What body parts are strengthened when you ride your bike?

Question

I was just wondering. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

While road and mountain biking will differ, the basics are the same. In the legs, you have your quadriceps femoris (or "quads"), sartorius (can cause knee misalignment and pain if excessively tight), tibialis anterior (the "shin splint" muscle), the lower leg muscles like the gastrocnemius (the one that looks cool in cyclists) and soleus, and the hamstrings (on the back of your thigh).

The gluteus muscles in your butt help you push big gears, and the trapezius and other back muscles help you pull on the handlebars when you stand and hammer. Deltoids in your shoulders work with your triceps and pectoralis minor to hold you up on the bike, and the sternocleidomastoid (or SCM) that holds your head up is a particularly overworked muscle in the neck.

In short, bicycling works many of the major muscle groups, particularly the legs and butt. This is also why bicycling is one of the few exercises that can burn 800 Calories per hour or more and tones your entire body.

Answer 2

It depends on the type of riding that you are doing...

If you are doing only street-riding, then it is primarily your upper and lower legs, hips, waist and shoulders. If you are doing mountain-biking or trail-biking, or if you're doing a "rotation excersize" with your bike (this is where you ride for a while, then pick up the bike and run for a while, and rotate) then you can effectively use almost every muscle in your body. Combined with swimming, these are two ways to stay very fit.... though you won't build much muscle outside of your legs.

Answer 3

if you are doing normal bikeing and not serious down hill then you will be working your legs and your waist. but if you are like me who does trails and jumps and all the other stuff then your arms and back are also getting a hell lot of work out.

Answer 4

I Think cycling is pretty much an all body workout, including a cardiovascular workout, the two most important things being lungs and heart.

Answer 5

your thighs and your calfs and your heart is also strenthened. if you are doing mountain biking or freestyle bmx then your arms are strengthened as well

Answer 6

depending on your riding position:
quads,
glutes & hamstrings (especially dring seated climbs)
calves
shoulders & upper back
triceps (depends on riding position of course.. if you are aero, the there is no work for the tris)

Answer 7

Legs, back, booty... and probably more but this is just what I noticed about my hubby when he rides. It makes a huge difference!

Answer 8

all leg muscles, plus lower back and abs, and triceps. its a great workout!!

Answer 9

great! now i know y i'm hungry all the time.

Answer 10

your buttoks teehehehehe