WATCH: How Track Phenom Jakob Ingebrigtsen Cross-Trains Through Injury

Elliptical intervals, pool reps, and a 90-degree garageโ€”what runners can learn from the grind of a sidelined star

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Whatโ€™s happening:

While recovering from an Achilles injury, Olympic 1,500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has turned his garage into a furnace of focused suffering, replacing miles with minutes of elliptical and aqua jogging at intensities that mimic race-day efforts. A new behind-the-scenes video offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the realities of elite cross-training, and what everyday runners can learn from it.

Why it matters

Injured runners often fear losing fitness. Ingebrigtsen proves itโ€™s possible to maintain peak aerobic capacity, and even come back stronger, if you approach cross-training with the right mix of science, grit, and strategy.

Heat training isnโ€™t just mental toughnessโ€”itโ€™s science

Ingebrigtsen performs most of his elliptical workouts in a 90 F (32 C) gym, layered in rain gear and thermal tops. While the discomfort is obvious, the rationale is physiological.

Exercising in heat increases cardiovascular strain at lower workloads. That means runners can raise their heart rate and stress their aerobic systems more efficiently, without loading the skeletal system. A University of Oregon study showed heat-acclimated athletes improved performance in cool temperatures due to increases in plasma volume and thermoregulation efficiency.

โ€œThirty minutes a day is all you need to acclimate to humidity and also higher temperatures,โ€ Jakob notes during a sweat-soaked elliptical grind.

Takeaway for runners: Try controlled heat sessions when injured or during base periodsโ€”but monitor hydration, heart rate, and cooling strategies carefully.

Elliptical sessions that hurt like threshold workouts

For most runners, the elliptical is a placeholderโ€”Jakob uses it like a race simulator. His sessions span 45 to 60 minutes at high intensity, frequently pushing toward a heart rate of 170 bpm. The goal? Recreate the aerobic and neuromuscular demand of running, without the impact.

Unlike running, where mechanics limit intensity, the elliptical allows Jakob to go โ€œas hard as possibleโ€ without risking further injury. He even layers up to prevent sweat from making the machine too slipperyโ€”more safety than sauna.

โ€œIf you donโ€™t plan ahead,โ€ he says, โ€œyouโ€™ll stop after 20 minutes. The goal is to go as long as possible.โ€

A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine confirmed that elliptical training can match treadmill running for oxygen consumption and cardiovascular load.

Takeaway: The elliptical can be more than busyworkโ€”itโ€™s a legitimate threshold training tool when used with structure and effort.

WATCH: How Track Phenom Jakob Ingebrigtsen Cross-Trains Through Injury 1
Photo via COROS

The mental Battle of cross-training

Jakob admits the hardest part isnโ€™t the physical strainโ€”itโ€™s the boredom. To stay mentally engaged, he leans on YouTube videos and football highlights. โ€œWhen you’re cross-training, it’s like being in hell,โ€ he says. โ€œSo if you can cheat your mind a little bit, you might survive.โ€

This isn’t just self-deprecating humorโ€”itโ€™s a useful insight. Engaging the brain through music or visuals can help athletes endure the monotony of non-running sessions, allowing them to maintain volume and intensity without burnout.

Takeaway: When cross-training, distraction can be your best tool. Find what keeps you movingโ€”music, podcasts, or videoโ€”and use it without shame.

Aqua jogging: High resistance, low impact

After elliptical work, Jakob transitions to pool sessions. His typical format: two-minute intervals with short recovery, mimicking a VOโ‚‚ max workout in water.

Unlike the elliptical, aqua jogging adds significant resistance while removing impact. Thatโ€™s a win for injured athletes, but as Jakob notes, itโ€™s difficult to sustain hard efforts for long stretches. Breaking the session into reps helps maintain focus and quality.

Research from the American Journal of Sports Medicine supports this approach: runners can maintain VOโ‚‚ max and running economy with consistent deep water running, even over six weeks of injury downtime.

Takeaway: Use intervals to structure pool sessions. It prevents mental fatigue and ensures the intensity matches your goals.

Recovery is as important as the workout

Both cross-training methodsโ€”elliptical and aqua joggingโ€”hammer the quadriceps more than regular running. To manage fatigue and speed recovery, Jakob uses acupuncture, massage, and shockwave therapy multiple times per week.

โ€œYou’re going to be very fatigued in the front of your thighs,โ€ he says. โ€œItโ€™s smart to use the tools you have.โ€

His recovery work isnโ€™t optionalโ€”itโ€™s integral to keeping volume high and injury risk low, even during rehab.

Takeaway: Donโ€™t ignore muscle fatigue just because youโ€™re not running. Treat recovery modalities like training sessions: plan them, prioritize them.

WATCH: How Track Phenom Jakob Ingebrigtsen Cross-Trains Through Injury 2
Photo via COROS

The risk of coming back โ€œtoo fitโ€

One surprising challenge? Jakobโ€™s aerobic fitness often rebounds faster than his body can handle. The result is a mismatch between cardiovascular capacity and musculoskeletal readinessโ€”a common issue among elite and recreational runners alike.

โ€œThe problem is that I have too high fitness when Iโ€™m back running again,โ€ he admits. โ€œThen the rest of my body canโ€™t catch up.โ€

Jakobโ€™s strategy is to train as hard as possible with low-impact modalities, then return to running gradually to avoid re-injury.

Takeaway: Even if you feel fit, respect your bodyโ€™s timeline when returning from injury. Aerobic fitness is just one piece of the puzzle.

The human side of a champion

Perhaps the most relatable part of the video comes in a moment of procrastination. Jakob calls his brother to say heโ€™s not training that dayโ€”then shows up late and does the session anyway.

โ€œI do check outโ€ฆ five minutes before I go in the gym,โ€ he jokes. โ€œBut I still end up doing it.โ€

Itโ€™s a reminder that even Olympians struggle with motivation. But showing up, even imperfectly, is the foundation of progress.

The bottom line

Jakob Ingebrigtsenโ€™s pain cave is more than a place to sweat. Itโ€™s a lab for testing resilience, adaptation, and how far you can push without running a step. His method is demanding, often uncomfortable, and far from glamorous. But it worksโ€”and it offers a blueprint for any runner facing the long road back from injury.

As he says after another long day: โ€œTraining is working. Very strange. You actually get stronger and better while practicing.โ€

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Jessy Carveth

Senior News Editor

Jessy has been active her whole life, competing in cross-country, track running, and soccer throughout her undergrad. She pivoted to road cycling after completing her Bachelor of Kinesiology with Nutrition from Acadia University. Jessy is currently a professional road cyclist living and training in Spain.

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