February is an interesting month.
It’s far enough into the year that the New Year motivation has either settled into a rhythm or started to fade. Winter is still very much here in New Mexico, but spring activities are quietly on the horizon. Ski season is strong, gym routines are more consistent, and many people are training indoors while dreaming about warmer days.
This is also the time of year when overuse injuries tend to show up.
Why? Because a lot of people are doing the same movements, the same workouts, and stressing the same tissues over and over again.
That’s where cross training comes in.
Cross training isn’t just for elite athletes. It’s one of the most powerful tools for staying strong, preventing injury, and improving performance across sports, performing arts, and even everyday life.
At Artistry in Motion, we see firsthand how the right kind of cross training can change everything.
What Cross Training Really Means
Cross training simply means adding different types of movement or exercise to support your primary activity.
It’s not about doing random workouts.
It’s not about training harder.
And it’s definitely not about abandoning the sport or activity you love.
Good cross training:
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Balances strength and mobility
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Reduces repetitive stress
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Improves overall movement quality
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Supports longevity in your activity
Think of it as filling in the gaps your main activity leaves behind.
Every sport, art form, and hobby creates strengths, but it also creates blind spots. Cross training addresses those blind spots before they turn into pain or injury.
Why February Is a Great Time to Focus on Cross Training
February is often a lower-pressure month. Fewer races. Fewer competitions. Less outdoor volume for some sports. More time indoors.
That makes it the perfect season to:
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Build strength
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Improve mobility
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Address weaknesses
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Experiment with new movement styles
Instead of pushing harder, this is the time to train smarter.
Cross Training for Sports: Stronger, Longer, Better
Most sports involve repetitive movement patterns. That repetition builds skill, but it also loads the same joints and tissues again and again.
Here’s how cross training supports some common sports we see at Artistry in Motion.
Runners
Running is great for endurance, but it doesn’t build much strength through the hips, core, or upper body.
Helpful cross training includes:
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Strength training for hips, glutes, and calves
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Single-leg stability work
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Cycling, rowing, or swimming for low-impact cardio
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Mobility work for ankles and hips
This combination reduces injury risk and often improves running efficiency.
Skiers and Snowboarders
Winter sports demand strength, balance, and control, especially through the legs and core.
Helpful cross training includes:
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Strength training with squats, lunges, and deadlifts
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Core stability and rotational control
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Balance and proprioception work
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Upper body strength for pole plants and falls
This helps protect knees, backs, and hips during long days on the mountain.
Weightlifters and CrossFit Athletes
Strength athletes are strong, but they often lack mobility and recovery time.
Helpful cross training includes:
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Active recovery like swimming or biking
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Targeted mobility work for shoulders, hips, and ankles
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Unilateral strength work to address side-to-side imbalances
This keeps joints healthy while strength continues to improve.
Cyclists
Cycling is efficient, but it locks the body into one position for long periods.
Helpful cross training includes:
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Posterior chain strength training
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Thoracic spine mobility
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Core stability
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Walking, hiking, or light jogging for bone health
This reduces back, hip, and neck pain while improving power output.
Cross Training for Performing Arts: Strength Without Sacrificing Grace
Performing artists are athletes. Period.
Dancers, figure skaters, aerialists, and performers place incredible demands on their bodies, often without the benefit of traditional strength training.
This is where cross training becomes essential.
Ballet Dancers
Ballet builds strength, control, and artistry, but often underloads certain muscle groups.
Helpful cross training includes:
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Strength training for hips and glutes
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Core stability without rigidity
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Upper body strength
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Joint-friendly cardio like swimming or biking
This supports longevity without changing the dancer’s aesthetic.
Figure Skaters
Figure skating demands power, balance, endurance, and precision.
Our own PT, Dr. Arlianne, is a competitive figure skater and lives this firsthand. She cross trains with ballet to improve line, control, and artistry. She previously did CrossFit and continues to weightlift and strength train in the gym. She also does her own physical therapy to stay ahead of injuries.
That combination helps her:
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Generate more power
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Control landings
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Improve balance
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Protect joints during high-volume training
It’s a perfect example of how smart cross training supports performance rather than detracting from it.
Aerialists and Performers
These athletes require shoulder strength, grip endurance, and full-body control.
Helpful cross training includes:
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Progressive strength training
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Shoulder stability work
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Core endurance
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Mobility work to maintain range of motion
This helps prevent overuse injuries and supports safer skill progression.
How Cross Training Prevents Injury
Injury prevention isn’t about avoiding movement. It’s about preparing your body for the movement you love.
Cross training helps by:
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Distributing load across different tissues
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Improving joint capacity
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Correcting strength imbalances
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Giving overworked areas a break
Instead of stressing the same structures every day, you spread the work more evenly. Over time, this builds resilience.
Most overuse injuries don’t happen because someone is weak. They happen because one area is doing too much while another area isn’t doing enough.
Cross training fixes that.
How Physical Therapy Complements Cross Training
This is where physical therapy becomes the secret weapon.
At Artistry in Motion, we don’t just tell people to cross train. We help them figure out how to do it in a way that actually supports their goals.
We Identify Your Gaps
Through movement assessment, we look at how your body moves, where it compensates, and what’s limiting you.
That tells us exactly what type of cross training will help you most.
We Build a Plan That Fits Your Life
Your cross training shouldn’t feel random or overwhelming.
We help you:
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Choose the right types of training
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Decide how often to do them
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Balance intensity and recovery
This makes cross training sustainable instead of stressful.
We Help You Train Without Pain
If pain is already present, we calm it first. Then we rebuild strength and capacity so cross training feels good, not frustrating.
This allows you to keep training while addressing the root cause.
We Support Long-Term Progress
Cross training isn’t a phase. It’s a long-term strategy.
Our goal is to help you build a body that supports your activity now and for years to come.
How to Find the Right Cross Training for You
If you’re curious about cross training but not sure where to start, here are a few simple guidelines.
Start by asking:
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What movements do I repeat the most?
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What areas feel tight, weak, or overworked?
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What do I avoid because it feels hard?
Your best cross training often lives in those answers.
Next:
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Add strength if your activity is endurance-based
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Add mobility if your activity is strength-based
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Add low-impact cardio if your activity is high-impact
Finally, listen to your body. Cross training should make you feel better, not beaten down.
If you’re unsure, that’s where a physical therapist can help you cut through the noise and create a clear plan.
The Artistry in Motion Approach
At Artistry in Motion, we offer 60-minute, one-on-one physical therapy sessions with the same provider throughout your entire plan of care.
We don’t separate rehab from performance. We blend them.
Using our 3-C Recovery Process:
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Calm your pain
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Correct the underlying root cause
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Conquer your goals for the long term
We help active adults, athletes, and performers move better, train smarter, and stay in the activities they love.
Stronger Through Variety
Cross training isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what your body actually needs.
February is the perfect time to explore it. To strengthen weaknesses. To build resilience. To invest in movement that supports the rest of your year.
Whether you’re an athlete, a performer, or someone who simply loves to move, cross training paired with physical therapy can be the difference between staying stuck and moving forward with confidence.
If you’re ready to learn what type of cross training best supports your body, we’re here to help.
