Over the years, many sports methods have proven ineffective. Indeed, the marketing of training brands has always been more important than their benefits to the body. Cross Training has been able to make a difference since its appearance in the country in 2012. Commonly referred to as 'cross training', it is a physical and strength training programme that relies on extreme exertion.
It was in the United States, in the year 2000, that the fitness company Cross Training was born, thanks to the gymnast Greg Glassman. Renowned for its ability to rapidly transform the body of its practitioners, this technique is a dazzling success. Today, in France, it has nearly 200,000 followers in more than 230 dedicated gyms.
The benefits of Cross Training
The aim of the programme is to facilitate the performance of physical activities. Because of its many benefits, it has often been referred to as a "miracle sport". I
ts followers have claimed numerous effects:rapid development of strength, cardiovascular and muscular endurance, improved flexibility, synchronisation of movements, precision, balance, skill, speed. On the internet, practitioners proudly show the aesthetic progress caused by Cross Training:athletic physique, developed muscles, etc.
Another asset in the practice of this discipline is the integration of a large community's solidarity. In fact, the conviviality of Cross Training gyms differs from that of traditional gyms, in which each person carries out his or her activities separately. The mutual aid is very present among the practitioners of Cross Training, the beginners being advised by the regulars.
How to practice Cross Training?
The idea is to group various sports disciplines into a single field, taking advantage only of the benefits of each of the original disciplines. This practice combines load training in weightlifting, movement control in gymnastics and strength of execution in bodybuilding. To this end, during the training sessions, the participants perform their movements on the basis of maximum intensity, variation of movements and functional movements. The sessions are done daily, with a different list of exercises each day: this is the principle of the "Workout of the Day" (WOD).
Maximum intensity
Performing movements at high intensity means pushing yourself and your limits. Thus, the use of maximum energy is required for each movement. The exercises are done continuously, with very limited rest time.
The variation of movements
The interest of mixing several sports is to avoid monotony. Routine is therefore considered to be a hindrance to physical progress, both in terms of the duration of the exercises and the form of the movements themselves: every day a new WOD is applied.
Functional movements
This involves working in muscle chains in order to exercise the whole body as a whole: trunk, arms, legs. These are exercises applied to several joints and muscles simultaneously. This allows you to increase your power.
Take action
A competition bringing together all Cross Training enthusiasts takes place annually in France and the United States. In France, it is called the "French Throwdown", while in the United States, it is called the "Cross Training Games". The specificity of these competitions is the ability to choose between two levels, depending on which one best suits the individual.
The elites are in the "Rx" or "as prescribed" category, to execute complex and difficult to perform movements, while the "scaled" category welcomes those who apply more accessible movements.
Competitions are open to anyone who wants to participate. They are the best way to evolve by setting ever more ambitious goals. So it's time to move on to daily workouts, or WODs! They are available for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, with increasingly complex movements and loads as the levels progress.
For those just starting out, it is recommended that you alternate daily workouts with a rest day each time. At the beginning, only 3 sessions per week are sufficient, which can be increased over time. In principle, a whole session lasts 1 hour. The warm-up, which is called Warm-up, is essential.
It lasts about 15 minutes. The aim is to warm up the joints and prepare the muscles with technical movements in order to avoid injury. After this, the exercises of the day can be applied. The sequences are performed as quickly as possible. After the WOD, recovery is essential.
A trial exercise for the beginner discipline consists of the following exercises:
- 10 squat cups of 15 kg
- 10 half-burpees
- 10 ring rows
- 250 metres run
If you liked the exercise, don't hesitate to join a Cross Training gym in order to be assisted by a professional and have your daily WOD.
