The runner’s guide to cross-training: Building strength and preventing injury

By Henry Howard

Runners love to get out and put in the miles. One thing I have learned since starting my running journey 15 years ago was the value of cross-training for runners. And now, as an RRCA-certified coach with more than 15 athletes, cross-training is part of every one of their training plans.

After all, logging mile after mile without variety or proper recovery time can lead to overuse injuries, muscular imbalances and burnout.

Cross-training offers a powerful solution, allowing runners to maintain cardiovascular fitness, giving their feet and muscles a relief from the pounding, and strengthening areas that running alone doesn’t target.

There are numerous ways to incorporate diverse activities into a training plan, which will go a long way in helping the athlete become more resilient, stronger and less prone to injury.

Here is a runner’s guide to cross-training, outlining a half-dozen of the most common options. Pick one — or more — that interest you.

Cycling

Cycling, both indoors and outdoors, provides excellent cardiovascular conditioning with minimal impact on your joints. The repetitive leg motion builds quadriceps strength and improves endurance without the pounding of running. Additionally, runners can also incorporate speed work into their cycling — a series of surges allow you to pump the legs hard for a short duration while allowing the body to recover more easily than a run after the workout.

How to incorporate it: Substitute one easy run or add a cycling day once per week with a 45 to 60 minute bike ride, or use cycling for active recovery days. Indoor cycling classes can add high-intensity interval work that translates well to running fitness. Heat training is another option for runners, which can help build fitness. Though be sure those sessions are shorter and don’t precede a key running workout day.

What to know: Adjust your bike properly to prevent knee strain. Outdoor cyclists should start with flat routes before tackling hills, while indoor riders should focus on maintaining a steady cadence, based on their fitness level and experience.

Swimming

Swimming engages your entire body while being completely non-impact, making it ideal for recovery days or when nursing minor injuries. It builds upper body strength that runners often lack and improves breathing control. It is also highly recommended for runners dealing with or recovering from a foot or lower leg injury.

How to incorporate it: Swim one or two times weekly during recovery weeks or add one 30 to 40 minute session to maintain aerobic fitness without leg impact. Pool running with a flotation belt is another excellent option.

What to know: Proper technique matters significantly in swimming. Consider a few lessons to learn efficient strokes that won’t strain your shoulders.

Elliptical training

The elliptical mimics running’s motion while eliminating impact, making it perfect for maintaining running-specific fitness when recovering from injury or during high-mileage training blocks. Like cycling, you can also incorporate short surges into your workout.

How to incorporate it: Use the elliptical for easy run substitutions or warm-ups before strength training. It’s particularly valuable during injury comebacks when you’re not yet cleared to run.

What to know: Avoid leaning heavily on the handlebars, which reduces the workout’s effectiveness. Vary resistance and incline to challenge different muscle groups.

Yoga

Yoga improves flexibility, balance and body awareness while providing mental recovery. It addresses the tight hips, hamstrings and calves that plague many runners and strengthens stabilizing muscles. My first coach put me on a routine with weekly yoga sessions. I realized the greater flexibility very quickly. But after moving on to other coaches and shunning yoga, I am now trying to regain that flexibility and aiming to do yoga on a weekly basis.

How to incorporate it: Add at least one 30-minute sessions weekly, or attend one longer class. Two or three weekly sessions are even better. Restorative yoga such as yin yoga works well on rest days, while power yoga can substitute for strength training.

What to know: Be patient with your practice. Runners often have tight muscles that limit initial range of motion, but consistency brings improvement.

Pilates

Pilates, which is known for being adaptable for all fitness levels, focuses on core strength, posture, flexibility and controlled movements. It emphasizes breath and precision to build lean muscle, improve balance, and aid in injury recovery, in addition to being valuable as cross training for runners. A Siluet pilates reformer at home helps runners develop the core strength and flexibility needed to prevent injuries.

How to incorporate it: Practice pilates twice weekly, either through mat work at home or reformer classes at a studio. Sessions complement rather than replace runs.

What to know: Pilates emphasizes quality over quantity. Focus on precise movements and proper breathing rather than rushing through exercises.

Rowing

Rowing delivers a full-body, low-impact cardiovascular workout that strengthens your back, core and legs. It’s particularly valuable for building posterior chain strength that supports upright running posture. This is the least valuable cross-training option for runners, as it does little to build cardio, or strengthen lower leg muscles and tendons. As a coach, if an athlete is truly interested in rowing as cross-training, I’ll have them do it. But only if it does not affect their running workouts.

How to incorporate it: Add 20 to 30 minute rowing sessions once or twice weekly. Use interval workouts to boost intensity while maintaining the low-impact benefits.

What to know: Proper rowing technique prevents back strain. The power comes from your legs, not your arms — think “legs, core, arms” on the pull.

Conclusion

Cross-training isn’t about replacing running. It’s about making you a stronger and healthier runner while serving as a key factor in running injury prevention.

By strategically incorporating cross training, you’ll build a more balanced body, reduce injury risk and potentially discover new activities you love.

Also be sure to prioritize running. For example, don’t try to cram in cross training when time pressed — or with a stressed body — that could end up leading to compromising a workout on your running plan.