4 Workout Plans to Follow for Cross-Training

Four workout plans that I like to use for cross-training as a supplement to my running routine. These workouts are easy to do at home or at the gym.

4 Workout Plans to Follow for Cross-Training

It’s no surprise that I enjoy staying in shape with exercise. I’ve been a runner for about four years now, running every week outside, about 3-5 miles per run (unless I’m training for a race). But now that the temperatures in Florida are skyrocketing, my fitness regimen has taken a turn (as it does every year around this time). I tend to go in waves… during the colder months in Florida, I end up increasing my mileage and running more, simply because I would rather run in the cold. That is, the “Florida cold”.

But in the hotter months, I end up doing more strength workouts, taking more fitness classes, and just generally cross-training a lot more. And every time this happens, I realize how important it is to incorporate more strength workouts. When will Christina learn to do this on a more regular basis? And why is she talking in the third person all of a sudden?

I’m in one of those grooves again… the run less, train more grooves. And I think I’m headed toward a happy medium. I’ve been taking days to run (3-5 miles), then a day to train at the gym, then a day to take a fitness class. It’s an equilibrium I’m really enjoying! It definitely keeps me from being bored with fitness, which can be a real problem when it comes to motivation.

But when I do go to the gym, I do need a little guidance on what to do. I’m not a personal trainer, I didn’t study anything exercise-related in college. Everything I know is from experience and my own research. So when I am on my own for cross-training workouts, I tend to follow a few workout plans on rotation.

These are my favorites:

Four Workout Plans to Follow for Cross-Training

Tone It Up

I’ve been following Karena and Katrina since before they were hugely popular! It’s so crazy for me, as a blogger, to see how successful they’ve become since I started following them years ago. That totally sounded like when I was an emo hipster in middle school, like “yeah I heard that song so long ago…they’re just now playing it on the radio…” But seriously… I’ve been following them for so long because I love the way they push weekly fitness routines, their workouts are tough (but not too tough), and their materials and resources are easily accessible. Every Sunday they post a new week-long workout routine on their website. Before I go to the gym on my off-running-days, I look up which workout they’ve got posted for that particular day!

Workout Plans to Follow

Born to Sweat, Sweat Series

My bloggin’ buddy, Beverley Cheng, recently came out with a beautiful e-book called The Sweat Series. This series is a three-month workout plan that progressively gets more difficult as you grow stronger throughout the months. The beginner month is the perfect way to warm yourself up and prepare for the transition into kickass mode. It incorporates some bodyweight work with weighted exercises and high-intensity interval training; it’s definitely conducive to working out at home. I’ve been following it chronologically, but I plan on hand-picking her workouts from the Series when I’m finished, for days when I need some cross-training. If you follow me on Instagram, you know her workouts give me shin sweat. The ultimate sign that your ass has just been kicked.

4 Workout Plans to Follow for Cross-Training

Jamie Eason’s Live Fit Training Plan

Ok, when I tell you I’ve used this for a long time, I’m so super cereal. I used this plan when I first started working out in college. As in, my freshman year when I was completely lost in the gym and was used to my high school coaches telling me exactly what to do. This plan totally got me off my feet and taught me, basically, how to exercise, use weights, strength train, etc. Much like Beverley’s Sweat Series, this is a 3-month plan. Jamie’s workouts are mostly strength-based. I usually use these workouts as a supplement to a quick cardio session on the treadmill, rower, elliptical, or bike. This plan also gets you into a routine of focusing on muscle groups. Legs one day, arms one day, so on and so forth.

4 Workout Plans to Follow for Cross-Training

Kayla Itsines, Bikini Body Guide (BBG)

When I really want to get my ass into gear, I reach for BBG. Seriously, am I the only one who finds these workouts so challenging?! I started to follow the BBG plan a couple years ago and could barely get through five minutes of the workout without wanting to collapse. Granted, I wasn’t in as good of shape as I am now. Kayla’s BBGs are focused on building strength and attaining a lean, muscular body. I’m not super into the whole ‘bikini body’ hype, but the proof is in the pictures. Her workouts are killer and I like to use them because they give me a little extra cardio while I work on my strength!

4 Workout Plans for Cross-Training

In addition to these four workout plans, I frequently snag different workouts from different fitness bloggers. These are the blogs that I’ve found to provide quality workouts (I use them regularly!):

The Balanced Berry – Great circuit workouts!

Pumps and Iron – My go-to for kettle bell workouts!

Physical Kitchness – For when you want to do barre on your own!

Born to SweatObviously… Great strength workouts!

Join the conversation:
What is your routine when it comes to fitness?
How do you figure out what workouts to do (if you’re not a professional)?

Comments

  1. says

    Love this round up! I’m the same way…the summer months I seem to gravitate toward more inside workouts and less running. Running always sneaks in but it’s not as appealing. I’ve done a few BBG workouts but not regularly enough to see a change. Love to check out Beverly’s book!

  2. says

    With the temperatures warming up, I was getting the urge to do more running, but now winter is back again…LOL! I honestly just listen to what my body is telling me it needs. Some weeks it is cardio and yoga…others it is strength. Lately I have been just going with the flow…And it feels good. Great post friend!

    • says

      I can’t believe the weather the last few days!! It’s been chilly here in Florida, which is very weird this time of year! That’s so awesome – I feel like thats sort of what I’m doing right now. Whatever I feel like! I’m thankful to get free fitness classes through my job, so that’s great for when I don’t feel like doing it myself (aka having someone tell me what to do)

  3. says

    Being in Michigan, I am pretty much the opposite where this time of year is where I fall in love with running all over again and bump up my mileage because it gets to be the sweet spot in weather where it is not too hot and not too cold. I’ve been following Tone It Up for about 4 years now and I feel the same way about how much they have grown. Their brand has really taken off and they are doing incredible things, but still provide great weekly workouts and challenged!

  4. says

    I also use Fitnessista’s Winter Shape Up and Summer Shape Up 4-week workout plans from the past few years to follow a few times per year. I like Tone It Up – although I wish they would focus a little less on the before/afters, which I think sometimes send the wrong message. Thanks for sharing this round up! I’m definitely going to check out some of the other plans!

  5. says

    yayyayyyyyayy! thanks so much for including me Christina <3
    Hopefully one day i can be as successful as some of those other trainers you mentioned. Definitely helps when I have amazing people like you on my side.
    Your balance sounds great – running/HIIT/classes, you basically get the best of everything!

  6. says

    These are awesome! I just finished the 12 week program of BBG and omg. so hard. But I love them. In the winter months I usually do more strength training/cross training since I’m not a fan of running in the negative temps haha. Hopefully this spring/summer I can be consistent with strength training too!

  7. says

    Definitely bookmarking this for later so I can mix it up during my next workout! Jamie Eason is also how I started getting into weight lifting in my freshie year of college when I had absolutely 0 idea what those scary machines were for. And I love me some Born to Sweat workouts for SURE! Just purchased her new ebook and it’s so dang worth every penny

  8. says

    The Bikini Body Guide (BBG) workouts are SO HARD! When I first started the program I thought I was in pretty good shape….uh nope I couldn’t even finish the first circuit.

  9. says

    Thank you so much for including me! So glad you like mah circuits <3 Usually when it comes to my weekly workouts, I prioritize 1) things I enjoy and 2) what works with my schedule. Lately, that has been lots of classes…yoga, barre, PiYo and tabatas. I love Tone it Up too! But I definitely go through phases.

  10. says

    Thanks for sharing that those gals have those workouts to do, because I’m always looking for new workout ideas when I’m just not feeling the ‘running mood.’ :)

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