If you are interested in what muscles work when running, we will surprise you - this type of physical activity, to one degree or another, involves almost the entire body! It gives an aerobic load, stimulates the muscles, makes them tone. It does not contribute to the growth of muscle mass, but makes it more elastic and stronger. If your goal is to increase muscle volume, we recommend adding strength complexes to your running workouts.
So, before starting to figure out which muscles swing when running on the street and what is burned - fat or, in fact, muscles, let's analyze what stages the running consists of:
- The first leg pushes off the surface;
- The center of gravity of the body is shifted to the second leg;
- Landing of the first leg and taking the second off the ground;
- Shifting the center of gravity to the first leg;
- Landing of the second leg;
- And then from the very beginning.
Each of the stages is superimposed on each other and they are performed almost simultaneously, while all muscle groups of the lower body work, as well as the press, back, arms, and neck. The latter, of course, work less, since there is almost no load on them, but this does not mean that they are not exercising.
Muscles that work in running sessions
Let's list which muscles are involved in running, and then analyze which ones work harder, depending on the type of running:
- Femoral - located on the back of the thighs, control flexion and extension of the knees;
- Buttock - help to keep the body upright;
- Iliac - it is thanks to them that the mobility of the lower legs is carried out;
- Quadriceps - placed on the front of the thigh, thanks to them the leg works to bend, the correct movement of the knee and hip joints is carried out;
- Intercostal - work during inhalation and exhalation of air;
- Calves - located in the lower leg, are responsible for raising and lowering the leg to the surface of the earth;
- Lower and upper press - control the position of the body;
- Biceps - used when moving the arms. If you want to pump them up a little while running, wear small dumbbells;
So, we have explained in detail which muscles are affected by running, and now, let's take a look at which ones work more intensely when climbing uphill, jogging on a level surface or on a treadmill.
What works when jogging
Due to the measured pace, in this mode it is easy to overcome very long distances - during them the calf and hip muscles get very tired. The load on the muscles of the respiratory organs and the abdominal region increases. We propose to list which leg muscles work while running on the street:
- Buttock;
- Rear biceps of the femoral surface;
- Femoral anterior quadriceps;
- Quads;
- Calf;
- Tibial.
If you're curious, let's call the muscles that work the most when sprinting are the pelvic and calf muscles. It is they who bear the main load during intense races at high speed.
What works when running stairs
If you are interested in what muscles are trained when running uphill, we will call the anterior calf muscles and back muscles. When descending, the buttocks and thighs are especially stressed.
By the way, this exercise is a high-intensity exercise, so it is great for losing weight!
What muscles work on a treadmill
The treadmill requires effort on the part of all the muscle groups listed above, especially the hip, gluteal, and calf. The flexors and extensors of the toes, the muscles of the back, shoulders, abdomen, and diaphragm also work.
How to pump up your body with jogging
So, we looked at which muscle groups work when running up the stairs, on the street and in the gym, and now let's talk about how to increase muscle mass. As mentioned above, it is difficult to increase volume with the help of jogging alone, but it is easy to strengthen and improve the quality. Remember and apply the following guidelines:
- Increase your driving speed regularly;
- Do some stressful activities several times a week - interval running, sprint technique, uphill climbing;
- Use weights;
- Add strength training to your schedule;
- Eat a protein-based sports diet;
- Accustom yourself to general strengthening gymnastics: exercises for the press, push-ups, running in place, jumping, squats, stretching.
Many are interested in which muscle groups are affected by running in the evenings, but we argue that there is not much difference in the distribution of the load, depending on when the athlete trains. In the morning, afternoon, or evening, you run the same way, alternating the steps mentioned above, using the same muscles.
Is musculature burned?
We looked at which muscles develop when running and described how to pump them up a little. However, there is an opinion that running is capable of burning muscle mass - not fat, but rather a beautiful relief that is built with such difficulty. In fact, such a problem really exists and it worries all bodybuilders on our planet - how to get rid of fat, but not muscle volume. If you go on a low-calorie diet and at the same time actively run, everything will lose weight, but this result does not suit us.
So, here are some tips we can give about this:
- It's best to run in the morning, before breakfast, when the level of glycogen in the liver is low. In this case, the body will draw more energy from fat reserves, for a while "forgetting" about muscle mass.
- Include BCAAs in your morning diet and casein protein before bed.
- Forget evening aerobics if you want to maintain muscle and lose fat;
- Consider your diet carefully. For each kg of weight, you should eat at least 2 g of protein per day.
- Be sure to include strength training in your program. Let's explain it in accessible language. When a person tries to lose weight, he restricts the calorie intake. At the same time, the body seeks to get rid of everything that requires energy - from fat, water, and, in particular, from muscles. But, if you regularly arrange strength training, the body will understand that without muscles it cannot cope with the load, so it will "hold" them. This is how it works.
Well, we looked at which muscles running strengthens, but we did not answer exactly whether it really burns them. In fact, everything here is very individual - the effect depends on the body, on the type of physique, hormones, the runner's lifestyle. All aerobic activity leads to weight loss, so to ensure that fat is being used up, stick to the tips listed above. If you feel that the muscles also began to melt, add calories to the diet due to protein.
Remember, it is the work of the muscles while running that gives us the aftertaste in the form of pleasant fatigue and slight tension. It is these feelings that give the impetus to raise the mood and a sense of pride in oneself. Run a lot and regularly - your body will thank you very much!
