Logan Steele
Cycling is an excellent low-impact cardiovascular workout that helps improve muscular and cardiovascular endurance. It is a great way to build muscle and burn calories. Cycling targets several major muscle groups, including the hamstrings, hips, quadriceps, glutes, calves, and core muscles. It also helps improve power delivery and leg speed, benefiting all types of riders. Additionally, cycling is a non-weight-bearing exercise, making it a great option for those looking to improve their fitness without putting too much strain on their bodies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle groups | Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors, shins, hip abductors, hip adductors, core muscles, trapezius, rhomboids, pectoral muscles, triceps |
| Muscle fibres | Type II fast-twitch fibres, Type I slow-twitch fibres |
| Muscle strength | Improves core strength and stability, leg strength, endurance, flexibility, power delivery, leg speed, cardiovascular endurance |
| Muscle recovery | Reduced risk of injury, reduced muscle soreness |
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What You'll Learn
Quadriceps
Seated force efforts during cycling will place a large amount of stress on the quadriceps, while standing force efforts will target more of the hamstrings. Both seated and standing efforts are important for building strength in the legs.
If you're riding a Peloton Bike or Bike+, you can increase the resistance and lower your cadence to 85 RPM or less, which will cause your legs to fatigue more quickly, especially if you're standing up out of the saddle. This will disproportionately engage your quads and increase the effort required.
The amount of muscle growth you achieve through cycling depends on several factors, including age, sex, athletic history, current fitness level, nutrition status, hydration, and recovery between sessions. Cycling for longer sessions will improve your endurance more than your strength, and if you're looking to build muscle quickly, you may want to consider a quality lifting plan. However, one study found that men who did a cycling workout immediately after their strength sessions twice a week experienced similar improvements in muscle size and strength compared to those who only strength trained.
In addition to the quads, cycling also engages the glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings, calf muscles, and shins. When you're out of the saddle, you also engage your hip abductors and adductors to help keep your hips and knees stable.
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Hamstrings
Cycling is a great way to improve the strength of your hamstrings, but it's important to be aware of the risks of muscle imbalance. The pedalling action in cycling does not involve a full hip extension, so cyclists can develop tight posterior thigh muscles over time, particularly the hamstrings. This can lead to strains and tears where tendons attach the hamstrings to bones, especially when cycling in a low gear or with a low cadence.
To avoid injury, it's important to stretch and strengthen the hamstrings, both before and after cycling. Holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds while taking deep breaths will help improve your pedalling stroke and lower the risk of a muscle strain or tear.
There are also exercises you can do off the bike to improve hamstring strength and flexibility. One such exercise involves kneeling on one knee and extending the other leg in front of you, gradually easing the heel across the floor. This will loosen the hamstrings and hip flexors, an area where cyclists tend to be tight.
Another exercise to improve hamstring flexibility involves lying on your back and keeping one leg straight along the floor. Grab the other leg behind the knee and, holding it as straight as feels comfortable, pull the knee towards your head. This will stretch the hamstrings and help to correct muscle imbalances.
It's also important to consider your bike setup to avoid placing too much stress on the hamstrings. A saddle that is too high can cause issues, so it's crucial to get the saddle height right.
By incorporating these exercises and stretches into your routine, you can effectively improve your hamstring strength and flexibility while cycling, reducing the risk of injury and improving your overall performance.
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Calf muscles
Biking is a great way to improve the strength and endurance of your calf muscles. The calf muscles, or gastrocnemius and soleus, are engaged every time the pedal is pushed down, working in conjunction with other leg muscles to provide the force needed for movement. While the calf muscles are active during the pedal stroke, they primarily serve to stabilise the foot on the pedal, acting as a link between the foot and the power production of the quads and glutes.
The intensity of your biking workout will determine how your calves develop. High-intensity biking, such as sprinting or tackling steep inclines, demands explosive power from the calf muscles, leading to significant muscular gains in strength and explosiveness. On the other hand, endurance biking, which involves longer sessions at a moderate pace, enhances muscular endurance, making the calves more resistant to fatigue. This is particularly beneficial for improving performance during prolonged physical activities.
To maximise the benefits of biking for your calf muscles, it's important to consider the right techniques and bike setup. For example, if you ""ankle" when you pedal, pushing through your forefoot and changing the flexion of your ankle, you may give your calves a more intense workout. Additionally, ensuring your bike setup is correct can help prevent aches and pains that may arise from holding the same position for long periods.
Overall, regular biking can enhance the size, definition, and strength of your calf muscles, making it an excellent activity for those looking to improve their lower body strength and endurance.
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Core muscles
The rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis are engaged as the rider maintains their posture, and the rider can brace their oblique muscles to prevent swaying from side to side, strengthening the abdominal wall. The transverse abdominis is the innermost layer of abdominal muscle and is key to maintaining torso stability. The oblique muscles are responsible for the twisting motion of the body when turning the handlebars or the entire body during a turn. The erector spinae muscles, found along the spine, assist in holding the back vertically.
Core strength is particularly important for mountain biking, which requires whole-body movements to keep the bike tyre-side down. Mountain biking activates core muscles for stability and power, and the frequent elevation changes require sporadic bursts of muscle engagement.
Core exercises off the bike can help to improve core strength for cycling. Exercises that challenge stability and move one leg at a time are particularly beneficial, such as dead bugs, mountain climbers, and side planks with a leg raise. Incorporating core exercises into a rider's routine can also help to reduce the risk of injury and lower back pain, which is a common issue for cyclists.
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Upper body muscles
Although cycling is mainly considered a lower-body exercise, it also works the upper body, improving posture and equilibrium. The upper body muscles that are targeted during a cycling session include the biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper back, chest, and core.
The biceps, or biceps brachii, are located on the front side of the upper arm. They are heavily engaged in cycling, especially when gripping the handlebars and controlling the bike, such as on rough terrain or during sprinting. The triceps, or triceps brachii, are located on the backside of the upper arm and help support the entire upper body by keeping the elbows extended, especially when in a bent-over position.
The trapezius muscles and the rhomboids, which are located beneath the trapezius, are the most involved upper back muscles during cycling. They work together with the latissimus back muscles to improve and sustain the rider's posture, keeping the upper body still and relieving the upper neck and shoulders.
The chest muscles, or pectoralis major, are engaged when pressing against the handlebars, such as during sprints or when maintaining control on rough terrain. These muscles help stabilize the upper body.
Core muscles are crucial for cycling performance, stability, and injury prevention. They help maintain proper posture, support efficient power transfer, and stabilize the body during various cycling movements, especially on uneven terrain or when standing out of the saddle. Core strength also helps improve balance and control and can reduce the risk of lower back pain or injury.
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Frequently asked questions
Biking improves the muscles in your legs, hips, and core. This includes your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, hip flexors, and shins.
Biking is a repetitive exercise that helps build muscular endurance in the lower body. It also increases your heart rate, improving cardiovascular endurance.
You can target specific muscle groups by adjusting your riding position and technique. For example, standing up while cycling or biking uphill will increase the intensity and target your glutes.
Squats are a great exercise to target the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and core muscles. You can also try calf raises and ankle flexion to strengthen your calves and prevent injuries such as shin splints.
Core stability is important for balance and efficient power transfer while biking. You can improve core stability by incorporating free weights into your strength training routine, forcing your core to maintain balance.
