Leg muscles missed by cycling

BobJ19956
BobJ19956 Posts: 32 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I try to bike 3 or 4 times per week for an average of 75-80 miles total. In the gym I'll also do a couple of hours total on the elliptical, treadmill (brisk walk), and Stairmaster. So I'm thinking my lower body is getting a decent workout. Thus almost all of my machine and weight training targets my upper body and core.

The question is ... are there lower body muscles I should work on which are NOT impacted by cycling, treadmill, & stairmaster? If so, which exercises will pick them up?

BTW, I'm just trying to get more fit - I'm not body building.

Replies

  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    Squats will work a lot of leg muscles including your butt
  • cronus70
    cronus70 Posts: 191 Member
    No critique of your regime or comments on lower body exercises as squats will be the universal reply, but have you tried including rowing into your regime? Rowing is a total body workout when done with proper form from shoulders/arms, back, core and legs. Awesome calorie burner and fitness tool
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Cycling pretty much works all of your lower body as well as core/section.

    If you are looking for more strength/mass then you might benefit from adding a lifting routine for lower body but please don't fall for the "just squat" hype
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    BobJ19956 wrote: »
    The question is ... are there lower body muscles I should work on which are NOT impacted by cycling, treadmill, & stairmaster?

    In pinciple balancing the amount of time that you spend in the saddle and out of the saddle will work both of the major moving systems in the legs. Similarly a good combination of climbing and cruising will do the trick.

    That said, you'll get benefit to your cycling from including some lower body resistance work.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    I would do deadlifts, squats, and lunges, 1 set each, every 2-3 days, to train your functional lifting ability, which is explained in this post:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/35913159/#Comment_35913159
    Also see the paragraph there on agility work. Both are important aspects of fitness. :+1:
  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
    Cycling has you moving in a singular direction. You could work in agility drills to help strengthen and stabilize your legs. Ice skaters, single leg multidirectional jumping, side lunges, etc would be good additions.

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