Humans are creatures of habit. People often move through their lives on autopilot, plodding through the same activities day in and day out. Once in a comfort zone, it can be difficult to change. Typically, this behavior transfers to exercise programs. People tend to get comfortable on one type of machine or in a specific class and repeatedly perform the same routine, on the same days, at the same level of intensity, for the same amount of time, over and over again. Eventually, this can result in exercise plateaus, boredom and even injury.

The solution to overcoming exercise autopilot is cross training. Cross training also offers benefits for fitness facilities as well by encouraging the use of a variety of equipment and participation in different activities.

What does cross training mean? No single program or definition completely defines cross training. Historically, college professors taught that cross training, which also was called contralateral exercise, was a technique used to limit the amount of atrophy in an injured limb. Trainers would tape an athlete's healthy leg to a stationary bicycle pedal while the injured leg was propped up on a stool. When exercising the healthy limb, the body sends impulses to the brain and spinal cord as it normally does; then the spinal cord sends stimuli to both sides of the body, including the injured limb - a natural neurological response to exercise. This response causes the injured limb to atrophy less and recover more quickly due to regular stimulation to an otherwise inactive area.

But cross training has another, newer definition. In the fitness world, cross training means varying fitness activities either within the same workout or on different exercise days. For instance, running for 10 minutes, cycling for 10 minutes and using an elliptical machine for 10 minutes is one way to cross-train. Cross training also can mean swimming on Mondays, taking a group cycling class on Wednesdays and lifting weights on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Before recommending a cross-training program, two training principles need to be understood: specificity and the S.A.I.D. principle. Specificity means that specific exercise elicits specific adaptations, creating specific training effects. To improve performance of a particular activity or sport, a person needs to perform the actual actions required in the activity or sport. In other words, mirroring the speed, distances and movements that are common during competition are essential for continued progress.

For example, a runner must train for an endurance event like a marathon by running long distances, not wind sprints. A rower must use a rowing machine indoors and practice in the water outdoors. A rower must use a rowing machine indoors and practice in the water outdoors. A triathlete must swim, cycle and run when training to prepare for a race. In other words, to maximize performance in a specific activity, a person must repeatedly practice that particular activity. The body will perform best at the specific speed, muscle-group usage, type of muscular contraction and energy-source usage it has become accustomed to in training.

The S.A.I.D. (specific adaptations to imposed demands) principle refers to progressive training over time. It means that the body will adapt specifically to the demands imposed upon it. Training must be relative to the activity for physiological changes to take place.

Therefore, if you are training to be a baseball player, you probably won't be able to return 80 mph pitches initially. But if you repeatedly practice batting and slowly progress from slower to faster pitches, eventually you will be able to connect with high-speed pitches. Gradually working against faster speed pitches trains the neuromuscular system to adapt and respond more quickly and efficiently. Ultimately, the more demand you put on the muscles, the more they can handle over time.

Similarly, if you are training the biceps to become stronger, you should not begin by initially trying to lift 100 pounds. Instead, you should perform various arm curl exercises with a light weight and gradually progress to heavier and heavier loads. By building muscular strength and endurance this way, eventually you will be able to lift your goal weight.

According to the specificity and the S.A.I.D. principles, then, the human body is very proficient at adapting to the stresses it experiences. After repeating the same exercise time and time again, the neuromuscular system becomes stronger and better coordinated, which ultimately makes the body more energy-efficient at that activity. This causes the exerciser to reach a plateau. While this is desirable for a competitive athlete whose goal is to win, it can be a source of frustration for exercisers with fat-loss goals.

How many times have you heard frustrated members complaining that they are exercising regularly but haven't lost a pound? Performing the same activity repeatedly at the same level leads to increased efficiency -- which eventually results in lower caloric expenditure and fat loss from the activity. As efficiency increases, the body uses fewer of its secondary muscle groups for movement and proprioception (balance). In fact, research shows that by sticking to just one activity, exercisers actually can decrease the amount of calories burned by as much as 25 percent.

For average exercisers whose goals include lowering their percentage of body fat, cross training is important to minimize the conditional efficiency that results from performing the same exercise repeatedly. The goal of cross training is to work alternate muscle groups. This enhances muscle utilization and can minimize isolated muscle fatigue, thereby encouraging greater intensity or longer duration. Increased intensity or duration of exercise then results in additional caloric expenditure.

By cross training and participating in some activities that the body isn't conditionally efficient in, exercisers can break plateaus. This is one of the key advantages of cross training.

Furthermore, cross training can help improve overall fitness levels by encouraging use of different muscle groups and placing different stresses on the muscles. This is particularly true when including both cardiovascular and strength training as part of a workout routine because they produce different physiological results.

Other physiological and psychological benefits of cross training include reduced boredom, prevention of burnout, lowered risk of injuries and enhanced member morale and retention.

It is no surprise that exercisers who repeatedly perform the same activity are likely to become bored or burned out. Engaging in different exercises breaks the mold of the daily routine, provides manageable variety and can help prevent burnout. In addition, cross training can help reduce the risk of injuries. Excessive repetition in one specific exercise or activity puts exercisers or athletes at risk for overuse injuries, which can lead to a loss of training time and an inability to compete. Sports such as running, tennis and basketball can predispose participants to specific overuse injuries. Some of the common repetitive use injuries are patellar tendonitis, anterior or posterior tibial tendonitis (shin splints), plantar fasciitis and rotator cuff injuries.

