A long time runner asking how to improve his training. Maybe you are a very good runner, but if running is the extent of your exercise programme, you are probably not in great physical condition.
Of course your cardiovascular fitness may be excellent. But are your shoulders strong enough to carry heavy loads? Are your abdominals tough enough to protect your lower back from injury? Do you ever come to the point where you are just tired of running and running?
What you need is cross-training. Cross training can improve your running, first, look at your current workout programme, see what it lacks. Adopt some new exercises to round it out properly. You can bring your whole body into line and reach fitness levels you have never seen before. You will find that this prevent overuse injuries. Just add different activities at least twice a week, and this should help.
Walking
Since you are runner, have you ever tried just walking? Some agree it seems boring, but what walking will do is tone your lower body, especially the calves, quadriceps and harstrings, while receiving a decent cardiovascular workout. You need to keep the pace to at least 3.5 miles per hour, (about 16 minutes per mile) or your pulse at 55 to 75 percent of its maximum (to find your max, subtract you age from 220).
Walking will firm your lower body, but your upper body, especially, tends to be left out. Although it does get your heart pumping, it is not the most challenging of exercises, so there is little opportunity to measure your improvement.
What you can do
