Cross-Training the Human

So what does an endurance rider do for cross training? Some people bike. Some people run. I, on the other hand, do step aerobics. I find it challenging and a great leg and cardiovascular workout. And it's fun!

But not just any step workout. Many videos I have tried have bored me to death. I use Cathe Friedrich DVDs that I get from her web site or used from eBay. I have to modify the moves to my own personal level, but I really enjoy her workouts. I now have enough that I have a nice variety to pick from when I get home and get ready to workout. I tend to stick to the mostly or all step routines as that's what I enjoy.

I've been hitting it pretty hard this week while my horse is waiting on his shoes. Yesterday I did Interval Max for the first time. Boy, did I push it anaerobically. So today was a modified Cardio & Weights workout, keeping my heart rate below 135 to allow recovery from yesterday. It's amazingly hard to keep one's HR down that low while trying to do a fun routine! I use very light weights on the weight lifting segments. I'm an advanced stepper, but a very beginner with weights.

And how do I keep track of that HR? With a Garmin Forerunner 305! This unit is an awesome GPS fitness unit with lots of options for training outdoors. But I also use it inside to monitor my heart rate. Then I can load the data to my computer and analyze the data and see how well (or not) I'm working my heart. I use this unit for my horse, too, but I'll mention all that another day.