Since this has come up more recently I thought I would start a thread on it:

What types of x-training do you do?

What works well? And for what? (biking to help build strong quads which in turn helps on downhill)

What is your ratio of x-training to running?

Anything you've thought of adding (intrigued by) but just haven't taken the plunge yet?

Do you use x-training to substitute for mileage or on top of mileage?

Do you do your x-training on "rest days"? (if you do, why don't you take any real rest days?)

Feel free to add links of good websites for workouts if you have them or share specifics of your workouts that others might benefit from it.

I added the stair climber in the last 2 months.  Only time will tell if it will benefit but I feel already a difference in hill climbing in a couple of runs.  I use a machine at the gym that looks like an escalator. It's a monstrosity of a machine.  I will do intervals on it for 20-25 minutes.  Great workout.

DW convinced me recently to do a 30 day ab workout with her each night.  It's called the 300 workout (not the workout from the movie 300).  12 sets of different ab exercises (25 reps each).   I will try and find the link for it and add later.

Boyjame - just asked this on the daily before seeing this thread.  What is a typical stairmaster workout for you?  I've never used one but it sounds like a useful cross-training tool.

I am still new to it but I will start out for 2 minutes to warm up at a reasonable pace (I am not sure what it is technically called on the machine but the speed of the stairs goes from 1-20).  I will start at 9 or 10 (depending on the machine - they are not all calibrated the same which is irritating).  I will then rotate in a faster speed (maybe up to 13 or 14) for a minute and then back down to the warm up speed.  I do this for 20-25 minutes with the last 2-3 minutes a cool down at maybe a slower speed.  I sweat like crazy, heart rate gets up there and the legs feel it so I consider it a good workout.  I usually follow it up with a leg workout.  On occasion I have added another 20 minutes after all that (usually in place of a LR).

This is essentially what it looks like.

I've used some step device, don't know what it's called exactly. Looked more like this:

My main difficulty was to get the pedals to move down, apparently my 110 lbs aren't what the machine is designed for. So I clenched on to the rails backwards, to add some weight while pushing down. Worked, only got a backache after an hour or so.

I used it several times, and usually climbed something like 1100 or 1200 steps in a 30-min-workout. No idea what the resistance was set to, I just stepped onto the machine and started climbing, and it seemed reasonably difficult. I liked it.

I don't do XT with a plan. I just call it 'being active". That can be swimming, biking, hiking, playing badminton, basketball or volleyball, mountainbiking, skiing (cross-country or downhill), ice-skating, snowshoeing, or a gym on different machines. I don't count it as anything, and it goes on top of my mileage.

When I was younger, I did cardio workouts 3x a week on top of running 5x a week, sometimes even swimming (competitive training) 2 or 3 times a week on top of that. I was in great shape, it really helps, but later, I did not have time for that any more.

I see my cross-training just as a way to balance my muscles and strength in my body, nothing specific.

I have eyed weight training, just never seem to have the time to do it.

On my rest days, I either rest, or do something, without considering it "training".

I tend to just run 6-7 days per week, 4-5 during a cutback. I am a runner and I like to run. It is my hobby.

I am not a cross trainer, gym rat, but do try to get 1-2 days a week of strength training in at the gym plus I do a stretching on a near daily basis. I know a marathon runner at my local gym who ellipticals like crazy. Frankly I feel like he'd be better off running or taking a rest day instead. My personal opinion on the stationary bikes, elliptical machines, etc. is that they are useful devices to use when you are injured and can't run.

In addition to running, I also mountain bike, downhill ski, and do weightlifting/strength training. I don't really consider those things to be "cross training" per se, but I just do those activities because I like doing them. In the winter my primary activities would be the skiing and weightlifting, and in the other three seasons I have an equal mix of running and mountain biking. I take my rest days either when I'm feeling very tired or when I work a long day and just feel like drinking a beer instead – I don't force anything. I would have to say that the mountain biking fitness translates to the running fitness most closely, but there's nothing like doing the specific activity to get better at that activity.

 

 

I'm with Holden on this. I do a lot of other workouts and activities in addition to my running. Mainly because I enjoy them. I own 3 bikes-2 mtn and one old triathlon roadie and I bike at least 3x-4x times per week in season. Workout with weights, both machines and free weights and hop on an elliptical at least 3x per week in my man cave. I adjust the elliptical to simulate steep hill work with high resistance. In the winter I also cross-country ski and snowshoe when I can up north. You can also add in all the canoeing, swimming, and hiking I do. I was doing all this while averaging 50mpw running. I also had the time. 

I would take a total rest day either based on the weather, just tired, or when other life,work got in the way. Nothing too anal about it for me.

All these things can be considered cross-training I guess but I just look at them as activities I enjoy doing and if I get a little extra fitness benefit -great. For me it's more of just who I am and this enriches my quality of life.

As has been mentioned though that while any cross-training will improve your general fitness if you want to be a better runner or swimmer or whatever it will be time spent on that discipline that will help the most. That being said running is an impact sport so if you can integrate some other work on a regular basis it will save on beating up your joints.

For me I realized a long time ago I was not olympic caliber so I just focus on my quality of life.

Sorry for the long reply. 

What types of x-training do you do? We go to the fitness center when we remember it. Five onna recumbent bike, four upper body things, four leg things, one abdomen thing, 15 minutes on the rower, whatever is left to fill in the hour is on the treadmill--walk at 4.8 mph ('cause it drives people crazy), run at 9:30ish.

What works well? And for what? (biking to help build strong quads which in turn helps on downhill): I wrote something about my biking in the other thread. Biking is great for both strength and flexibility.

What is your ratio of x-training to running? Varies tremendously with the time of the year. Part of the year I work in the park. That is six hours a day (three or four days) a week of good wholesome exercise in the outdoors--it involves chainsaws, weed whackers, shears, posthole diggers, rakes, shovels. I do very little XT in the summers, except the bike. I ride to and from work (easy 30ish minute pedal)--relaxation ride.

Anything you've thought of adding (intrigued by) but just haven't taken the plunge yet? I would like to find a aerobic hop/step/jump around program that would force me to work on agility. I was throwing rocks at the beach the other day and got to thinking how clumsy I felt. Unless a snake lunges at me I do not do quick things anymore.

Do you use x-training to substitute for mileage or on top of mileage? It complements, does not replace.

Do you do your x-training on "rest days"? No. I have used a five-day run week for years. Monday and Friday are rest days... sometimes we walk along the beach or the prairie scaring birds and stuff, but rest days are rest days.  There has been a time or two when I inserted what was called "active rest" (love that phrase)...training was supposedly serious, we was going racing, I dropped the rest rest days and adding in some specialized work (hill, speed, jello molding...)

I just came across this write-up on mountain biking for runners: https://www.trailrunnermag.com/component/content/article/1-cross-training/568-mountain-biking-for-trail-runners

I was a mountain biker first and trail runner second, so my vantage is a little different but one crossover skill that the author brought up that  I've personally noticed is that since I'm used to reading terrain at bike speed, reading it at foot speed is second nature.