Leg fat is a strong impetus for anyone considering exercise for the first time. Biking and running are both effective methods for working off leg fat, because the legs are among the easiest areas of the body to trim fat. Leaner legs and increased muscle mass and strength benefit from both activities. Both activities also have their potential drawbacks. Running is hard on the joints, biking can be boring, and both can be dangerous on traffic-filled city streets. In the end, individual exercise tastes and goals dictate whether you bike or run to burn leg fat.
Cycling
Step 1
Try an interval workout that lasts from 30 seconds to two minutes or more. Increase your rate of pedaling during that interval and then back down to your original pace. In addition to increasing your leg speed, you can add resistance by shifting the gears on your outdoor or indoor bike. The greater effort expended during interval training burns leg fat at a faster rate than simply riding at the same pace throughout a training session.
Step 2
Ride uphill to increase the rate of fat loss on your upper leg muscles. Since your thighs act as engines, you can burn upper leg and gluteus fat at a faster rate. Set your stationary bike at your desired hill training program and tailor it to your preferred degree of difficulty. For city cycling, choose an area where you can get plenty of uphill riding while recovering along downhill portions.
Step 3
Pedal your bike one leg at a time to focus on burning fat from each leg. Start by standing on a chair or stool with one foot next to your stationary bike and place your other foot on the pedal. Rotate that pedal for 30 seconds to one minute and aim for 60 rotations per minute, increasing resistance per your preference. Recover for two minutes by pedaling with both feet, then repeat the first step with your other foot.
Running
Step 1
Try a tempo run to quickly gain lean muscle mass in the upper and lower legs. For marathon runners, start by running eight miles at your anticipated marathon pace. Speed up by 20 to 40 seconds per mile for miles nine and 10. Shave off another 10 to 20 seconds for the last two miles. Increasing your pace throughout the run makes your legs work harder. Combining distance with a quickening pace increases the rate of burned leg fat.
Step 2
Incorporate a repeat training session on a track or on the road. Start with a 5K at a comfortably fast pace. Slow down for two miles. Then run another 5K 20 to 30 seconds per mile faster. Slow down again for two miles. Finish with a 5K that shaves a further 10 seconds per mile from the previous 5K pace.
Step 3
Perform cadence drills. Begin by jogging a 30-second interval, counting the number of times your left foot touches the ground. Run another minute, then repeat the 30-second interval at a slightly faster pace, increasing the number of times your left foot touches the ground by two steps. Repeat the sequence several times, increasing speed throughout the training session.
Things You'll Need
- Bicycle
- Running shoes
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