p90x used as a cross training program

I have received several questions asking about p90x and the benifits it can offer used as a cross training program in the winter months to help keep an endurance athlete in shape and offer specific focus on other aspects of endurance and strength training.

Everyone doesn't have the same reasons for cross training during the off months, so this makes choosing a method of cross training rather difficult and tends to need a more specific tailored routine based on cross training goals. However p90x touches on just about every reason anyone would want to cross train. Cross training is used by endurance athletes to help maintain fitness levels throughout the winter months or their off season, add variety to a training schedule to avoid burnout and bordum, serve as a method of injury prevention, certain activities such as cycling can strengthen related muscle groups and soft connective tissue and cross training also provides an additional means of burning fat. 

 If you increase your strength, you'll also increase your joint stability, reducing your risk of repetitive stress injuries," says McCall, citing a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, which showed that incorporating moves such as squats, single-leg hops, and ab work into a workout can not only prevent lower-body injuries, but improve performance as well. Leg exercises are particularly important when it comes to reducing injury: These exercises strengthen muscles around the knees and hips two areas that often cause problems for runners.

P90x leaves no muscle unworked, even exercises in the Ab Ripper X routine strengthen the legs and back. The beast know as wall squats help to strengthening the knees stabilizing muscles. Another important aspect of strength training and running that I learned from doing research about ITBS syndrome was that the majority of running injures occur below the knee or at the knee. This has been linked to inadequate hip muscle stabilization a recent study by Sports Health have linked the two together. Having weak stabilizing muscles can cause other load bearing and main muscles to compensate for the stabilizing muscles not being strong enough to do their job. This can cause an imbalance, forcing the stronger muscle to pull the weaker muscles out of alignment causing a domino affect throughout the body. This is often why runners have a very hard time pin pointing the causes of injuries, for example ITBS is caused by the iliotibial band becoming tight and rubbing over the  lateral femoral epicondyle, a small area of the femur muscle, but ITBS can actually affect the hip the groin and your back, this is because the main use of the IT band is to help stabilize the knee while running and walking and when then IT band can not longer perform it's function other muscle groups have to compensate. 

P90x also focuses a lot of attention on stretching and overall body strength not focusing just on the glamor muscles. Yoga X and Stretch X show you and teach you the correct ways to stretch focusing on every muscle group from your head to your toes. I used a lot of Stretch X stretches to help combat ITBS. 

Cross training can also reach a much more specific reason, and be tailored to help you overcome issues one might face while training for a marathon or other endurance events. Increased upper body strength. is very important late in a marathon or long runs as neck and shoulder muscles often become fatigued. Upper body strength and core strength are very important assets in ascending hills, because the stabilization of your upper body helps to reduce the forces generated on your legs and knees while running downhill. 

Maybe the most important is that strength training can help you run faster, longer, and more efficiently. A study published last year in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that runners who add three days of resistance training exercises to their weekly program increase their leg strength and enhance their endurance. Runners with better endurance can run longer and burn more calories. You'll also be able to recover faster from those long runs because strength training makes your body more efficient at converting metabolic waste into energy.

Whatever your reason may be for cross training p90x is a program that can help you reach your goals. Stay tuned for a detailed p90x / Endurance athletes cross training schedule, to learn how to incorporate p90x to help you reach your years goals and keep you sane during the cold winter months.

If you are looking to join a p90x team for motivation and accountability just follow this link it's FREE






Chris R.
Our Fitness Journey Main Site.