What Muscles Does an Exercise Bike Work? (Read Now)

Have you been thinking of getting an exercise bike for yourself but aren’t too sure about its benefits?

If so, then one of the questions that’s probably running in your mind is “What muscles do exercise bikes work?”. We believe that it’s a fair question to ponder upon if you’re thinking of expanding your home gym with an exercise bike.

Investing in an exercise bike or stationary bike is a wise idea for those looking for a low-impact, effective workout. In this article, we will be elaborating on the muscles that can be developed further through an exercise bike and so much more.

What Muscles Do Exercise Bikes Work?

Exercise bikes help build the muscles in your lower and upper bodies.

Let’s discuss the muscles that are put to work when you workout on an exercise bike.

1. Lower Body

Here are the muscles in your lower body that benefit from a workout using an exercise bike:

Calves

Since the lower area of your legs is involved in pedaling the bike during the workout, your calves are put to work in the process. The primary calf muscle gets targeted with such workouts since it’s the one responsible for extending the foot and lifting the heel as you pedal.

Hip Flexors

Hip flexors refer to the muscle group supporting and surrounding your leg’s ball-and-socket joint.

It helps one in moving their knee and leg up to their torso and also aids in bending the upper body towards the hips. This region works well every time you cycle on your exercise bike. Therefore, through such workouts, your flexors get stretched as well as toned.

Glutes

Pushing down while you pedal on an exercise bike enables you to work your glutes or your butt. These muscles work in coordination with your hip by pushing you forward and pivoting your thighs as you keep cycling.

Adjust the resistance and pedals on your exercise bike accordingly if your glutes are what you’re targeting. Your buttocks get efficiently strengthened and toned through an exercise bike.

Quadriceps and Hamstrings

Quads or quadriceps are the muscles found in the front of your thighs. There are four muscles in this muscle group, and they extend to the knee. These muscles are put to use every time you run, walk, climb, and so on.

Hamstrings are located at the back of your thigh and are made up of three muscles. Connected from your hip to the knee, they provide support to your leg whenever your knee bends.

When a workout on an exercise bike is involved, the hamstrings, as well as the quads, get to work and thereby get strengthened through such workouts.

2. Upper Body

While several individuals are familiar with the fact that the lower body gets toned through an exercise bike, you could be pleasantly surprised to learn that the muscles in your upper body get targeted as well through such workouts.

Your arms don’t always get a heavy workout through an exercise bike, but when you make use of the high resistance feature as you stand above the saddle, your lower back and arm muscles receive a sufficient amount of pressure and get to be exercised.

Once the intensity is amplified, the burn is also felt by your abs and back. Changing positions while cycling is common, and it’s this process that applies pressure on the muscle groups in your upper body, strengthening and toning them.

Abdominal Muscles

The ab muscles receive a fabulous workout through exercise bikes because the movements involved while pedaling get your core muscles to work. Although getting extremely hard abs isn’t possible through a workout on an exercise bike alone, you do end up developing a strong core.

Through a strengthened core, you get to have a solid foundation for the health of your body to keep performing the motion of cycling, which ultimately strengthens you from your hips to your ankles.

Back

Back muscles are yet another group of muscles that receive strength and toning through workouts on an exercise bike. Your lower back, in particular, benefits from these workouts because of the upright position you take during such workout sessions.

The stability of your spine increases, and it also helps those with back pain by improving their posture. As you keep working out using an exercise bike, your body will become steadier and more comfortable.

Biceps and Triceps

Biceps are triceps, which are located in the front and back of our arms, and receive an efficient workout through exercise bikes. These muscles are put to heavy work since they have the task of helping you maintain your grip as you cycle.

When you stand up on the saddle and intensify your workout, eventually, you get to work on your biceps and triceps even more.

Benefits of Using an Exercise Bike to Build Muscles

By working out on an exercise bike, you get to strengthen the muscles in your lower body. Your core muscles also get put to work, ultimately becoming leaner and stronger. However, muscle building isn’t the only benefit of using an exercise bike.

The following are some of the other benefits that come about when you build your muscles through this workout machine:

• Burning calories
• Amplifying your energy
• Reducing body fat
• Helping with back pain
• Improving posture and stability

One of the best things about exercise bikes is that you don’t have to be at a great fitness level in order to start using it. Whether it’s the first time you’re working out or you’ve been working out for years, these bikes are suitable for people across every skill level.

Those on a beginner level can start out slow to get their muscles working without stressing them out too much. On the other hand, people with more experience with workouts can try a more intensive routine. Ultimately, you’ll find the perfect balance that helps you get closer to your fitness goals.

Also, remember that an exercise bike is safer to cycle on than a road bike on any given day. Additionally, it lets you focus solely on your workout without worrying about what’s on the road.

How Long Does It Take to Build Muscle with an Exercise Bike?

If your aim is to lose body fat and maintain the toned shape of your muscles, then using an exercise bike is ideal. Visible results are seen once you keep working out on an exercise bike for 12 weeks straight.

Prior to this timeframe, you will begin to see a change in the definition of your muscles, after which the changes will seem more pronounced. It’s important to remember that the individual experience is different from one person to another.

While some can see their muscles looking toned in less than 12 weeks, it can take longer than that for some.

Some individuals can see results in as little as four to six weeks. You will slowly notice your thighs, buttocks, and legs becoming firmer and that it’s much easier for you to cycle than what it was when you first started out.

When you keep cycling for two to three months constantly by gradually increasing the intensity, your muscle mass will increase, and your body fat mass will decrease.

FAQs

Conclusion

Exercise bikes are a fantastic value addition to your home gym. Not only do they put your lower body to work, but they also get the muscles in your upper body working.

While your lower body does get more benefits with an exercise bike, it can’t be denied that this equipment helps in building some of the muscles in your upper body as well.

So, the next time you find yourself at a store looking for an exercise bike, go through the information listed above to see which of the muscles this bike will be targeting.