Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)
  • Does running use different leg muscles than cycling?
  • wors
    Full Member

    Went for a run last night (first in a while) for about 20 mins today legs hurt walking but commuted to and from work and the felt fine, no pain. How so?

    Paceman
    Free Member

    Cycling shortens the hamstrings, running lengthens them.

    uponthedowns
    Free Member

    Cycling is non impact, restricted range of motion and your weight is supported. When walking your legs have to support your weight and your hamstrings are being stretched more which probably contributed to the soreness walking.

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    crotchrocket
    Free Member

    run to improve cycling. Don’t cycle to improve your running.
    To improve your cycling, try rowing 😀

    theflatboy
    Free Member

    yeah cycling uses different muscles on your legs – that’s why triathlons are possible.

    brakeswithface
    Full Member

    Cycling is used extensively by top fell runners for training – so cycling uses similar muscles to running uphill.

    For proof see Rob Jebb!

    crikey
    Free Member

    Have to disagree with this;

    run to improve cycling. Don’t cycle to improve your running

    Cycling can improve you as a runner by allowing non-impact endurance training, but running does very little to improve your cycling; the pros might do a bit in the off season, but you’d be laughed out of town if you tried to use running as serious training for cycling.

    rolfharris
    Free Member

    I ran last year as training.

    This year, i’ve cycled the same and quit running and have been much faster at races.

    I conclude that for me, running ain’t so good. It gets me out in the offseason to get the cardio going, but too much slows you down.

    bomberman
    Free Member

    It does and i know this for a fact. last year i was really really ill, i mean i lost a LOT of body weight and most of my muscle mass. down to 7 1/2 stone. probably as low as my body could go. When i started to recover i was so weak that i couldn’t get out of bed without help and i struggled to walk up the slightest incline (like my drive). steps were impossible without a push. As soon as i was strong enough i was out on my bike around the park. I’ve made a full recovery now and can do 20 miles off road easily now. did my first race last week. HOWEVER, whenever i do something which uses muscles i haven’t used for a while – running – i get cramps!

    I can also tell you that having sex with your feet on the floor uses calf muscles excessively! 😉

    WTF
    Free Member

    Cycling or running to improve ski fitness ?

    crikey
    Free Member

    Specificity is the key; top cyclists don’t run for training, and top runners don’t cycle for training, both may use the other as an adjunct, but not for performance gains.

    Rob Jebb is essentially a runner who is good on a bike; he doesn’t feature in many premier calendar races…

    crikey
    Free Member

    I can also tell you that having sex with your feet on the floor uses calf muscles excessively!
    Even when you’re on your own?

    antigee
    Full Member

    I can also tell you that having sex with your feet on the floor uses calf muscles excessively!
    Even when you’re on your own?

    sure I’ve seen guys down the gym looking like they are giving themselves blowjobs while they look in the mirror as they do calf raises

    porterclough
    Free Member

    Cycling or running to improve ski fitness ?

    Cycling is pretty similar IMHO (as is running up hill) – you’re pushing down with your upper leg, calves not used much.

    devs
    Free Member

    Cycling or running to improve ski fitness ?

    From personal experience cycling makes a massive difference. Running much less so.

    lowey
    Full Member

    Stop running you knob. Next tiem your round I’ll introduce you to Al next door to me. One look at him will stop you. 😆

    nickc
    Full Member

    TBH running will improve your cycling from just a CV and weight loss Perspective. Unless you’re into the world of actual full time elite athlete, by which time you’ll have a tailored specific programme, then any exercise you do will help your cycling; including running.

    oldgit
    Free Member

    The only years I ran marathons and raced my bike extensively I found that I seemd to run uphill very well i.e I passed runners that had overtaken me on the flats, however they then passed me again going downhill.
    I’ve always assumed that was due to muscle development from cycling.

    theflatboy
    Free Member

    I passed runners that had overtaken me on the flats, however they then passed me again going downhill.

    sounds like a bit of MTFUing was in order on the downhills 🙂

    elliptic
    Free Member

    Cycling is used extensively by top fell runners for training – so cycling uses similar muscles to running uphill.

    Having jogged round the Scafells, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags a weekend ago – not been on the hills for three months before – I can confirm this.

    Can also confirm it doesn’t help at all with downhills which wrecked my legs so totally they still hurt on Friday.

    For proof see Rob Jebb!

