Cycling.. does it lean or bulk up legs?

Lynn M.

Lynn M.

Cathlete
Hi to all you spinning/cycling enthusiasts!

I am in process of training for my very first Triathalon coming up in August. I've started bike training ( first inside bec. of weather) and now outdoors.

I've never been a bike rider for exercise, just for fun around the block, so its a totally new gig for me.

My question is to those of you that bike.. do your legs tend to bulk more when riding alot? I've just recently gotten my legs to where I like them mostly from running, kickboxing and swimming. I'm curious to see what your experience in as far as the bulk factor w/ biking.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Lynn M.
 
I would think it depends: if you use a high tension (where pedalling is hard) it could bulk your quads especially. If you use a gear that allows you to pedal with less effort, then it would be less likely that you bulk and it could lean you out.
 
I believe it also depends on how much hill climbing you do. I see some very muscular men and women in the quad and calf area. One can definitely tell those who do the hill climbs vs. those who do more flat level riding. I'm from San Diego where there are a ton of hills.
 
Many moons ago (like about 1963)I rode a one speed Schwinn bike that was the hardest bike to ride, and since I was suffering from exercise anorexia, I would ride that bike all over the place. To make a long story short, I developed very muscular legs, especially calves. I STILL have large calves to this day, and I know it's from my old Schwinn bike. So that's my story. Everyone's different, however, as we all know.

Speed skaters cross-train in the off season on bikes, and you know what their legs look like.

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)
 
I don't know, my cousin was a racer in Colorado, tried out for the olympics and everything. Her strength was hill climbing due to the mountains around where she trained. I wouldn't say that her legs were bulky. Muscular, yes, but not big. I think it depends on your tendency to bulk. But I have to say this, she was in awesome shape.

Kathy
 
Hi everybody-

Thanks so much for the input. It definitely looks like based on your comments that I will get more muscular, which is OK if I get the additional cuts with it. ( provided I can lay off the cheetos and oreos, these next couple of months.. hahha!!! :)

I may also change up my strength training to accomodate for the quad/calf gains.. I've already gone to higher reps/lower weights for lower body.. May need to to adjust even further.

Anyways, thanks again!! Take care, Lynn M.
 
Hi! First I want to wish you luck on your latest endeavor. I very much admire you and all the people on this board who do these "races". Because of a lot of you, I hope to start running and maybe do a duathalon - biking and running

Anyway, I am NO Expert here. I have recently started doing spin classes for about three months - usually twice a week sometimes three. The class varies in intensity from sprints with low tension to massive hill climbs with lots of tension. I have to say, my legs have not bulked up - again only doing this three months - they have definately toned up, and I can see contour in my quad and calve muscles that were never there before. I am assuming this is from the spinning as I also started pilates at about the same time, but not as consistently.

One thing I have done, is I don't weight train my lower body as much anymore. If I spin three times a week, then I do no lower body work, if I spin twice a week, I try to do a lower body endurance workout using lighter weights.

I hope this helps.
Again - Good luck!!!!!
 
I have to agree with twosquared. I have been spinning regularly, 3-5 times a week, for about 9 months, and my legs definitely have not bulked up at all. In fact, I think they are a little thinner, and definitely more defined and toner. The spin classes I do are very intense, and at times I have a lot of tension on the fly wheel (you never want to spin with just a mimimum amount of tension or you can hurt your knees). I also run a lot for cardio (3-5 times a week, 4-7 miles) and I definitely think that running can bulk up my legs more. Oh, and also like twosquared, I really do not lift for my lower body--the running and spinning are plenty for me.

Amyway, that's what I have noticed with my own body. Good luck!!
 
Hi DukeChick and TwoSquared:

Thanks for the replies and encouragement!! Right now I am doing 2 endurance strength workouts for legs/ week. I may cut down to one and/or lighten up my weight even further.

Its been kind of tricky figuring out when/how to do legwork w/ this tri-training. I don't want to overtrain my leg muscles, but I want to retain as much strength with them as possible.

Anyways, the info you provided is very helpful.. thanks again!!

Lynn M.

PS. TwoSquared.. you should do the duathalon...its really fun to have a goal to work to!!! Go for it!!!
 
I've been riding about 100 miles a week for 6 months. Here in Chapel "Hill", it's constant rolling hills, but not mountains.

My quads and hamstrings are definitely bigger, but not bulky. I think it looks great. In fact, I think my legs have never looked better. I am a pear, so leg fat is always an issue. That last little layer is always there, at any weight.

I weigh 128 and I'm 5'8".

I have changed my Cathe training a bit though. I concentrate more on endurance leg workouts like LG and ME, not so much PS or SH.
 
Hi Mogambo-

Thanks for the reply.. In re to your endurance leg workouts, do you match what Cathe uses for weights? Previously before I started this tri stuff, I would do her endurance workouts but w/ heavier weights. It was comfortable for me, but now I am thinking I will need to go down in weight for this as well so as not to overfatigue because I have added biking to the mix.

Also, I am a pear too.. out of curiosity, has biking done anything for your glutes? After a long cycle workout it kind of feels like there might be some uh, "magic" happening at the lower part of the glute, but not anywhere else on the glute.

Thanks in advance, Lynn
 
Lynn-
re: the "magic" in glute area... oh yea!!!
When I started spinning my DH said my booty was the first thing he noticed! Went back north and firmed right up. Also I read in shape mag a few months ago that spinning was by far the best workout to lift and firm the rear!
 
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