What muscles work when cycling?

What is this anyway?

“Bicycle” is an extremely simple movement that is done while lying down. Here is its description: it is done lying on your back, the limbs imitate the movements that a cyclist makes. The movement is aimed at working the hip flexors, legs, and abs. The movement is universal, suitable for almost everyone, its benefits are maximum, the technique is simple. In this case, you do not need any special physical training, no equipment, no suit and shoes, much less a trainer.

An important point: the muscles recover very quickly after this activity. Therefore, if desired and possible, it can be done every day for maximum and quick effect.

Technique for lying down bicycle with body elevation

This version is aimed at maximizing the inclusion of the oblique abdominal muscles. However, in order to properly do an ab bike in this version, you need to control the pace of rotation of the legs (synchronize with the work of the arms).

Technique:

1. Lie down on the floor. Place your hands at the back of your head, spread your elbows to the sides. Raise your legs up at an angle of 45 degrees.
2. Start slowly rotating your right leg. At the moment when the knee comes as close to the chest as possible, slightly rotate the body and try to bring the left elbow to the knee.
3. After this, do the same bringing your right elbow to your left knee.

Despite the fact that the speed of rotation of the legs in the exercise is much slower, this technique is considered quite difficult. By 40-50 seconds, a strong burning sensation will be felt in the abdominal muscles, which indicates that the abs are receiving sufficient load. It is best to perform this option in short but intense sessions (30-60 seconds each).

Exercise bike types

The classic bicycle on your back is an understandable exercise. But there are other types of this movement that complicate it:

• The bicycle is half-sitting on a chair or on a sofa, with emphasis on the forearms.
• Exercise bike with weights. Additional weight in the hands (dumbbells, weights) or weights on the legs.
• Bicycle with expander. The rubber expander on the legs complicates the process as a whole, because you have to fight with a significant force of resistance.
• A pair of bicycles. Two people lie on top of each other. Raise your legs bent at the knees at a right angle and bring your feet together. Then they begin to rotate opposite to their partner. When two people perform this exercise, they can effectively create additional effort by training each other. And also have fun.
• Parallel bike. When the alternately straightened leg becomes almost parallel to the floor, the load increases. I like to do this look on a chair.

Working muscles

The advantage of the bicycle exercise is that it uses a large number of muscles. The rectus and transverse abdominal muscles work actively. When the body turns, internal and external obliques are activated.

In addition, when performing a “bicycle”, the muscles of the thighs are involved: the adductors, located on the inside of the legs, buttocks and quadriceps.

The muscles of the lower back (iliopsoas and others) also receive a load.

Benefits of exercise bike

Why do we need to spin the “air pedals”? It helps strengthen muscles, lose weight, improve your figure and even your health! Here are its main advantages:

• the abdominal muscles are perfectly strengthened, primarily the straight and oblique muscles, which are responsible for the abs;
• the tummy and sides become smaller;
• thigh muscles work and strengthen;
• pain in the lower back and back goes away;
• overall physical endurance increases;
• the functioning of the stomach, intestines and the gastrointestinal tract in general improves;
• strengthens the spine and improves posture;
• blood flow in the pelvis is activated, in men this improves potency;
• in women – helps to normalize intimate life and acts as a prevention of “female” diseases”;
• It also improves the course of pregnancy (but you cannot do the exercise during pregnancy) and increases the likelihood of conception;
• increases flexibility and coordination of movements;
• excess weight gradually disappears;
• the figure as a whole becomes toned.

It is also important that the process places virtually no load on the knee joints, unlike, for example, squats.

But it is the knees that are very sensitive to injury, and often suffer due to a person’s excessive diligence, in the process of lunges, squats, running, and so on.

What muscles work?

First of all, the work involves the abdominal muscles (rectus and obliques), hip and leg flexors, buttocks (a beautiful butt is guaranteed) and lumbar muscles.

An important point: alas, spinning virtual pedals will not save you from belly fat!

And it’s hardly possible to seriously lose weight by doing just this movement. It burns only 400 calories in an hour.

Therefore, if your goal is also to lose weight, add proper nutrition to your activity, without confectionery, fast food and sausages.

Contraindications to performing the exercise bicycle

It is not recommended to perform for the following diseases and conditions of the human body:

• heart diseases;
• high blood pressure;
• after operation;
• for various injuries;
• pregnant women;
• severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• high body temperature;
• thrombophlebitis;
• malignant tumors;
• during exacerbation of infections;
• hernia.

Failure to comply with these rules will cause harm to the body, which can affect the deterioration of already poor health. After going to the hospital for a consultation, the doctor will tell you how to replace the bicycle.

Exercise bike how to do it correctly?

To ensure that all the right muscles are working and the movement is safe and effective, it is important to adhere to strict technique. There are 2 main techniques – for experienced users and for “dummies”.

