Penny Weston, fitness expert and founder of wellness centre Made, told Live Science that if you want to strengthen the muscles in your legs to make them look more toned, walking and stationary cycling are both ideal. "Walking across different terrains such as hills is particularly effective at doing this.
Biking is a great way to lose thigh fat. Bicycling is a popular form of exercise, for both recreation and competition. Whether you're cycling in a spin class or navigating the outdoors, using a bike can help you lose thigh fat and build muscle.
“You're weight-bearing when you're walking, so you'll be training your bones to be stronger.” Both activities use nearly all of your muscles. But when biking, you're really working out your glutes and quadriceps (also muscles in the lower legs/feet, if clipped into the pedals).
According to The Stroke Association, a brisk 30-minute walk daily helps in controlling high blood pressure and in reducing the chances of stroke by 27 per cent. More importantly, brisk walking can help you tone your legs and reduce thigh fat. Walking tones your calves, quads and hamstrings and lifts the glutes.
Cycling can help tone legs, thighs and buttocks
In the battle for firm thighs and shapely legs your bike can be your best ally. As you push on those pedals, you're working out the lower body muscles – legs, hips and buttocks – and if you stand up in the saddle, you'll also be strengthening your arms, too.
What you can do is firm up your flabby thighs by reducing the amount of body fat from your whole body — which will include the fat on your thighs — and toning your leg muscles. Combining cardiovascular exercise with targeted thigh resistance training will change the appearance of your legs.
If you are physically inactive or overweight, then yes, cycling will help reduce cellulite. Road cycling and mountain biking combine cardio and resistance training. Pedaling, especially uphill, extensively works your thighs, hamstrings, and butt, all areas that are mostly influenced by cellulite.
Aerobic exercise
Weight loss can lessen the appearance of an individual's cellulite. Some common aerobic exercises include: walking. running.
It's true, but only if you put some real effort into it. Brisk walking for 30 minutes, four to six times a week will help tone your thighs, firm up your bum and whittle away your waist.
That means less risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. Walking doesn't just boost your heart health; it is also good for toning your whole body. Your legs and glutes get a good workout and if you pump your arms as you walk, they also benefit.
Cycling burns more calories
The average walking speed of 5 km/h (3 mph) makes the average person burn approximately 232 kcal per hour. So the whole distance of 8 km, or 10,000 steps, will make you burn about 371 kcal in total. Cycling at a moderate speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) burns approximately 563 kcal per hour.
The squat is one of the best exercises to tone legs. It also sculpts the butt, hips, and abs. Squats are ideal if you have back problems. Since they're done while standing up and without extra weight, they won't strain the back.
If you want to burn fat and get lean legs, walking is better than slow running.
Alternate With Other Exercises
Celebrity fitness trainer Tracy Anderson cautions that too much cycling can bulk up the thighs rather than slim them down. This is because you're gaining more muscles as you lose the fat. Anderson recommends cross-training exercises for variety.
Significant weight loss and muscle gains will take approximately eight weeks to see, however, even though you're not seeing muscle definition, the benefits going on in your body and mind are considerable. “Your clothes will fit better, your posture will be better and you'll walk taller,” Sharp says.
Walking Benefits for Legs
Muscle tissue burns four times as many calories as fat, so the muscle you get from walking can also help you lose more weight. This means that you can realistically trim some of the fat from your legs and tone them within a month or two by walking briskly every day for 60 minutes per session.
One such option? Take your steps up a notch by walking for glutes strength. Regular ol' walking does work your glutes (along with your hamstrings, quads, calves, and core), but certain tweaks to your form or technique can give your glutes muscles some extra love.
Rather than focus on one single exercise, aim for a regular workout routine that combines aerobic exercises and strength training. Aerobic activities help you burn fat, while strength exercises build muscle and help with overall skin elasticity. Combined, all these factors may help improve thigh cellulite.
As an endurance sport, cycling can be exceptionally good for cardiovascular fitness, as well as toning muscles, improving physique and boosting body image. And it can help to improve the muscle tone of your legs, glutes and core.
Get moving. It's one of the best treatments. It won't make your cellulite disappear, but strong muscles under lumpy areas can make your skin look more even. Try a three-part plan: a healthy diet, brisk exercise, and moves that tone your muscles.
Exercise alone won't get rid of cellulite, experts say. But it can help, along with diet and boosting circulation.
After one month of regular cycling
After a couple of weeks, your strength and fitness will start to significantly improve. Now you can cycle in higher intensity and without any greater sore.
Step your right leg behind the left, bending both knees and pulling both knees slightly toward the midline to squeeze your inner thighs. As you stand to exit the curtsy lunge, you can either tap your right foot or lift the knee for a greater intensity and balance challenge. Repeat on the right side for 10–12 reps.