Is Biking Good for Calves? Everything You Need To Know

If you’ve ever looked at a cyclist’s legs, you’ve probably been impressed by their strength and tone. Biking requires one to move their legs, but is it good for working the calf muscles?   

Biking regularly, whether on paved roads or mountainous trails, is good for calves because it strengthens and tones the muscles. You work your calf muscles when you thrust your leg downwards to pedal a bike. 

In the rest of this article, I’ll discuss what biking can do for your calf muscles and the rest of your body and health. I’ll also discuss the benefits and risks of biking so you’re well-informed before you hit the road. Let’s get to it! 

Will Biking Work Your Calf Muscles? 

Biking works your calf muscles because you use them to push down on the pedal to propel yourself forward. When biking, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles work with your hamstrings and quadriceps.  

Biking is one of the best ways to strengthen your calf muscles. The calf comprises two muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Both of these muscles are active when you’re biking, as they’re working with your hamstrings and quadriceps as you move your leg to pedal.  

Before you start biking, you should stretch your calf muscles so you don’t strain them. You should also ensure that you’re consuming enough salt to avoid cramping.  

Healthy calf muscles are essential for walking and running because they help you push off your toe as you move forward. They’re also important for jumping and maintaining your posture and foot arch. Healthy calf muscles improve your mobility and flexibility, which can help you avoid injuries while participating in daily activities or sports. Furthermore, the stronger your calf muscles, the faster you can run. 

How To Work Your Calf Muscles

Biking isn’t the only way you can strengthen and tone your calf muscles. If you want to strengthen this area of your body, here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Hiking. All walking works your calf muscles, but the muscles are most activated while tackling a steep uphill. Therefore, hiking, especially steep hikes up mountains, canyons, volcanoes, or more, strengthens the calf muscles.  
• Calf raises. To do a calf raise, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Then, press into the tops of your feet to propel your body upward, so you’re standing on your toes. Slowly and in a controlled way, lower your body down to the ground, and repeat. You can hold dumbbells to add intensity. 
• Cardio-centered sports. Sports such as soccer, tennis, pickleball, basketball, baseball, and other activities that require you to move quickly and jump occasionally activate the calves. 
• Swimming. You use your calf muscles while swimming to propel yourself forward. Swimming is low-impact, so it’s a great way to strengthen your calf muscles if you’re recovering from an injury or cannot run or jump for whatever reason. 
• StairMaster. Almost all gyms have some stair-climbing machine, and going uphill is one of the best ways to activate your calf muscles and strengthen them. If you aren’t a gym member, you can just go up and down any flight of stairs to get the same benefit. 
• Butt kicks. While on the balls of your feet, bend one leg and hit your glute with your heel, then return it to the start and repeat with the other leg. 

As you can see, if you’re looking to strengthen your calves but aren’t a big fan of cycling, there’s no shortage of options for you to try.

What Muscles Does Biking Work?

Biking works several different muscles in the body, including the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, back muscles, upper arms, hips, and core. 

Not only is biking good for your calves, but it also strengthens many other muscles in your body. Let’s take a look at how biking works various muscles: 

• Gluteus maximus. Good news–biking regularly helps shape and tone your butt muscles and can even add some volume. You activate your glutes when you push down on the pedal because the glutes contract to extend your hip. The more resistance you have against pushing the pedal (the steeper the incline), the more you’ll activate and strengthen your glute muscles.   
• Hamstrings. When you pull your leg upwards after pushing down on the pedal, you use your lower hamstrings, and when you push down, you use the upper portion. Therefore, biking involves the entire hamstring. When you bike with proper posture and technique, you strengthen your hamstrings without straining them.   
• Quadriceps. Biking targets your quads because these muscles are largely responsible for the pressure of pushing down on the pedals. Therefore, you’re using and strengthening your quads every time you thrust downwards to move forward on a bike.   
• Back muscles. Keeping your spine straight and holding your body upright while on a bike activates your back muscles. Using your back muscles can increase your stability on the bike and make the overall experience more comfortable and enjoyable. 
• Upper arms. If you’ve ever watched a cyclist, you’ve probably noticed that they shift their position a lot. When you’re biking, and you move from leaning forward to sitting upright, or if you duck to avoid an obstacle, you’re using your upper arms to move your body. These movements, though small, can help strengthen and tone your biceps and triceps. 
• Hips. When you’re biking, you’re moving your knees toward your core. This motion activates your hip flexors. Keeping your hips mobile helps strengthen them and improve your overall hip function.   
• Core. Many people consider biking to be a leg workout, and this is true, although it can also be a great core workout. If you cycle in proper form and hold your body upward, you’re activating your core muscles to keep your body in place. Your core also helps you turn and control the bike. 

