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Is Biking Good for Your Butt?
I come across different questions about biking and biking workouts almost every day.
How is biking beneficial for the body?
Which muscles are engaged while biking?
Can it improve athletic performance?
Should I still hit the gym if I bike regularly?
These are just some of the questions. The list literally goes on. However, in my experience, the most common concern amongst bikers is how this activity impacts the glutes. This brings us to the big question – Is biking good for your butt?
Well, the short answer is yes, biking is good for your butt. However, if you are considering it to work your butt and transform your glutes, it is important to understand how it exactly impacts the butt. Will your butt look better, tighter, smaller, toner, or will it just get bigger? To understand that and answer the question – is biking good for your butt, it is important to learn about the benefits of biking as well as the muscles used when biking.
Benefits of Biking
Biking is a wonderful workout that can keep you fit and healthy. Plus, riding a bike can be a lot of fun. Whether you enjoy riding your bike outside in the fresh air or use a stationary bike indoors – the workout benefits stay the same. This means that you can enjoy many benefits of biking, regardless of when or where you decide to get on the bike. Take a look at some of the other major benefits of biking to see why you should be riding a bike every day!
From working out your cardiovascular system to strengthening muscles and bones, biking takes care of everything. Biking is mainly an aerobics exercise that puts the entire body at work, building up your stamina. You will also experience a marked improvement in your posture and balance. Biking also has a direct impact on joint mobility.
But that’s not it – it also affects your mental health. It reduces stress levels and can also help with depression and anxiety. You may be able to enjoy greater mental health benefits if you choose to ride the bike outside, especially around nature. In short, it won’t be a stretch to say that biking regularly can have a positive impact on the overall quality of your life. It is a fun way to lead a healthier and happier life, which is why everyone should give it a try.
Muscle Groups Targeted while Biking
Biking is a complete body workout. While it may not seem like it, biking can have a surprising impact on the biceps and triceps. This is especially true if you frequently change your body position while biking. The core, both stomach and back muscles, are also worked. However, biking is most effective for legs and the glutes.
Quadriceps
Quadriceps are the muscles on the front thigh portion of the leg. The peddling motion targets these muscles. These muscles exert the most effort as you push the pedal downwards. These muscles are easy to target since it is essentially impossible to ride a bike without pushing the pedal down. So, these muscles get a wonderful workout as you ride the bike. Working these muscles will enhance muscular balance and bring stability to knee joints, reducing the chance of injury.
Hamstrings
Hamstrings are muscles at the back of the thighs. Just like quadriceps, hamstrings also get to work during the pedaling motion. The only difference is that these muscles exert the most effort as you pull the pedal back up to the starting position. Now, this is the tricky part. While we can’t get away without pushing the pedal down, the pull up motion is possible without much power if you pedal down with enough force. As a result, the hamstrings may not get worked as much as the quads. The trick is to implement a full pedal stroke. Move your feet in a a cyclic motion instead of a piston motion. In other words, exert just as much power during the upstroke motion of the pedal as you do when pushing the pedal down. Clip in pedals or pedal toe clips help with being able to pull the pedal up thereby targeting your hamstring.
Gluteal Muscles
There are three main types of gluteal muscles – gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Gluteus maximus is the strongest muscle in the body and is located in the buttocks. It is responsible for the hip and thigh movement. Gluteus medius is found directly under the gluteus maximus. The gluteus minimus muscle extends down the side of the buttocks and attaches to the trochanter. Together, these muscles form the buttocks. They work with the hip to rotate the thigh as you pedal the bike.
Biking works great when it comes to toning and shaping the glutes. This muscle group is targeted the most when you pedal while standing up. Therefore, if you want to work in this area, it is best to increase the intensity on the stationary bike or cycle while riding up. On the other hand, if you are riding the bike outside, simply ride the bike uphill to get the same effect.
Another great way to make sure that the glutes are being worked is to increase the height of the seat. Setting the seat a little higher than required will improve the range of motion of the hip. This will make sure that all three gluteal muscles are targeted. It is also a great idea to add simple exercises like squats, dumbbell step-ups and lunges to your routine to strengthen your glutes. This is important because the stronger the glutes, the higher will be the biking potential!
How Biking Impacts the Butt
Now you know that biking targets various muscles in and around buttocks and legs. But what does it mean? Do your buttocks grow bigger and become muscular or will they get a nice and defined shape? Now that we’ve somewhat answered the question is biking good for your butt, let’s find out exactly what it does for your buttocks!
