
Originally Posted by
Doc.Sust
i understand what you are saying, and to increase endurance , that makes sense, my point was really about trying to keep training specific to the movements that are most closely related to what you do.
when you first start training for something you have no realy experience, just about ANYTHING will work! when i first started lifting everything i did made my deadlift stronger. the process is known as transmutation, as you become a more seasoned athlete in a specific sport, the various exercise wont work as well, the ones that are more specific to the target movement(the one you are trying to improve) or that more closely mimic the target exercise will work the best. of course there will be variables in this equation and exceptions here and there , but for the most part, to become a good bench presser, you have to bench press, to become a good sprinter you need to focus on sprints and quick twitch movements, to become a good deadlifter you have to deadlift(alot of people in powerlfiting try to argue this with me by quoting the westside methods, but i simply pointout that all and all westside lifters deadlift numbers are sub par at best when compared to european lifters or other lifters who actualy train the dedlift, this is a fact)
cross training does have a time and place, it is in the offseason only IMO, not during training for a specific type of athletic contest.
for example i doubt in the last 12 wks of training for the tour de france , lance armstrong would take up swimming. it wouldnt make sense, yes, both are great cardio, but biking and doing more biking related activites would make more sense to do to achieve the goals for this specifc contest. does this make sesne?