Aerobic Cross Training and Its Potential to Minimize Risk of Injury

Editor: Bradley Sukwanto

Cross-training is integrated into running plans as a form of active recovery. The term “active recovery” often carries the intention of minimizing injury, with weight lifting being a recommended practice that increases the body’s tenacity and that also happens to improve performance. This article aims to discuss the current literature regarding swimming, cycling, and indoor rowing (erging) as forms of cross-training to reduce injury. 

Cycling:

Cycling is a practice that may have implications for maintaining fitness and reducing the risk of injury. Running is a sport of high impact on joints and ligaments. Much of the literature finds that cycling is a useful substitute for injured athletes because of its low impact on the body. While studies argue that cycling does not provide the same level of VO2 training, there is evidence that incorporating the practice during the off-season or even during the early season when building up mileage may not only maintain but also increase performance, all the while evading major aggravation of overused joints and tissues. 

Swimming: 

Swimming falls into the same situation as cycling. The low-impact environment allows for the body to recover nutrients that are overused in the targeted sport. There is also evidence that, because of the hydrostatic properties of water, swimming may reduce inflammation and even improve performance. That said, many other studies emphasize that swimming provides a minimal transfer of training effects on VO2 max. 

Erging: 

The discussion on indoor rowing or rowing as a form of active recovery has not been fully discussed. The literature does not advocate erging as a primary substitute during the off-season, but does highlight that it is a form of holistic training that trains the entire body. Rather than being a form of active recovery, indoor rowing can be seen as a great warm-up before a run. This is because of the extended range of motion and comprehensive activation of several muscle groups. 

Conclusion: 

Cycling and swimming both have implications in maintaining and even developing fitness during the off-season. Erging may not be an accessible choice, especially with the requirement to learn from it, but it, along with the other disciplines, shifts the strain and use onto different muscle groups that are not used or not as frequently used in running. While the overall consensus is that optimizing time spent training in the targeted sport is the most efficient use of time, it is also important to leave open the above practices as possible modes to continue training both when injured or during times when running has been exhausted as a primary training choice.

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