Taking up cycling, even as a hobby or recreationally, can greatly increase your overall strength and muscle mass.    

Is Running or Biking Better for Calves?   

Running and biking are both great exercises for strengthening calf muscles. However, running works the calf muscles significantly more than cycling and is, therefore, better if strengthening your calves is your main goal.  

Running and biking are exercises that rely heavily on the muscles in your legs to move you forward; therefore, they’re both great for toning and strengthening the calves. When biking, you use your calves when you push down and rotate the pedal, and when you’re running, your calves are your primary source of force while moving.

Strong calf muscles are helpful when biking, but they’re a supporting actor in this exercise. Your quads and hamstrings do most of the heavy lifting when it comes tocycling. 

On the other hand, runners rely heavily on their calf muscles to perform their sport. When you run, you use your calf muscle to flex your foot every time it pushes off the surface. The calf muscles also help with your balance and ankle mobility, which allows you to stay upright and maneuver as you run. 

Therefore, if your primary goal is strengthening your calf muscles, I recommend running over cycling, especially up steep hills.   

Benefits of Biking 

Strong and toned calf muscles aren’t the only benefit of biking. There are many advantages to cycling regularly; let’s take a look at a few: 

• Biking can help you maintain a healthy weight. Biking burns calories and builds muscle, promoting healthy weight management. Any exercise needs to be paired with a healthy diet and lifestyle choices, but cycling is a great way to get started on a weight loss or maintenance journey.  
• Cycling improves cognitive function. Biking often involves establishing a regular cadence, which involves concentration and focus, strengthening the brain. This benefit is especially applicable to older adults. 
• You can reduce your carbon footprint. Using your bike as your primary means of transportation instead of a car is one of the most impactful ways you can help the environment. If you use your bike instead of your car just once a day, you can decrease your carbon footprint by up to 67%. 
• Biking can be low-impact. People who have joint problems are recovering from an injury, are obese, or are just beginning to exercise may want to stay away from high-impact sports. Biking can be low-impact and casual, just what some people need.  
• Cycling can improve your cardiovascular health. Consistent biking improves your heart and lungs circulation, which minimizes your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. 
• Biking can boost your immune system. Exercise helps improve the health of the upper respiratory system. Even mild exercise encourages white blood cells to start working harder, which helps us get sick less.  
• Biking can improve mental health. Exercise releases endorphins, which help alleviate the symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, if you ride your bike outdoors, you’ll reap the benefits of being in nature. 
• Cycling can help you sleep better. People who exercise regularly tend to get more consistent and fulfilling nights of sleep, which improves overall health and quality of life. People who get enough sleep tend to get sick less often, maintain healthier weights, and experience less stress than those who don’t get at least eight hours a night.  
• Biking can be a social activity. Many communities have cycling groups or clubs that you can join to make new friends and have more support in your cycling journey. The social benefit of biking doesn’t have to be as official as joining a group, though–you can simply ask a friend, spouse, child, or neighbor to join you on a bike ride. 
• It’s relatively easy to learn and get into. Bikes can be extremely expensive, but there are cheaper models available for beginners who aren’t sure how much money they want to invest in the activity. Additionally, many people in the United States learn how to ride a bike as a child, so there isn’t a steep learning curve when picking up the habit in adulthood. 

Biking is a great way to improve your health and environmental impact. However, there are also some drawbacks you should be aware of. 

