Cycling is an effective way to strengthen the muscles in your butt. When you ride your bike, you use your legs and the core muscles of your trunk, but the main power of your pedaling comes directly from your glutes. The rate at which you'll see changes depends on your cycling style and overall health to begin with, but with a regular routine of cycling, you'll soon have stronger glutes.
Weight Loss
Before you start to see the benefits of cycling, you need to get rid of any posterior fat that's hiding your muscles. While you can't blast fat in one particular spot by exercising, if you maintain a healthful diet, the calories you burn while cycling will soon melt fat all over your body. This means your butt might shrink before it becomes the sculpted perfection you're hoping for.
Position
How you sit when you cycle is crucial to getting the most of your workout. Peter White, a bicycle builder at Peter White Cycles in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, notes three points of contact with your bike that affect your ride. Check that your hands, feet and seat are all positioned for maximum power when you pedal. Visit a pro bike shop to ensure that you're riding properly and adjust anything on your bike that needs it. When you ride properly, your glutes will get stronger. If you don't, your glutes might suffer strain that prevents performance and strengthening.
Core Strength
After a few weeks of cycling, your butt will likely be in better shape. Your stomach and waist will slim down while your butt rounds out. Take care of your whole body as you progress. In an article on the Bicycling magazine website, Andrew Pruitt, director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, points out that injuries to the legs and hips occur when strength imbalances exist between the glutes and legs. Your butt powers your bike, so don't let development of your core muscles or legs override the work your butt should be doing. When you pedal, use your glutes to keep moving.
Hips
To keep your buns tight and strong, you have to stretch your hips. A regular routine of stretching benefits everyone, but when you cycle, prepare your hips for the ride before taking off. Walk in place to get your blood moving, then perform hip flexions, abductions and rotations. Once you advance, include gluteal stretches that also benefit the hips. These prevent injury and help you recover after long rides.
Member Comments