Does an Exercise Bike Tone Your Bum Fast?

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Last Updated: October 18th, 2022 by Alisha Wishart (Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Fitness Enthusiast)

Whenever I’m in front of a mirror, I can’t help but check out my butt. C’mon, we all do it, ladies! A woman’s bum is a magnet. The more toned your booty is (ahem), the sexier and more attractive you feel. Conversely, a sagged bum not only makes you unattractive, it can also result in backache.

Does an exercise bike tone your bum? Yes, you can tone your bum using the right exercise bike. It is important to note that it takes time to tone the butt, and only the right exercise variations and nutrition will make you succeed at it. Here is what I found out on my quest to get rid of my mom’s butt and make my bum fuller.

Does an Exercise Bike Tone Your Bum Fast?

You bet it does! Let’s waste no more time and get down to business.

Here we go girls!

1. Booty Basics (Understanding what muscles make up the butt)

I know we’re all excited here, but before we delve further, we need to go through very important section. There are three parts to the human butt, and these are:

  1. The Gluteus Minimus – This is the smallest muscle of the buttock, a fan-shaped muscle fiber that works together with the gluteus medius to rotate your thigh.
  2.  The Gluteus Medius – This muscle group is found on the outer part of your pelvis surface. Its main work is to rotate your hip.
  3. The Gluteus Maximus – This is the largest muscle of the butt.  The gluteus maximus is responsible for the shape and appearance of the hip and bum.

More: If you looking to purchase a compact bike, consider any of these folding exercise bikes

2. Why am I losing mass in my buttocks?

Your bum is made up of gluteal muscles. These muscles are responsible for controlling the lower body’s movement. When you are young, your gluteal muscles are firm and tout.

However, as you age, the muscles start wasting, and your rear end takes on a sagging appearance. Some of the causes of gluteal muscle wasting include:

#Saggy bum after pregnancy

One of the most common ‘side effects’ of pregnancy is a saggy bum. A mom butt! Before I had my first baby, my tush was in excellent shape. It was firm in all the right places. But then I had the second and third baby, and suddenly, my rump just sagged. Have you been through this?

As your baby grows in your womb, the pelvis gets stretched. This stretching makes it difficult for the gluteal muscles to engage and help in movement.

If you do not engage in any exercise at this time, your glute develops ‘amnesia’. Basically, your bum muscles take a back seat (no pun intended) and your quadriceps take over their job. Ultimately this leads to the weakening of these glute muscles which leads to a lazy ass.  But be brave, mama, we’re going to work out your butt until it regains its former lift.

#Saggy bum after losing weight

Have you lost some pounds recently?

Remember that inexplicable feeling of joy when you attained your weight loss goals? However, looking behind you (pun intended this time), you realize that you’ve won just half the battle. The other half is toning your droopy butt. A sagging butt after weight loss applies to both men and women.

To win the other half, you need to exercise your body more, and working out on an exercise bike is one of the best ways to tone your back.

#Sitting at work

If you hold a regular desk job, chances are you sit for 8 hours or longer. See, when your hands are busy working, your bum isn’t. Your career may go up, but your booty will soon go down.

Sitting down for hours causes the glutes to weaken leading to a droopy butt. I’m not saying you quit your job, no, no. You can negate this effect by sitting in an upright position and using a pillow on your back or using a standing desk. Also, you need to strengthen your glutes by cycling for at least 30 minutes each day.

#Unhealthy diet

I’m the kind of girl who often rewards herself with food. I know it’s not right, but it is what it is. I’ve come to learn that nutrition plays a vital role in my weight loss journey.

What are you putting in your mouth? Is it healthy or unhealthy food?

There is fat tissue between your skin and the gluteal muscles. Your body does not have the ability to process bad fats. Instead, these fats get stored around your tummy and bum.

More: Here are the best exercise bike with screen that offer online workout classes and videos

3. What muscles does cycling tone?

As opposed to other forms of HIIT training that target the whole body, biking helps tone the lower body only.

 

To be specific, an exercise bike targets the following muscle groups:

  • Gluteal muscles: basically your butt muscles
  • Calf muscles: gastrocnemius and soleus
  • Foot muscles: dorsiflexors and plantar flexors
  • Quadriceps and hamstring muscles: front and back of your thighs
  • Hip flexors: your hip muscles
  • If you opt for a bike combo machine, you’ll work your upper body and lower body at the same time.

How to Tone Your Bum Using an Exercise Bike

Truth is, you can tone your bum using an exercise bike. However, it is important to note that only the right combination of sitting position, resistance setting, and pedaling will get your butt toned. Don’t know how to achieve this? No worries, I’ve got your back!

So, whether you are at home or in a gym, get on that exercise bike, and let’s get started!

1. Sitting position

Whether you’re using a recumbent bike, a spinning bike, or an upright bike, you need to sit in the right position to maximize your workout.

Before you sit, ensure you have adjusted the seat according to your height. After adjusting the seat’s height, test the angle at which your body tilts towards the handlebars.

Now here are the trick, ladies, you want your body to tilt slightly forward.  This way, you get to work all of the muscles, especially your glutes, at the same time.

Sitting in an upright position will only work your hamstrings and quads and leaning too much could lead to neck pain and shoulder pain. So, avoid these two positions. The next important step is to check on your foot position.

2. Foot placement

Your upper body position determines your feet position. Placing your foot correctly guarantees efficiency and maximum pedal power.

For proper foot placement, ensure your metatarsal (ball of the foot) is parallel to the pedal’s pivot arm. Also, make sure the sole of your foot is parallel to the ground/floor.

