When pro triathlete Tim O’Donnell injured his foot in the leadup to the 2019 Ironman World Championships, he had to get creative with cross-training to prepare for the brutal Kona marathon.
Injuries that prevent you from running can be frustrating and unnerving, especially when you’re training for a major event! Whether you’re looking at a long stretch of forced time away from running or a short break, cross-training can be an excellent way to maintain (and even gain) fitness.
Of course, the cross-training methods available depend highly on the type of injury you’re recovering from. It’s critical to choose activities that do not aggravate your injury or slow the healing process.
Benefits of Cross Training
Cross-training can be a valuable tool, not only to maintain your endurance and strength but also to target other areas of fitness that often get neglected in a runner’s routine.
Cross-training can:
Maintain cardiovascular fitness: Many cross-training options allow you to get your heart rate up without stressing the injured area.
Prevent muscle imbalances: By working different muscles, you can correct imbalances that might have contributed to the injury in the first place.
Reduce the risk of future injuries: By strengthening supporting muscles and improving flexibility, cross-training builds resilience that can lower your chances of re-injury.
Water Running
Water running is an under-valued rehab and cross-training asset for endurance athletes! Studies show that a well-trained runner can maintain cardio fitness for up to six weeks using water running.
In 2019, Tim O’Donnell did most of his run training prep for Kona in a Master Spa. He went on to place second at the Ironman World Championships. Marathon greats like Mo Farrah and Galen Rupp have also relied on water running to train through injuries.
Benefits of water running:
Reduced Impact: Running can put stress on your joints, muscles, and tendons. Being in water up to your chest can reduce your body weight by up to 70%, minimizing impact on your body.
Mobility and Flexibility: Water running adds resistance to the running movement and water can help improve blood flow to your muscles. Overall, water running can help to improve your mobility and tissue flexibility.
Improve Strength and Core Control: Water running provides different “feedback” as you run. Some runners find it can help “cue” proper core control and body awareness while running. When we run on land, we are heavily influenced by momentum and gravity. Both are significantly reduced in water, forcing some runners to pay more attention to their movements and core control.
Water provides resistance in every direction. Water running engages different muscle recruitment compared to running on land. Many runners report their legs, core, and arms feeling stronger after a period of water running because of this additional resistance.
Anti Gravity Treadmills
The original “AlterG” treadmills were developed for NASA. These “space-age” treadmills use pressurized air chambers to reduce the weight and gravitational load when running. This means you’re not putting your full weight on your legs, reducing the impact of running.
The AlterG treadmills can reduce your bodyweight to as little as 20%. Some include sensors and cameras to provide gait analysis, stride length, cadence, balance, and other useful metrics. This data feedback can help you, your coach, and your doctors manage your recovery.
The downside of AlterG treadmills is they come with a hefty pricetag. Alternatively, some rehab and sports medicine facilities have them available, but that may come with a “per session” cost.
Enter the Lever Runner!
Similar to the AlterG treadmill, Lever is designed to reduce your bodyweight and impact while running. It attaches to most treadmills and uses an external frame and elastic cords to hold you slightly above the treadmill.
When using the Lever Runner, you’ll wear a pair of neoprene shorts with two pulleys on each side. The elastic cords run through the pulleys, providing “lift” while you run. Adjusting the length of the elastic cords allows you to increase or decrease how much “lift” you experience. Lever says runners can reduce their bodyweight by up to 45 lbs using the Lever Runner.
The Lever Runner is portable, so you can detach it from a treadmill and bring it with you when traveling or moving from gym to gym.
This fancy gadget provides most of the benefits of an AlterG treadmill for a fraction of the price! You can purchase the Lever Runner system for about $1,100 or rent a Lever Runner for $99 per month.
Elliptical Machines
I know… most runners die a little inside at the thought of being stuck on a treadmill or elliptical machine. But, depending on they type of injury you’re rehabbing, the elliptical machine closely simulates the running motion without the impact. You can keep up a high cadence and target similar muscles to running without risking re-injury.
Benefits of Elliptical Running:
Offers a complete workout: Ellipticals with moving handles get runners moving the whole body, which is particularly beneficial for athletes who neglect their upper bodies. You’ll be able to strengthen your biceps, triceps, back, chest, and core in addition to your lower body.
Reduces the risk of injury: Many athletes incorporate ellipticals for injury prevention, not just rehabilitation. When you run, a force of two to three times your body weight is absorbed by your body every time your foot hits the ground. Ellipticals offer a zero-impact way to train.
Maintain your VO2 Max: Studies show that elliptical training hels runners maintain their VO2 max during times of injury. However, since a workout on the elliptical is less intense than standard running, some coaches recommend increasing time or cranking up the resistance to boost intensity (if your injury allows).
Overall, many elite athletes incorporate elliptical running as a standard cross-training tool throughout their training. It’s a great way to increase training volume without putting added stress on your joints. After you are fully recovered, consider swapping some of your recovery runs for elliptical sessions.
Don’t Skip the Strength and Mobility Training
Incorporating strength and mobility training into your recovery program can help rebuild your body and prevent future injuries.
Many runners overlook the importance of strength training, but it’s a crucial aspect of cross-training, especially during recovery. Focus on building strength in your core, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. Strengthening these muscles will help with overall stability and improve your form, reducing the risk of future injuries.
Weight lifting, yoga, and pilates are excellent strength and mobility exercises for athletes recovering from injury. Many movements or exercises can be modified to work around your injury and even help the recovery process.
Consider working with trained instructors, especially if you are inexperienced. They can provide feedback on proper techniques and help you choose activities that will support the recovery process.
Swimming, Rowing, and Cycling
Swimming provides a full-body workout without any impact on your joints, making it perfect for many types of running injuries. Freestyle swimming works on your cardiovascular fitness, while strokes like backstroke and breaststroke engage upper-body muscles, which can often be neglected in runners.
Cycling is an excellent low-impact exercise that helps maintain cardiovascular fitness without the pounding impact of running. If your injury affects the lower leg, ankle, or foot, check with a physical therapist before hopping on a bike. Indoor cycling classes or a stationary bike are great options, too, especially in colder weather.
Rowing can also be a good low-impact exercise. Ironman World Champion, Lucy Charles-Barcley famously incorporated rowing into her cross-training routine when recovering from a stress fracture. She strapped a rollerskate onto her injured leg and let it roll alongside the rowing machine while her healthy leg did all the work.
While no athlete likes to be sidelined, being injured doesn’t mean you’re doomed to lose fitness or miss lots of training. The right cross-training routine can help you maintain your fitness and even shore up weaknesses!
If you’re looking for some expert guidance on cross-training through an injury, speak with your medical providers and consider reaching out to a qualified coach who can help you take your doctor’s guidance and adjust your training and cross-training accordingly.
Gregg Edelstein is a certified USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach, an IRONMAN University Certified Coach, and a USA Cycling Level 3 Coach based in the greater Boston area. Gregg offers his athletes insight on the principles of exercise, nutrition, sports psychology, and injury prevention, working to make them well-rounded and engaged athletes that share his passion for sport. Gregg can be reached at Gregg@TeamMPI.com
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