Thinking Outside the (Running Shoe) Box

If I could do all cardio, all the time, I would. I'm comfortable with it. I love the runner's high. And I don't like to lift weights.

But I also know that's not a very well rounded exercise existence, so I've been trying to mix it up a little. Here are my favorite cross training finds so far:

Barre classes: There is something really appealing to standing at a ballerina's barre. It just speaks to my inner 5 year old, who is always wearing a tutu. While you don't wear a tutu in barre class, it is reminiscent of little-girl ballet classes--only they're harder, leave you sore the day after, and can seriously lift your tush and tighten your thighs.

I've been taking classes with a company called Pure Barre, and despite the fact that I regularly run for an hour or more, a 45 minute Pure Barre class wears me out. I sometimes find it difficult to fit classes into my schedule, so I bought a DVD to do at home--you can do all the exercises using the back of a chair or a counter top. Added bonus: if you have a three year old, he will crawl underneath you while you're trying to plié a little deeper and cheer you on.

Yoga: Does yoga count as strength training? I think it does is you're a very inflexible runner.

I've tried a couple of different classes, but I found a specific Yoga for Runners class that I really like. I always feel fresh and ready to run after one. I've tried to do yoga at home plenty of times, but it usually ends up with my Little Man zooming a train up my bag during downward facing dog.

Resistance Bands: Resistance bands are fun, take up minimal space, and you can do them anywhere--at home, on vacation, in the gym. They're also good for flexibility, which we've already established I need to work on. One of my favorite and quick go-to workouts:

A penny for your thoughts: What do you do to mix up your workout? What would you like to try?