Most indoor bikes come with straps that make it easy to hold the foot in place correctly. If you are using an older model, chances are it does not have a strap. To maintain balance you will have to constantly touch the ground with your feet, derailing your progress.

You can purchase clips, cages, or baskets to attach to the pedals, because any of these products will help maintain the correct feet position.

3.  Resistance

Resistance is another important factor to help tone your bum. It is the key element that determines how much weight you will lose and how fast your rump gets toned.

Most of the latest indoor bikes come with resistance levels settings. The levels range from 1-8, but some newer models come with higher resistance settings, even up to 20. These levels enable indoor bikes to mimic the resistance of outdoor bikes.

As a beginner, you can start with lower resistance settings, say 2-3. As you make progress, you can raise the resistance settings. Remember, the higher the settings, the more calories you will burn.

If you are using an outdoor bike for exercise, try to ride on different terrains to get the most out of your workout routine. Also, as you cycle, try to raise your butt slightly to ensure maximum workout of the glute muscles.

Does An Exercise Bike Tone Your Glutes? – Read More Here!

How to Make My Bike Seat More Comfortable

One of the common cycling ailments among new and seasoned cyclists is saddle sore. Basically, a saddle sore is an irritation that occurs in the part where your bum makes contact with your bike’s saddle.

Saddle sores are caused by sweating and chafing when you do cycling for hours. So, how do you make your bike seat more comfortable to avoid these sores?

1. Pick the right saddle

Choosing a saddle is not as simple as it sounds. What works for your best friend may not necessarily work for you. But here’s a tip: Don’t go for the most expensive or most padded, the largest, or the lightest saddle. The best exercise bike saddle is one that accommodates your shape perfectly.

2. Use a chamois

A chamois is the padded part of your cycling shorts. The perfect chamois is made of high-quality material without seams.

3. Stay clean

You should never reuse cycling shorts you’ve sweated in. Instead, always use freshly laundered shorts.

4. Use chamois cream

Now, this is a must-have for any cyclist. Chamois cream is a lubricant that reduces the rubbing and friction that lead to saddle sores. Also, it helps get rid of the bacteria that causes inflammation and irritates the skin.

More: If you are using a recumbent bike, here are some recumbent bike workouts to try out

Is Using an Exercise Bike to Tone Your Butt Enough?

Toning your bum will take time. An exercise bike will only take you half of the way. The other half includes:

1. Cycling and strength training

Some of strength training exercises you can combine with your cycling routine include:

Related Post:  Stationary Cycling vs walking

 2. Cycling and nutrition

As you start your workout routine to lose weight and tone your tush, it is important to avoid certain foods. That’s going to be hard especially if you have a sweet tooth like me. But as I have found out, sugary food doesn’t do you any good.

  • Eat the right amount of calories. You’ll get hungry after each session, so there’s always the temptation to reward yourself. However, since you’re working towards a goal, you need to keep your calories in check.
  • If you are using an indoor bike, check on the number of calories burned and make sure the meal you consume next has fewer calories than the burned calories. If you are using an outdoor bike, you can use a calculator to find out the number of calories burned.
  • Balance you carbohydrates and proteins intake. Your primary source of energy for cycling is carbohydrates, but large servings of carbohydrates will leave you feeling full and lethargic. So the trick here is to eat small portions of carbohydrates, preferably a fistful, several times a day. The best carbs include wholegrains, such as oats, and vegetables.
  • High-quality protein foods, such as beans and pulses, help in body tissue maintenance. Avoid red meats and stick to leans meats such as fish and chicken.

3. Water

Girl, to tone your bum, you need to take plenty of water to help keep your energy levels high. It also helps to keep your stomach full, keeping you from binge-eating. Another bonus, it also helps smoothen your skin.

4. Add Zumba

Exercising on a bike all week can get boring fast. That’s why we’re going to have fun as we tone our bums, ladies!

Here is a Zumba workout for beginners

 

It is time for Zumba!

Zumba helps you lose weight fast, boosts your mood, and tones your body. With three hours of Zumba, you can lose up to 2 pounds a month.

Related Post:  Do exercise bikes burn belly fat?

Final Thoughts

Girl, I’ve been where you are, and I know the pains of having a jiggly mom butt. The good news is, you don’t need to go under the knife to get a fuller behind.

One of the advantages of pedal exercisers such as bikes is toning the butt. To tone your bum naturally, you need to work out on the right exercise bike, eat healthy food, and add strength training to your routine.

Before you start cycling, remember to adjust your seat according to your height, place your feet correctly, and lean forward. This will protect you against back, shoulder, or neck pain.

For faster results, add other strength training exercises, such as half squats and step-ups, to your routine. Remember that to prevent saddle sores, you need to use a good chamois and apply chamois cream. If you already have sores, you can apply an emollient and stop cycling until the symptoms disappear.

This, ladies, is the easiest and most natural way you can tone your bum.  Happy cycling!

FAQs

1. Does squeezing buttocks make it bigger?

Yes, squeezing does help make the bum fuller. However, it will not grow as full as you would want it to be. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the buttocks are made up of three gluteal muscles. Squeezing alone works the outer muscles only but not the innermost muscle, the gluteus minimus. The good news is, the combination of squeezing and cycling will help make your bum fuller faster.

2. How do you firm and lift buttocks fast?

After I had my babies, all I wanted was my firm rear end back. No one really likes a saggy bum. Well, as I discovered there is no fast method. Unless you are considering plastic surgery, all the natural methods take time. The best part about that is, you get to learn your body and tone other parts as well.