Although specificity and the S.A.I.D. principle are important in planning an athletic training program, by incorporating cross training, athletes can help maintain the intensity and quality of their workouts and minimize the risk of injury. Diversifying an exercise routine through cross training provides recovery for highly-used muscles, thus reducing the chance for an overuse injury to occur. Regardless of whether it's on-season or off-season, incorporating different activities at various intensity levels ultimately can maximize athletic performance.

Because no scientific formula exists that accurately maps out the appropriate combination, frequency and prescribed duration of different activities for cross training, designing a cross-training program is both an art and a science.

Based on clinical studies, most people will plateau in their exercise programs somewhere between their sixth and eighth week. At a minimum, exercisers should change their routines during that time frame.

During those six to eight weeks, exercisers should have at least two different alternating activities. They can alternate within the same workout or vary their routine every other day. When choosing activities, exercisers may want to combine one high-impact activity with one low-impact activity, if appropriate. For example, runners may choose to swim or row on alternate days. This way, they still work their legs but give them a break from the high impact of running. Runners also benefit from engaging their upper bodies and conditioning the muscles that normally are not used while running. Another example is group cycling enthusiasts who may do well to alternate a weight-bearing exercise such, as jogging, elliptical exercise or stairclimbing.

Research shows that more than 50 percent of the people who begin an exercise program will quit within the first six months. Don't let your members be a part of that statistic. With the tremendous advances in types of equipment and variety of programming, now is a better time than ever to promote cross training at your club.

Not only does cross training benefit your members, it benefits your club. By providing members with additional options to achieve their fitness goals, it can help keep them motivated to continue working out. Offering a variety of exercise programs and routines can boost member morale and improve member retention.

Creative programming is important to encourage cross training in a fitness facility. Fitness professionals should promote a variety of activities when designing exercise programs for members. Your club also should sponsor cross-training programs that encourage participation. By promoting cross training, your staff can keep members busy with incentive programs, classes and workshops.

Prior to promoting cross-training programs, enlist a few trainers to present overviews to your members on the benefits of cross training. This can be a prime opportunity to promote any new activities, such as a hiking club, or classes, like Pilates, and provide members with product demonstrations, particularly for new products.

Cross-training programs can be anything that promote a variety of activities. You can come up with a creative name, as long as it sounds fun and gets members participating in activities which they otherwise may not have tried. Depending on your budget, your club can offer the program free, or charge a nominal fee to cover the cost of the T-shirts or other awards offered. Studies show that people seem to have a financial incentive to stick with a program if charged a nominal fee. If you have a contest, be sure to write the rules clearly to help prevent potential problems during the program.

Set a deadline for members must sign up for your cross-training program. To keep it manageable, limit the participants to 75 or 100, depending on the size of your facility. Advertising that there is a limited number of participants typically adds a sense of urgency to enroll.

Seven or eight weeks generally gives participants enough time to successfully complete the challenge, without being so long that they lose interest. When your program or contest begins, store a logging binder for the participants in a central location, such as on the fitness floor or near the front desk. The log sheets should include the following information: name, date, activity, category number and amount of time. To win a prize, have each participant complete a specific amount of time for each activity, such as four hours in each category, by the end of the challenge. Some sample categories include:

• Racquetball, walking or jogging
• Weightlifting, volleyball or wallyball
• Tennis, basketball or rowing
• Stair stepper, treadmill or swimming
• Group exercise class or climbing wall
• Hiking, elliptical machine or cross-country ski machine

Make alterations according to what your club has to offer. If your club only offers enough activities for four or five categories, then schedule the contest to end after six weeks instead of eight to keep it challenging. Members can log their activities based on an honors system, or a staff person can be required to initial their tally sheets after members complete each activity.

Ideally, you can reward all members who complete the challenge with a T-shirt or some other prize, or you can develop some criteria for first-, second- and third-place winners. To keep people motivated, consider including a weekly raffle of complimentary services such as racquet lessons, massages, facials, personal training, a food card or free membership dues for one month. And to encourage a high participation rate, advertise all of the awards prior to the start of the contest.

Publicize the raffle winners as they are chosen, as this can provide additional encouragement to the participants. Members seem to enjoy seeing their names on bulletin boards or in newsletters. At the end of the program, post a congratulations article with all the names of the members who completed the challenge.

Cross training fits the needs of both members and your facility, and is truly a win-win situation. Finding a variety of sports or activities that members enjoy can help make exercise pleasurable instead of a chore. It also will reduce boredom, which makes it easier for members to stay focused on their exercise goals instead of searching for excuses to avoid exercise. If members are consistent with exercise, they will continue to come to your club.

Although never the same for any one exerciser, cross training typically leads to greater enjoyment, better results, fewer injuries, enhanced morale and higher retention. By being creative with programming, a fitness facility can open more doors for success for its members and create a great retention tool that can positively impact your bottom line.