Execution technique for beginners

How to do this activity correctly for “dummies”:

1. Place any suitable mat on the floor and lie on it with your back.
2. Press your lower back to the plane and place your hands behind your head.
3. Tighten your abdominal muscles, lift your legs (2 together) bent at a 90-degree angle, and your shins should be parallel to the floor.
4. Now begin to slowly rotate your limbs, as if you were riding a bike, without lifting your lower back from the mat!
5. To begin, do 1 set of 16 movements, rotating the pedals in the air, you should clearly feel how powerfully all the muscles are working.

How to make a complicated version

The technique is for experienced users, the steps are as follows:

1. Place something suitable or a rug on the floor, place your back on it, pressing your lower back to the plane.
2. Raise your bent limbs so that your thighs are 100% perpendicular to the floor.
3. Stretch one of your limbs straight forward, pull the other one to your chest quite slowly, while smoothly bending your knee.
4. Slowly pull the elbow opposite your knee towards your bent leg, while twisting your back.
5. Now straighten the limb that was previously pressed to the thoracic region and bent. Bend the straight limb, pulling the knee from its side towards the thoracic region.
6. At the same time, the opposite elbow approaches the knee of your bent leg.
7. The main point is that the spine is fully straightened at the moment of movement; it is extremely important to breathe slowly and smoothly. And perform all movements in slow motion too. Exhale - pull your knee towards your elbow, inhale - straighten your leg.

This technique is more complex, but also more effective.

You will burn more calories with it.

And the abdominal muscles “swing” are especially effective here.

Useful tips

The question remains: how long to do this movement so that there is an effect, but no harm? The optimal pace is 3-6 seconds for 1 cycle with the left and right legs. The correct approach for “dummies” consists of 10-12 repetitions, 5-6 on each leg. You can start with one approach if you are in very weak shape. Gradually you need to build up to 3-4 approaches. Rest between them is 40-60 seconds.

Also keep in mind that a slow pace provides more difficulty for the abs, which work well in static positions.

If you want to stretch your knee joints well, you can increase the pace. In a word, try different options.

Lightweight movement option

This embodiment is suitable for those who have weak physical shape , as well as those whose abdominal muscles are initially weak. The exercise is suitable for recovery from injuries and illnesses, that is, when the “classic version” is simply impossible to perform. When performing a lighter version of the movement, half the load is removed from the abdominal and lower back muscles, but, accordingly, they are worked out much less. This “lightweight bicycle” can be performed in the first stages, gradually replacing it with the “classic version”.

Execution technique

1. We lie on our backs, relax our muscles and rest for a minute.
2. We put our hands behind our heads, or place them along our bodies so that they lie comfortably.
3. Attention! We do not lift our shoulders off the floor.
4. The head lies freely on the hands, the neck does not strain, only the legs work. We don’t hold our breath, we breathe freely.
5. We raise our legs, bend them slightly at the knees, while placing our hips further away from the floor, that is, almost perpendicular to the floor. This way we remove some of the load and make the exercise easier.
6. We make movements with our legs as when riding a bicycle. To make the exercise even easier, your thighs can be positioned strictly perpendicular to the floor. In this case, the hip joints will form a right angle.
7. The movement of the legs is measured, without tension, we concentrate on the work of the abdominal muscles.

To begin with, you can do ten repetitions. If you feel comfortable, the number of approaches can be gradually increased.

See also:

• Find out how to tighten your buttocks at home? PHOTO before and after.
• Top 5 best exercises for the buttocks with dumbbells.

Who shouldn't do this?

Despite the obvious benefits, not everyone can spin imaginary pedals. The contraindications for this activity are as follows:

• infectious diseases in the acute stage, as well as inflammatory processes;
• advanced stages of varicose veins;
• recovery period after fractures and operations;
• thrombophlebitis;
• oncological diseases;
• pregnancy period;
• respiratory diseases;
• pathological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract;
• malformations of the heart muscle;
• elevated body temperature.

Life story

One of my friends was an amateur football player and played football with his friends. And one day he fell unsuccessfully and as a result received an injury - a torn meniscus. The tear was minimal, but the knee hurt, and the doctors forbade the friend from any activity, including running and even fast, long walking.

After 3 months, the knee recovered, but football was still banned. My friend suffered without movement, consulted a doctor, is it possible to do anything? And the only thing the doctor allowed was cycling exercise! It was this that helped the man to fully recover without losing his skills and shape. He even introduced his wife to it, because studying together is much more interesting!

Interesting scientific fact

Scientists from Utrecht University in the Netherlands have conducted numerous studies and found that both cycling and cycling exercise improve the structure of the white matter of the brain. In fact, this means that impulses between cells go faster, which activates the brain, improves memory and helps you make important decisions faster!

And scientists from Taiwan tested cyclists for 12 weeks. And they found that cycling improves the functioning of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. To put it simply, it is a protein that is responsible for our mood, memory, anxiety, reaction to stress, and tendency to depression. In general, you understand - all you have to do is regularly spin the pedals (you can also use imaginary ones), and you will be slim, active, fit, and even smart and calm!

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