Cross Train: Serious Fitness Online

Sarah Olive Bergeson |

Sep 10, 2024

Cross Train has an online exercise program designed by professionals. And while reviewing the program, this professional’s socks were officially knocked off.

Although I talk a lot about being a gym rat, it’s only recently that I joined a gym. Up until last year I was a dedicated home fitness nut. A for-reals, bore you to death, totally obsessed nut. I have done a LOT of home workouts, and I’m super picky about what I like. Like most working moms, I don’t have one minute to waste, and I take my fitness very seriously. So when I say that Cross Train is good, I mean it.

Crosstrain.com is a website that provides a pre-designed exercise program, archives of routines, a nutritional plan (based on whole and plant-based foods), and a recipe catalogue. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you’ll do Strength & Conditioning classes. These classes include amped-up burpees, plyometric training, kettle bells, and almost barfing. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for Contrology, a pilates-based class that focuses on mobility, core strength, flexibility, and (in my case) a lot of of cursing. Saturdays you stretch, and Sundays you rest.

I did these workouts in my living room with nothing more than my laptop and a mat. The content was challenging and the exercises took up very little room. But tons of workouts claim to offer the same thing. So, what makes Cross Train special? What’s the big deal?

Quality: These workouts are tough, smart, and well-executed. They really challenged my strength and stamina. I was sweating and panting and chugging water like nobody’s business. But it’s also really doable, because the routines are so efficient and effective that each session only lasts around half an hour. Before I knew it, the suffering was over, and I was done for the day. If you’re just starting out, there are several beginner and instructional videos that cover the basics so you can get educated and avoid injury.

Adorable husband and wife team, Dave and Dylan Schenk, teach all of the Cross Train classes. They talk you through each movement with calm expertise. They both bring to the table a list of accolades, certifications, and years of experience, and they give straightforward cues that are easy to follow. (Cueing, although seemingly NBD, is actually ABD for any top notch exercise experience.) Crucially, they present the routines without a soundtrack. This is huge. You can rock your own sweet tunes at home or just focus in on the workout.

Variety: Cross Train puts a new workout online almost every day, Monday through Saturday, so you’re never doing the same thing two days in a row. Also, because everything is online, you can choose any session you’d like out of hundreds of options. This sends boredom a-runnin’ for the hills!

Program Design: Because you’re moving your body in different ways every day, you’re breaking down muscle, burning calories, and becoming more flexible. The program also gives your body appropriate rest and rebuilding days to help you avoid injury and overtraining. This is cross training!

To be able to practice this kind of fitness in your living room is a remarkable thing. It’s relaxing to know that if I can’t make it to the gym, I have a library of excellent workouts waiting for me any time. And at $19 a month, it’s something even cash-strapped families can work into the budget.

P.S. here’s a Raw Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake I made from a recipe on the Cross Train website. #yummmmmmmm