Priorities When Injured: Cross Train!

Background

Cross training originates from the introduction of the triathlon in the 1980s whereby many single-sport athletes noted that they performed remarkably well in their previous specialty events despite reduced specific training to allow for multi-event training (Foster et al, 1995).

Cross training works by maintaining the training stress that is already present or enhancing it. This stimulus helps maintain training adaptations that have occurred as a result of training specificity for running. Since cross training involves non specific modalities general peripheral and central adaptations are preserved.
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Training adaptations can be separated into peripheral and central categories. The periphery is the cardio respiratory exchange between blood and muscles; accounting for adaptations such as lower blood lactate accumulation, increase in aerobic capacity, enzyme efficiency, mitochondrial density and angiogenesis. Central cardiovascular adaptations include decreased heart rate, increased red blood cell count, increased blood plasma which reduces blood viscosity and increased cardiac output (stroke volume).

Evidence

• Foster et al. (1995) demonstrated that dissimilar cross training in the form of swimming increased running performance when compared to a comparable scaled intensity running only program. However increases in performance were not as significant as running only group, suggesting that in prolonged injury settings, maintenance of fitness would be an assumed outcome.
• In a similar study by Costill et al. (1988) showed that substituted swimming maintained trained runners VO2 max and increased their swimming VO2 max by 10%.

• White et al. (2003) also confirmed these results by testing female distance runners that substituted 50% of running volume at ~70% VO2 max with cycling; concluding that cycle cross-training adequately maintained aerobic performance during the recuperative phase between the cross-country and track seasons, comparable to the primary sport of running.
• As a study by Silvers et al (2007) points out: deep water running appears to be quite different from land running in terms of lower extremity muscle recruitment and kinematics because of the absence of a ground-support phase and the additional resistance of moving through water. Long term adaptations of the periphery are better simulated by analogous activity that activates the utilization of delivered components from the cardiovascular system.
• Click here for a great insight from world renowned running coach and exercise physiologist Jack Daniels.

Empircal Anecdote

"You couldn't always avoid injuries so sometimes you needed to cross train I could tell you stories about the swimming pool. Gary Taylor hurt his knee in his apartment fooling around during cross country season, so we had him in the pool twice per day he would do intervals in the pool. He was back 3 weeks before he had his first indoor meet he said do you think I should run?  I'm feeling great I'd say let's do two sessions of 200s, he did and lined up for the first indoor meet and ran 3:58 for the mile and that was a personal-best. He had done nothing but swimming cardiovascular wise. Different guys would go into the pool Daniel Lincoln,  Alistair Craig, Joe Falcon, Frank O'Mara. We would go in and do 40 times 30 seconds with 30 seconds recovery and 40 x 1 minute or 20 x 2 minutes. I never had a guy in better shape cardiovascular wise then coming out of a pool. The only thing you are missing is the surface contact but you can solve that but just 2 or 3 weeks of jogging.”

Quote from John MacDonnell in his book. He is the winningest coach in NCAA history. 54 individual champions, 24 Olympians. His Arkansas Razorbacks were dominant!

Conclusion: Why Cross Train?

Hopefully by now I have demonstrated how effective cross training can be when you are injured. This article is coming from a mostly physiological perspective. The psychological benefits are limitless. Not only will your athletes maintain a positive self efficacy, they will keep busy and put their energies into something productive. Be sure to monitor training stress and follow sound principles and use caution when they return to running. 

Hire a professional

Are you injured? Do you need help with a plan of attack to maintain, rehabilitate and enhance your performance. A registered Kinesiologist can help you with the coaching and prescription you require. Click here for more, or contact us.