Supplementing your running with other activities is great for strength-building and injury rehab. Here are the top cross-training workouts for runners that coaches recommend.

(Feature photo by iStock.com/gorodenkoff)

---

How often are you cross-training? Once a week? Twice a week? Never?

It can be easy to get into the routine of only running. Especially when time is limited, running workouts take top priority.

That said, cross-training workouts for runners provide a variety of fitness and mental benefits and help reduce the risk of injuries that may set back your training progress.

What is cross-training for runners?

Simply put, cross-training for runners means incorporating any workout that’s not running into your training plan for specific purposes. Swimming, cycling, strength workouts, yoga — all of these and others are examples of cross-training activities for runners.

Cross-training workouts for runners are often added to a training plan to build muscle, increase cardiovascular fitness, improve balance, or even develop more efficient breathing habits. In addition to the fitness benefits, cross-training exercises for runners can spice up a training routine to avoid boredom. They may also be used to replace running altogether when rehabbing an injury.

Determining the right cross-training exercises for runners and at what points in their training plan to do them takes strategy to ensure benefits are maximized. Too much intensity or not enough rest can reverse your progress. That’s why working with a running coach is key to getting it right.

Here’s what running coaches advise when setting race goals.

Below, seven certified United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA) coaches share their recommendations on cross-training workouts for runners and how and when they should be added to your training.

---

Incorporate strength training and cycling on days without high-intensity running.

Cross-training has a key role in an athlete’s training plan. When the time comes to select what workout to inject in the running plan, I pick strength training and cycling!

The former to target muscle strength — supporting runners’ posture, reducing the probability of injury, and giving more power to the legs. Then cycling to target the aerobic system with less impact on the muscles.

Plan it on recovery days or low-impact running days. Keep the quality sessions separated so that you have your total energy and focus to perform the best.

Coach Faris, Ironman U Coach, UESCA Running Coach
4-6 years coaching experience
@fitorizon | @coach.faris

---

Swim for recovery or build strength and agility on the basketball court.

I recommend what I find most effective both physically and mentally: swimming and basketball.

Swimming one or two times a week helps recovery and enhances cardiovascular fitness. If swimming isn’t an option, basketball can add variety and boost cardiovascular health, agility, and leg strength.

From my coaching experience, combining these cross-training exercises keeps training diverse and prevents burnout. Balancing these activities with running can also improve overall performance and reduce injury risk.

Anna V. Grigorova, UESCA Running Coach
1-3 years coaching experience
ActionSage | Find ActionSage on LinkedIn and Facebook

---

Choose workouts that focus on breathwork.

The highs and lows of an aerobic exercise such as running or racing require good breathing practices. When a runner puts yoga or another breathing practice in their onboarding form, I feel relieved that they have that covered! It means they’ll know how to manage the stressful moments.

Breathing training can be added to any run. My personal favorite is on the downhill portion of hill repeats. Breathe deep, hold, and release to get that heart rate back down to a manageable level. Repeat on each downhill.

Gordon Collins, UESCA Ultrarunning Coach, Endurance Sports Nutrition
1-3 years coaching experience
@traillegsruncoaching

---

Bike to build cardiovascular endurance, but reduce time on the bike closer to race day.

My usual recommendation for cross-training is biking. It is a way for runners to recover with minimal impact, while still getting a cardiovascular workout. It is also a great way to change your routine from running only.

My recommendation to runners to incorporate it into their schedule is to use it earlier in the training cycle and reduce time spent on the bike as each goal race gets closer, focusing more on the particular aspects of running and racing. It can also be used as a recovery tool on easy days by maintaining a low rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and riding for a limited amount of time to avoid putting too much stress on the body.

Francis Pardo, UESCA Running Coach, UESCA Ultrarunning Coach
4-6 years coaching experience
FP Entrenador | @runfrancis
Find Francis Pardo and FP Entrenador on Facebook

---

Balance your body by aligning your posture.

Posture alignment therapy is an important and essential cross-training activity for runners because it addresses the underlying cause of injury and pain. By balancing the body, it can both eliminate the cause of injuries and prevent future injuries, allowing runners to train and race as they desire.

Doing a short routine to help balance and maintain proper posture can be very powerful and only takes 15 minutes per day. A personalized routine is best, but even a generic one can be very effective.

Matt Whitehead, UESCA Ultrarunning Coach
1-3 years coaching experience
Ultra Run Coaching | @ultraruncoaching

Not sure how to add cross-training workouts to your schedule?
Consider hiring a coach.

---

Replace running with cycling to rehab an injury.

First and foremost, whichever cross-training modality the athlete enjoys most is what I recommend. For the athletes I’ve worked with so far, and for me personally, cycling — both outdoor and indoor — has been popular.

For some athletes, we might cycle instead of run a couple of times a week to keep them healthy. If the athlete has a significant injury, we might replace all running with cycling for a week or two, following roughly the same time and workout structure that they would normally spend running — for example, three days easy cycling, two interval days, etc.

I’ve found that athletes lose very little fitness during an injury layoff if they are able to keep up with cross-training.

Madeline Harms, UESCA Running Coach, UESCA Ultrarunning Coach
1-3 years coaching experience
Running coach at Ornery Mule Racing | @ornerymulecoach_madeline

---

Whatever the cross-training workout, make sure it’s enjoyable, purposeful, and specific.

When planning your cross-training workouts, consider enjoyability, purpose, and specificity.

Choose an enjoyable activity because the best cross-training program is one you’ll actually do! Adjust the intensity of your cross-training sessions based on whether they are supplementing your running or totally replacing it, in the case of injury. Finally, choose modalities that mimic your running – body angles, cadence, etc. — but also meet your needs.

For example, if you’re in the initial phase of rehabbing a bone stress injury, you’ll want a non-weight-bearing option. Aqua jogging might be a better choice than swimming since it resembles running. While there is no one-size-fits-all with cross-training, I’ve seen runners thrive incorporating at least one elliptical or cycling session into their week.

Abby Lock, UESCA Ultrarunning Coach, NASM Sports Nutrition
1-3 years coaching experience
Hills for Thrills Sports Nutrition and Run Coaching | @Hills4Thrills.coach

Looking for more training tips? Find them here.

---

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical guidance. Before choosing to follow the running advice provided in this article, be sure to consult with your physician about your health and medical concerns. Running and exercising are done at your own risk, including any injuries or health issues you may encounter.

---