Doing one aerobic exercise will get you fit, but doing two will get you fit FASTER -- and with less chance of injury. Remember, INTENSITY increases fitness fastest. If you just did one exercise you'd have to work harder and harder to get improved results.
For example: If you only run for exercise, you might have to increase the distance or intensity every month to see results. But if you go biking in addition to running, you can challenge the body with this alternate activity and you won't have to increase the difficulty of the running. By switching exercises, you can fool your muscles into thinking they're working harder. They're using the same amount of energy, only in a different way. You get off easy by doing two different exercises with moderate exertion instead of doing one exercise with increased exertion.
Isn't It Even Better To Do Three Or Four Different
Exercises?
An exercise needs to be done at least twice a week so your body recognizes it as something you do all the time and makes the necessary systemic and neurological adjustments to adapt to it. You could do a different exercise every day, but the nerves and muscles wouldn't learn each sport well enough for the cross training effect to occur. If three or four days elapse before you repeat an activity, you probably won't get much of a cross training effect. To get the best results from cross training, you should do only two or three different activities.
What's The Best Combination Of Cross Training Exercises For ...
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Overall fitness? Do an aerobic exercise such as running or
cycling and strength building with weights.
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Losing fat? Do two different whole body aerobic activities
such as walking, jogging, rowing, simulated skiing, or stair
climbing. For faster results, make sure you are on your feet for
one of the activities (that is, not sitting on a machine). Plus,
add one or two days of weight lifting.
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Pregnancy, older people, or those with joint problems?
Combine swimming (or water aerobics) with another whole body
exercise such as stationary bicycling, machine rowing,
cross-country skiing or any non-impact, gentle aerobic exercise.
