When you run with a football, people usually think about the legs and lower body doing all the work. And while the lower body does play a large part, many smaller muscles in the upper and lower body are essential when you carry the ball.
Lower Legs
The two calf muscles of the lower legs are heavily involved in running, especially in power runs like sprinting with the football.The calves are two muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Fitness author Kirk Mahoney says that these two muscles make the knee and ankle flex in the running motion.
Upper Legs
The upper legs have muscles that are heavily at work when you run with the ball. The largest muscle group of the upper legs is the quadriceps, which is a group of four muscles located on the front of your upper leg. Mahoney says the quadriceps' job in running is to bend the hip and flex the knee. The hamstring muscles, located at the back of the upper leg, are the opposing muscles to the quads, and also contain four muscles that work as a group. According to Mahoney, the hamstrings' job is to flex or bend the knee. The two seemingly forgotten leg muscles at work in the running motion are the butt muscles and the hip flexors. According to Mahoney, the butt muscles, or glutes, work to extend the hip and keep the body upright as you run. Mahoney says the hip flexors perform hip flexion, which helps the legs extend and contract.
Arms
A variety of muscles in the arm play a key role in carrying the football. The forearm muscles are heavily at work holding and wrapping around the ball. Both of the major upper arm muscles, the biceps and triceps, help hold the ball in place and prevent it from being jarred loose. In addition, the shoulders help keep the ball tight against the body and prevent it from moving around as you run.
Core and Back
The muscles of the core and back are often overlooked in running and especially carrying the football. The lat muscles of the back help protect the ball and hold it in place as you run. In addition, the abdominal and oblique muscles work anytime you run, but especially when you run with the football. These core muscles help hold the ball in place and keep you balanced.
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