Biking Tones the Muscle
Let’s get this straight – biking will NOT make your butt look bigger. But it will certainly tone the gluteal muscles to give you defined and shapely buttocks. A toned butt means that your gluteal muscles are tight and strong. As a result, your butt will appear rounder and firmer. So, if your goal is to shape your buttocks, then biking is your best bet to see quick results. However, keep in mind that genetics also play a crucial role in determining the shape (and size) of the butt. The overall profile of the glutes depends on your genetics. This means that you can only work to an extent to get the all-time famous “bubble-butt”.
Apart from that, the way that you engage the gluteal muscles for the most part of your life also impacts their natural development. For example, people who practiced gymnastics in their childhood are more likely to have developed glutes as compared to those who didn’t. These people may also find it easier to tone the glutes in the later years of their life.
It is important to mention that while biking works the gluteal muscles, the resistance is generally not enough to build big muscles. This is why it is highly unlikely to get a hard and muscular tush through biking. However, while you may not be able to do much about the genetically-determined shape and size of buttocks, you can still amp up the assets that you have.
All you have to do is get on the bike and work those muscles to get the best version of your butt. As a bonus, your legs will tone down as well – giving you the physique of your dreams. Since biking tones and defines your glutes, the answer to the question “Is biking good for your butt?”, is definitely a yes!
Biking Strengthens the Muscles
It is essential to understand that strength does not always come across as size. So, while biking is unlikely to affect the size of your gluteal muscles, it will surely strengthen them over time. Strong glutes are essential for proper propulsion while running and for pelvic alignment. They also prevent knee injury and support the lower back, especially during the lifting action. Moreover, working on the gluteal muscles has a direct impact on your athletic performance. This means that having strong glutes will make you faster and more efficient. In short, having strong glutes is fundamental for performing day to day tasks, including walking and running.
There are many low extremity exercises, like deadlifts and squats, that you can try to strengthen your glutes. However, one of the best options is to get on the bike. Biking will get you the desired results quickly. Plus, biking can be a lot more fun as compared to boring and redundant exercises. So, is biking good for your butt? Well, I’d say it’s the best!
Biking Helps You Lose Fat Fast
Did you know that biking is an excellent way to lose those extra pounds around the buttocks? The reason why biking works so well for weight management is that it raises the metabolic rate of the body. Add in the cardiovascular aspect of biking, and you have the perfect activity for busting the fat. It is important to mention that your buttocks are not the only area where you will experience fat loss. Since biking is a complete body workout, you will lose fat everywhere, which is great if you are trying to manage your bodyweight.
Research suggests that you should burn at least 2,000 calories a week through exercise for weight management. Steady biking burns about 300 calories in an hour. Now, if you do the math, you will find that biking for around 7 hours a week should be enough to lose fat. So, cycling an hour a day should do the job. If that sounds like a lot, it is best to start slow and build up your endurance to reach the desired goals. And since biking helps you lose fat around the buttocks, the answer to the question “Is biking good for your butt?”, is a resounding yes!
Biking Allows for Interval Training
The great thing about biking is that it gives you a chance to mix things up. One of the biggest reasons why a lot of people turn to biking is that it allows for interval training. It involves working out in short bursts of high-intensity exercise. These high-intensity intervals are separated by longer periods of low-intensity exercise. Adding interval training when on the bike will help burn fat quickly and will really exert the glutes. If you are using a stationary bike, you can simply adjust the resistance level to exercise at different intensity. On the other hand, if you are riding a bike outdoor, riding the bike uphill will be equivalent to the short burst of high-intensity exercise. Is biking good for your butt? Since you can mix in high intensity interval training that will shred your glutes, you bet it is!
Consistency Is the Key
Consistency is a key factor if you want to see or get results from biking. To answer the question “Is biking good for your butt?”, you must keep in mind that you won’t see results overnight. You can’t just get on the bike once a week and expect significant changes. Be consistent each week and the results will come.
If you are unable to take time out of your busy schedule for biking, try incorporate biking into it! In other words, ditch the car and use your bike the next time you need to travel a short distance. It will be a refreshing change from your daily routine. Owing to the benefits of biking, the trend of using a bike to commute to and from work is on the rise. It is not only a healthy and cost-effective option, but it also gives you a chance to reduce your carbon footprint and play your part in protecting the planet.
Conclusion
By now, the answer to your question, “Is biking good for your butt?” must be quite clear. Biking is most definitely great for toning and strengthening your butt. In addition, biking is also great for your overall fitness level and weight management.