    Of course Rob’s party pieces are the Three Peaks CX and the Fred Whitton, not your typical bike races… 😉

    ajf
    Free Member

    Cycling is used extensively by top fell runners for training – so cycling uses similar muscles to running uphill.

    For proof see Rob Jebb!

    No other way round. Running is used extensively by top fell runners for cycling training. Hence Rob Jebb is good at hilly rides up and down mountains as well as hilly runs up and down mountains.

    I think that running is better training for cycling that cycling is for running. Of course best training for cycling is of course cycling but running must be a good close second.

    ajf
    Free Member

    oopps double post,

    finbar
    Free Member

    In my experience (i’m a much better runner than i am cyclist, but i ride 120-150 miles a week over summer), there’s no crossover between distance running and cycling if you’re already reasonably fit. Cardio is hardly ever the limiting factor – muscular strength and endurance is. And as has been said by various others, cycling and running use different muscle groups.

    wors
    Full Member

    Stop running you knob

    Was thinking the exact same thing when i got to the war memorial!

    Keva
    Free Member

    I’ve always done both so couldn’t really say whether one helps the other or not. All I know is that if i haven’t run for a few weeks I have to be very careful how far I go on the first couple outings or Im in danger of making my legs really ache for the next few days. The other thing Ive found is that if Im doing alot of running and not much cycling I can still cover the distance on the bike ok but the legs feel it on the climbs much more. A good even balance of both works best. I try to run short undualting distances at a fairly fast pace, oh and include plenty of burpees V-sits and press ups along the way… 🙂

    Kev

    brakeswithface
    Full Member

    ajf – see section in Sarah Rowell’s training book for cycling as training for fell running.

    AdamT
    Full Member

    I’ve done much more running this year than last year and a bit less biking. I’m quicker on my bike however. I’ve been run training for triathlon (10k) which is fairly short in time. Since it’s massivly CV related the run training has crossed over into my biking. I think someone above mentioned that for the elites it probably true that they need to do the specific stuff, but for your fairly average joe there are benefits. I seem to be able to maintain a fairly good bike speed on little riding but more running. (1:05 40k Time trial on about 2.5hrs riding a week ave).

    Oh yeah, and we’re all different, so I don’t think you can generalise. 🙂

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Cycling largely uses the muscles on the front of your legs while running uses only the ones on your back. With training the body can also differentiate between so-called ‘running fibres’ and ‘cycling fibres’ within the same muscle and recruit one for the other, which is what triathlon brick training is all about. You can then use the entire muscle for a single activity rather than just a portion of it.

    In more advanced athletes, scientists have discovered that they can use either the left of right side of a muscle for specific activities according, it seems, to their dominant brain side, but trained elite athletes can actually use the complete muscle for both activities if they choose to do so.

    So strictly speaking the body is using the same muscles, but different fibres and even specific cells for the different activities. Think of it as being like a plate with beans and peas on it. One activity eats beans the other, peas, but clearly if you can train the body to eat both beans and peas with the same spoon, then the nutritional benefits make for superior performance.

    Oh, a quick disclaimer, I am by no means an expert sports scientist, this is just stuff I have gleaned from working with top athletes in various fields, some of the details may be slightly wrong, but the gist of it is correct in broad terms I think.

    emac65
    Free Member

    When I was running 5 mile 2-3 times a week earlier in the year I found it had little to no benefit to my cycling.However when I used to play 5-a-side footy it helped my cycling a lot.
    In other words short bouts of flat out sprinting seemed to help & make my legs stronger but jogging didn’t seem to do much if anything,only make my legs ache.

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    In other words short bouts of flat out sprinting seemed to help & make my legs stronger but jogging didn’t seem to do much if anything,only make my legs ache.

    That’s because the cycling fibres in the muscles are bored by jogging however flat-out sprinting helps to recruit them more effectively giving a cumulative benefit in both activities. Did you make a conscious effort to recruit extra fibres I wonder?

    racing_ralph
    Free Member

    crotchrocket – Member

    run to improve cycling. Don’t cycle to improve your running.
    To improve your cycling, try rowing

    makes no sense what so ever

    crikey
    Free Member

    BWD, I’m sorry, but that sounds like cobblers. Do you have any actual information to back it up?

    emac65
    Free Member

    That’s because the cycling fibres in the muscles are bored by jogging however flat-out sprinting helps to recruit them more effectively giving a cumulative benefit in both activities. Did you make a conscious effort to recruit extra fibres I wonder?

    I did try……..

Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)

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