Biking generally gives the gluteus a unique tone paired with very strong muscles. While the legs and glutes are certainly most recognized and noticeable muscles toned during a bicycle ride, additional areas are also targeted. The core musculature, which includes the back and stomach, is also worked during rides.
Cycling can help change body shape by burning calories and resulting in weight loss or by helping build muscle in the lower and upper body. However, for a dramatic change in body shape, cyclists will need to add strength training, especially if they're looking to increase power for speed over shorter distances.
Cycling is great for toning the lower body, particularly the legs. The hamstrings and quadriceps are two of the most targeted muscles during a cycling workout, as they play a huge role in pedalling.
Consistency and developing a habit of cycling are important for seeing results in fat reduction. Cycling can reduce thigh and belly fat as well as benefiting the circulation of blood around the body, strengthening the heart and other muscles and increasing the metabolism.
The best part is that cycling is one of the longest workouts you can ever do. It helps tone muscles in your waist, thighs and legs. Regular cycling exercises also increase blood flow to your stomach muscles (otherwise known as abdomen or core), which makes them stronger, tighter, and firmer after every ride.
Now, let's get to the heart of the matter. Both walking and cycling can help you lose belly fat, but they do so in slightly different ways. Cycling is a more intense workout and burns more calories per hour than walking. Therefore, if your goal is to lose belly fat, cycling may be a quicker route.
Is 30 minutes of cycling a day enough? While we do mention 45 minutes as being a great place to start, 30 minutes daily will certainly make a positive impact on your health as well. You would likely burn around 330 calories in that time period, and that would add up to 2,310 calories per week if you are consistent.
Biking can help you lose weight, but it depends on how much you do. Cycling at a moderate pace for 30 minutes every day will burn around 300 calories. To lose 10kg, you would need to cycle for about 3 hours every day. However, this is not sustainable in the long term and is not recommended.
For a person of reasonably average size and weight, research suggests you need to cycle 54 hours a month to lose 10 pounds (5kg). This would be close to 2 hours per day.
If you exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet, you can expect to see noticeable results within one month of use. There are a number of factors that can impact how quickly you will see results, including exercise intensity, good form and the bike that you ride.
After one month of regular cycling, the results are quite remarkable. If you've been consistent with your rides and have increased their intensity over time, you'll notice significant improvements in your stamina and strength. You should also find that your overall fitness level has improved.
Biking can make your waist smaller due to weight and fat loss. Most people hold fat stores around their waist, so losing fat will typically lead to a smaller waist. Cycling burns 300-700 calories an hour, and when combined with a calorie deficit, cycling can lead to weight loss.
You get leaner by not only riding long and slow, but by ALSO tapping into faster work on the bike too (using more of what's called your “anaerobic system”).
In a nutshell, the average cyclist will lose 2 pounds (1kg) per week from cycling 20 miles a day. This is at a relatively slow average speed of 20km per hour. The average rider would burn somewhere between 450 and 1500 calories per hour while cycling.
But steady cycling for 1 hour burns 300 calories approximately. On average, we need to burn 8,000 calories to lose 1 kilogram of body weight through cycling. So you need to cycle 27 hours per month on average to lose 1kg.
Here's how it breaks down: In one hour of cycling, the average person burns 600 calories. To lose only two pounds (1 kg), the average person must expend 7,500 to 8,000 calories. That means you'll need to hit the saddle every day for two hours if you want to shed 2lbs in one week.
Muscle strength and toning: Cycling primarily targets the muscles in your lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Regular cycling can help build strength, endurance, and tone these muscle groups, leading to improved overall leg strength and a more defined lower body.
A simple Google image search of cycling + weight loss showcases hundreds of before and after images of individuals who have lost weight, thanks to regular cycling. A 10 km bicycle ride helps burn around 300 calories which is the same as running on a treadmill at 8 km/h for 30 minutes.
Muscle Tone and Strength
Regular riding will give you a lot of benefits such as a distinctive tone of your glutes and develop powerful muscles, enhancing your entire look. Additionally, you can build core muscles. You'll also tone up the abdomen, legs, thighs, back, and shoulders.
A new study in this month's Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport will tell you to lift weights instead of hopping on your bike. Burning calories via strength training, it found, will ultimately help you shed more fat than burning the same amount of calories doing moderate cardio like cycling.
According to Channa, one must cycle for at an hour or more, for fat loss. "Cycling is a cardio workout, in which one usually begins to burn fat only after the first 20 minutes. If you are walking, the fat burn will begin after that amount of time. So make sure that you do cycling for at least 30 minutes," he says.
You might have to remember your activity level during the ride and do some mathematics, but it is pretty basic. If you ride at a moderate intensity for a little over an hour, you will hit your 10,000 steps.