Drawbacks of Biking 

The benefits of biking are numerous and significant, but there are also some drawbacks to consider before you decide to take up the sport. Here are some of them: 

• Biking can cause serious injuries or death. Many cyclists have to share the road with cars, which can result in accidents and serious injuries or even death. T-Junctions and roundabouts are particularly perilous for bikers. Additionally, rough road conditions, such as potholes, can cause injury. Mountain bikers take on rough terrain and may also suffer injuries as a result. 
• Cycling can be harmful to men’s health. Cycling can negatively impact men’s health, including genital numbness, erectile dysfunction, and prostatitis. Some studies suggest that frequent cycling is associated with infertility. However, the evidence we currently have is still inconclusive on the matter.  
• Biking can be uncomfortable. Sitting on a bike saddle for a long period can be extremely uncomfortable. Beyond that, the area may get red, itchy, or otherwise irritated due to chafing. 
• You’re exposed to the elements. If you use biking as your primary means of transportation, you’re constantly exposing yourself to nature, which has risks. Sunburn and frostbite are serious medical conditions that you shouldn’t take lightly. Additionally, you might get caught in the rain or snow, and you’ll be exposed to air pollutants and possibly breathe in toxic substances. 
• It’ll take you longer to get places. If you want to use your bike to get around, you’ll likely have to plan on taking more time for your commute. 
• It might be painful. Most exercise causes soreness, and biking is no exception. If you have improper form, you might strain parts of your body or pull a muscle, which can be extremely painful. 

These drawbacks are important to keep in mind, but many people agree that the advantages of biking far outweigh the risks associated with the activity. However, everyone has varying degrees of ability and comfortability when it comes to the practice. 

Another element to consider is your community’s compatibility with a biking habit. Some cities have ample bike lanes and trails that you can use safely, whereas others don’t have any, and you’ll be forced to share the road with cars.

How To Intensify Your Biking Workout 

Many people like biking just for fun, which is a great reason to get into cycling! However, if you’re interested in biking as a workout to improve your health and strengthen your body, you can try some tweaks to intensify the workout and make the most of your cycling time. Here are some suggestions: 

• Cycle up more hills. Propelling your bike forward on a steep hill requires more muscular endurance than riding on flat surfaces or downhill. You can incorporate hills by overloading your riding distance, or you can do uphill sprint intervals. 
• Increase your cadence. Your cadence refers to how many revolutions per minute you do, and increasing your cadence is a great way to intensify your ride. 
• Add some weight. If you ride with a heavy backpack, your back and core muscles must work harder to keep you in the proper cycling position.   
• Ride into the wind. If you live in a windy area, take advantage of the natural resistance Mother Nature is giving you! Strong wind requires you to work harder to move forward, strengthening your muscles and calves.  
• Increase resistance. If you’re riding a stationary bike, one of the simplest ways to intensify your workout is to increase the resistance on the bike. Then, you’ll have to work your legs harder to move the pedals. 

By incorporating the above practices, you can intensify your workout, lose more weight, and build muscle in a shorter time. Before starting a weight loss or exercise journey, you should always consult a doctor and/or professional.    

Can Biking Reduce Belly Fat?

Biking can help reduce belly fat because it burns calories and activates core muscles, but spot reduction is largely considered a myth. There is no way to guarantee that cycling will reduce belly fat.

It’s too easy to put on a few pounds in the midsection, and many health risks are associated with too much belly fat. Therefore, many people start an exercise regimen to lose those extra pounds, and cycling is a popular choice. 

Biking can help you lose belly fat, but only if you incorporate cycling into a healthier lifestyle overall. Some updated exercise protocols have had success in spot reduction, but overall, losing body weight, in general, is the only way to lose body fat. 

Biking is a good way to lose weight. Biking burns calories and increases muscle mass, which is good for your metabolism. Proper biking techniques and posture also work your core muscles, which can help tone the stomach. Therefore, while the activity can help to a certain degree, don’t expect it to magically remove all your belly fat.

Conclusion 

Biking is good for your calves because your calf muscles are activated every time you push your foot down on the pedal to propel yourself forward. This repeated action strengthens and tones your calves. You can also strengthen your calves through hiking and running. Biking comes with many physical, economic, and environmental benefits; however, there are also some drawbacks to keep in mind.