Cross-train With “Class”

By Selena Moffitt

The Portland Marathon is just around the corner, and you have been training diligently for months. During one of your weekly walks, you blaze past the athletic club that takes a chunk out of your paycheck every month. Instead of walking on by, why not power walk yourself into a group exercise class? You’ll find out how you can improve your walking…and get more from your membership.

As a walker, you train for an event by doing what you know: walking. This is an important way to improve muscle memory and become more energy efficient. However, becoming efficient is a double-edged sword. When your body becomes accustomed to a certain type of exercise, fitness gains level off, overuse injuries sprout up, and your routine becomes stale.

Why not challenge your body in a different way and ease the strain on your walking muscles? While you’re at it, you can increase flexibility, balance out your upper and lower body strength, and take your walking to the next level.

How? Through cross-training.
Cross-training helps you achieve balance in your regimen and your body by improving all five components of fitness: muscular endurance, muscular strength, aerobic endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Walking-specific benefits from cross-training include improved arm swing, a more powerful toe-off, a boost in stride power, and amplified endurance.

Reap the rewards of cross-training by taking group exercise classes. Step, indoor cycling, group strength training, yoga, and Pilates are just a few examples. Other advantages to taking a class include high energy music, motivating instructors, entertainment, and the camaraderie of other members. You may find yourself new walking companions!

Incorporate group exercise classes with your regular walking routine to complement your training. Two classes walkers would most benefit from are strength training and yoga. Increasing muscular strength and endurance in a strength training class will undoubtedly improve your arm swing, toe-off, and stamina. A yoga class will stretch those much-used muscles and help loosen tight hip flexors that may be stunting your stride. Keep in mind that you may be sore the following day or two. Cross-training represents a new challenge to your body!

This brings us to the most important part of cross-training: rest. Your body will repair and build only if it is allowed to rest. Commit to at least one day off per week. Your rest day can be passive or active, depending on your training schedule and what you body needs. A passive rest day equates to doing nothing. An active rest day could mean that you enjoy a yoga or Pilates class at a low key pace. Whichever you choose, remember to respect what your body is
telling you.

The next time your walk takes you past the club, grab a schedule, see what class piques your interest, and plug yourself in! You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how a change in atmosphere will not only spice up your program, but will perk your step right across the finish line.

Types of Classes and Their Benefits:
Yoga/Pilates: Increases balance and core strength, improves posture, which has a direct relation to arm swing, increases muscle control and kinesthetic awareness, enhances lung expansion for improved aerobic endurance, promotes function of the intrinsic muscles of the spine as well as the pelvic stabilizers (Pilates), strengthens muscles of the lower leg and foot, and gives you the stretch time that you may not “have time for” after your walk (yoga).

Step: Improves coordination, enhances cardiorespiratory response, promotes toe-off during propulsions. This can be a completely low-impact class, a great alternative if you suffer from a foot or knee injury.

Indoor Cycling: Excellent cardiorespiratory conditioning and non-impact exercise. Challenges your aerobic threshold, enhances leg speed, and can be used to keep your endurance training going even if you have a foot or knee injury.
Dance aerobics/Kickboxing: Strengthens upper body with explosive movements (kickboxing); both incorporate lateral movements which help to engage the knee stabilizers.

Strength Training: Conditions all major muscle groups of the body, which provides balance to the already toned lower body; improves muscular endurance which translates into improved arm swing and better posture.

Selena M. Moffitt, ACE, AFAA, OREMT-P, is a personal trainer and group exercise instructor. She is a master trainer for Exel Nordic Walking and Gliding and is a member of Sunshine Fitness Resources. Moffitt can be reached at erjunkie2@hotmail.com or 503-618-4142.