the race, try combining running and cross fit , two very different sports that can complement each other perfectly. We help you design the best Cross fit workout for runners with a few simple tips.
What to take into account when combining running and cross fit?
More and more runners have decided to integrate cross fit and running into their weekly training plan and have obtained excellent results. The cross fit technique is based on the development of very varied exercises, in an intense way and with a minimum time of rest between series, that is, it is an anaerobic training. Running, on the other hand, is an aerobic activity, which involves doing a route, more or less long, at a certain pace and for a set time.
Although they may seem opposite activities, practicing running and fitness is compatible and can bring you important benefits as long as you do it by following a series of important guidelines so that your effort gives the results you expect and is not counterproductive.
1. Protagonist of running
If your goal is to improve your running by introducing a cross fit session in your training, it is essential not to lose sight of your goal. The combination is good, but running should remain the main sport, to which you dedicate yourself thoroughly, and cross fit only a complement. Pretending to carry out the two activities with the same intensity is a mistake.
2. Excellent planning
It is the key to success and that is why it is highly recommended to have the advice of a monitor or personal trainer. Your work plan must adapt to your characteristics and possibilities, always taking into account your goals as an athlete.
There are several ways to organize your cross fit workouts for runners. Most professionals believe that the ideal is to run one day and do Cross fit the next, leaving a third day of total rest, although everything will depend on your physical condition. If this plan proves too harsh, a good alternative may be to include a single Cross fit session in your weekly plan.
Among the most demanding options, aimed at high-level runners, is the possibility of combining running and cross fit in the same training session. In this case, you must first practice the race and finish with some cross fit exercises, never the other way around.
3. Cross fit in short sessions
The cross fit technique involves very varied movements that thoroughly work the muscles of the body as a whole. It includes intense functional exercises: squats, chin-ups, box jumps, kettle bel rotations, sit-ups, deadlifts so if you want to run the next day, you should limit the time of your cross fit training. 20 – 30 minutes is more than enough for a runner.
4. Respect rest times
If you don’t, you will fall into overtraining and could even end up with an injury. If you combine running and cross fit, training every day is unthinkable. Cross fit works your muscles and they need rest to grow and increase their strength and power. You will have to leave them two “free” days a week to achieve optimal recovery.
Benefits of integrating cross fit and running
There are many advantages of joining running and cross fit as long as you follow the indicated guidelines. In the race, it is the muscles of the lower body that work the most and a well-planned Cross fit session will help to strengthen not only the muscles of your legs, but those of your entire body in a balanced way.
If you run, cross fit will increase your flexibility and agility, also achieving greater resistance, especially if you do long runs. The muscle development involved in cross fit also promotes power in your stride and helps you maintain the correct posture throughout the journey while running.
As you can see, running training and cross fit training are more than compatible but, we insist, always combined in the right way.
