Cross-training is about learning how to do more than one specific job in order to become professionally well-rounded. Cross-training enables a staff member (the “visiting staff member”) to learn how to execute specific tasks by working with another staff member (the “receiving staff member”) for a set period of time.

Key benefits of cross-training include:

• Improved employee awareness of organization’s roles and functions.
• Increased flexibility for scheduling.
• Increased opportunities for employee advancement.
• Opportunity to strengthen customer support with more knowledgeable employees.

Cross-training is the practice of training your people to work in several different roles, or training them to do tasks that lie outside their normal responsibilities. For instance, you might use cross-training to teach someone who works in Collections how to work in the Billing Department, and vice versa.

Cross training provides cost savings to an organization, but also improves a team members career growth in an organization. Cross training doesn’t just benefit employers. Employees can improve their status within an organization and in future companies by growing their skills in their current positions.

Yoga, spinning, strength training, barre classes, swimming and high-intensity interval training are all examples of cross-training workouts.

Training employees in multiple functions also creates positive morale in employees, all the while building a more skilled team member. As a result, it balances the workflow and creates team spirit. Another benefit of cross-training your front desk team is the flexibility of team members.

But Barr also writes that there are several potential downsides to cross-training.

• Employee Morale. Barr notes that employees might take it the wrong way if someone new is brought in to start learning their job or taking on some of their responsibilities.
• Competition.
• Dissatisfaction.
• Loss of Focus.

The best cross training shoes you can buy right now

1. Nike MetCon 5. The best cross training shoe for most people.
2. NoBull Training Shoes. The best premium cross training shoe.
3. Under Armour HOVR Rise 2. Best budget cross training shoe.
4. Reebok NANO 9.
5. On Cloud X.
6. Inov-8 F-Lite 235 V3.
7. Under Armour HOVR Apex.

Some of the benefits of cross training include an introduction of variety into your workout, a higher overall level of fitness, a stronger athletic performance, and finally it builds strength and endurance in areas of your body that aren’t exercised regularly in your normal sport.

The following are some of the best cross-training activities for runners.

• Cycling. Cycling, like running, is largely dependent on the major muscles in the legs.
• Swimming.
• Aqua Jogging.
• Elliptical.
• Nordic Skiing.

Five Benefits Of Cross-Training

• It Improves Your Fitness. A great place to start.
• It Helps Prevent Injury. “By mixing up your workouts, you’ll be able to avoid injuries that arise from the overuse of certain muscles,” says Lazar.
• It Improves Posture And Co-ordination.
• It Boosts Mental Strength.
• You’ll Recover Faster.

Here are six great examples of the benefits of cross-training employees:

• Great return on investment.
• Better collaboration.
• Increases employee motivation.
• Increases workforce sustainability.
• Improves efficiency.
• Makes your company more agile.

“Cross-training will help you increase strength, power, speed, endurance, agility, and balance, all of which translates across all sports and your everyday life,” says Powell. And it’s not just about working weight-training into your cardio-heavy calendar. Other kinds of activities can give you a boost too.

Or, you could set up a systematic job-rotation plan and train workers to become proficient in a variety of functions.” Cross-training offers a wide variety of benefits for small businesses. For example, a well-designed program can help reduce costs, improve employee morale, reduce turnover, and increase productivity.

Typically, athletes want to do cross-training that compliments their main sport. For runners, this could be swimming, cycling, or even walking to help build endurance. Keep in mind, running is a unilateral movement—so it’s important to incorporate unilateral exercises, such as lunges, into strength-training workouts.

My general rule of thumb is beginners should aim for three to four days per week, intermediate runners should shoot for four to five days per week and advanced runners’ goal should be five to seven days per week. (If you need a training plan, we’ve got you covered here.)

Whereas running shoes are designed to absorb shock on your heels, cross training shoes have more cushioning in the forefoot, protecting you when you land on your toes. They are firmer, making them better for weight training, and making exercises like squats easier.

If you’re a recreational runner, try to supplement your three to four days of running with two to three days of cross-training. If you’re a competitive runner and run four to six days a week, you can substitute a low-intensity cross-training workout for an easy run or a rest day on one to two days a week.

Keep cross training sessions to two times a week, one hour or less, and at a moderate intensity level. This means, it’s ok to skip some of the jumps in a spin class, or lighten the tension on the bike, or to cut the kick segment short in your swim class. Cross training should enhance your running, not detract from it.

Long, brisk walks can help boost your endurance. And walking as a means of cross-training gives your joints and running muscles a well-deserved break, which can help reduce or eliminate the aches and pains caused by running. Here’s how (and when) to add walks to your routine to become a fitter runner.

Walking can provide a lot of the same benefits of running. But running burns nearly double the number of calories as walking. If your goal is to lose weight, running is a better choice than walking. If you’re new to exercise or aren’t able to run, walking can still help you get in shape.

Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.

Boost your endurance Combining a run/walk strategy is an essential way of training life for ultra runners who focus on running huge distances. But it is also extremely effective for runners training for a marathon because the walking element helps you boost endurance.

Since walking is a much lower-impact activity, it’s much easier on your joints. “If you’re an avid runner, doing a walking workout is a great way to promote circulation and get the blood pumping while giving your muscles a rest and allowing them to recover,” Tamir adds.

Increasing time on your feet can still support your running goals but dramatically decrease your risk of injury.

Run to improve your running endurance. The best way to increase your stamina is to log in the miles. More time on the track, treadmill, road or park leads to an improved cardiovascular system, stronger lower body and core muscles and better running form for more efficient running.

Is it safe to run every day?

1. Make sure you have appropriate running shoes and change out your shoes often.
2. Gradually increase the number of miles you run each week.
3. Mix up running days with cross training, such as cycling or swimming.
4. Warm up before you run and stretch after.
5. Run with proper form.

It can take 4 to 6 weeks to notice changes in your aerobic ability and for the actual training effect being felt. Likewise, the more experienced you are, the less you will “feel” the benefits from a long run since you aerobic system is already quite developed.