ABSTRACT
An excellent school sport programme could serve as a cross-training stimulus almost over the whole year. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Hiking and cycling excursions initiated by the school system can also be advantageous for the ambitious junior soccer player. Holidays are also good occasions to try out or work on alternative sports (e.g. mountain walking, ice skating, in-line skating, cycling, snowsports, swimming, sailing). A sporting environment (parents, brothers and sisters, peers) can be very helpful to engage in new activities. In sportsclub training the transition period (off-season) and preparatory period (pre-season) are most suitable for cross-training. Microcyles geared to cross-training with one or more sports occur very seldom in training organized by sportsclubs or federations. Training sessions can either be mixed or geared to one specific aspect of training (e.g. endurance-, strength-, speed-or flexibility oriented). In mixed training units activities of cross-training can be efficiently worked into the warm-up and warm-down program. For warm-up basic games, basketball, European handball, hockey, rope-skipping are recommended, for warm-down walking, jogging, cycling and swimming with reduced intensity. An adequate level of technique should exist in all cross-training exercises. At the beginning, the intensity and scope of training are reduced.
