Cross Training For Weight Loss: Why It’s A Game-Changer

Cross-training workouts are effective because they integrate training diversity in a single session. Here’s a look at why cross-training for weight loss is a complete game changer.

Kettlebells for cross training weight loss workouts

Being fit or fat is not solely determined by what you see when you look down at the numbers on your scale.

You can be quite muscular and lean while weighing more than the average person of your height.

While your body needs a little amount of fat to function properly, having too much can lead to many chronic or serious diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, gall bladder issues, heart disease and even cancer.

Cross-Training For Weight Loss

The human body can be compared to any well-oiled high-performance machine.

Everyone will agree that a high-performance machine should run primarily on only the highest-grade fuel and work based on the principles of proper energy exchange.

The philosophy is simple; fuel in (food consumption), fuel burned (exercise), and energy expended (calorie deficit).

Similar in theory, the calorie balance works the same in your body.

Like the fuel in a high-performance machine, the total number of calories that you consume minus the total amount of calories that you burn through your daily physical activities equals your total calorie balance.

While a minimal amount of the calories that people consume are being used for the basal metabolism such as in respiration, circulation, and other vital body functions while the body is at rest, some calories are excreted and some are being used as energy to fuel your daily activities.

However, if there is too much calorie consumption and not enough activity to offset this, the excess calories will be stored as fat.

So then to transform the excess calories from your fat storage areas such as your belly into energy, you will need to perform a lot more activities in order to burn more calories.

A great way that you can win your ongoing battle with belly fat is through cross-training.

What is Cross-Training?

Well, what is cross-training anyway?

Cross-training is just like the name describes.

It is a cross between specific types of workouts that integrate a combination of different modes of training such as resistance training and cardio training, all wrapped up into one.

Cross-training can also incorporate sport-specific training into the mix.

This is great if you participate in a specific sporting event and want to get the most out of your training.

You can combine some sport-specific training with weight training exercises to get the greatest benefit for complete conditioning.

What are the Benefits?

Alleviates Boredom

According to health and fitness experts and personal trainers, incorporating cross-training into a workout will help you to overcome the monotony of a repetitive exercise program.

If you keep on doing the same workout over and over, you will soon find yourself getting burned out and probably starting to miss your workouts.

Some of the activities that are most commonly used in cross-training and are a great way to keep your training exciting are running, swimming and cycling. You can extend these activities by extending the distance that you cover during your training session.

Extreme Calorie Burn

You will find it much easier to get fit, lean, and lose more weight with cross-training because you get a more intense calorie-burning effect.

With cross-training, because of the combination of endurance and cardiovascular types of training, you will become much stronger while at the same time increasing the endurance of your heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

This holistic approach to training will give you the best of both worlds and help you to keep your fat levels in check much easier than with conventional types of training.

Increases Sports Performance

Cross-training can be extremely beneficial to athletes and weekend warriors alike who participate in specific sports.

By combining strength and resistance training with specific training for your sport, you will get an increase in sport-specific performance like no other program can offer.

Cross-training is especially popular with combat sports such as MMA and has helped many fighters accelerate at their game.

The Basic Elements Of Cross-Training

Let’s take a closer look at how to put together a cross-training program that will suit your needs to help you lose weight and get fit at the same time.

1. Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises such as power walking, swimming laps, and running or climbing stairs are among others that improve the endurance levels of your heart, lungs and blood vessels as well as help to promote stress relief.

Running and stair climbing can be done either outdoors or inside at a commercial or home gym if you prefer.

The same goes for swimming.

Flexibility exercises such as yoga and stretching improve the strength of the muscles.

You need to do this daily.

2. Resistance Training

The strength training aspect of cross-training includes activities such as lifting free weights or lifting with exercise machines, bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups and isometric and static contraction training.

The resistance training portion of the program helps to strengthen and tone your muscles for optimum calorie burn and overall performance. These exercises also help to improve the overall mobility of your joints as well as help to prevent or relieve body aches and pains.

Final Thoughts: Is Cross-Training For You?

It’s pretty easy to be fit and lean with cross-training by simply modifying your current workout program to make it more fun and more effective.

And when you like what you are doing, you will find that you become more motivated and driven to keep yourself lean and healthy for the long term.

So if you are at a standstill with your fat loss, give cross-training a try today!

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About Nichole Arne, BS, CSCS

Nichole Arne is the Founder & Editorial Director here at GeoLeaders.com. She holds a Bachelor’s in Nutrition Science along with over 17 years experience providing training, nutritional coaching, and consulting for athletes, executives, and figure competitors. Nichole leverages her expertise in rapid fat loss, body transformations, clinical nutrition, lifestyle design, and competition preparation to help clients achieve their full fitness potential.