Does running only build leg muscles?

[series1000]

Or are there certain ways to run to tone other parts of your body?


Also, does running an hour a day even help tone your legs that much, or is it mainly beneficiary for cardiovascular health?

[Shaner]

Running burns calories. If you create a calorie defecit for long enough, you will lose weight and will have that toned look. Although running does build muscle (any type of physical activity will build muscle on some level), it's mainly a cardiovascular exercise, it's not meant as a muscle building exercise. The reason running is so important (besides the health benefits) is that if you have excess body fat, you won't ever have that "toned" look.

As for it hitting just your legs, that's incorrect. Running targets many muscles, although like I said, it's not a mass building exercise. Running also targets fat (provided you create a daily calorie deficit) on your entire body, not just your legs or your midsection. The same applies to all exercises that promote weight loss.

[Psubs]

The swaying of your arms works parts of your upper body.

[sleepyguy]

+1 to what shaner said exactly. An alternative if you have bad knees is the elipical or the recumbent. I honestly done some pretty intense jogging in the past and well... now i just do more interval cardio, less time and good results. -sg

[Amuthini]

when i first started jogging a few years ago my abs hurt after running. so i'm pretty sure it works your core too.

[SENSEI]

Running burns calories. If you create a calorie defecit for long enough, you will lose weight and will have that toned look. Although running does build muscle (any type of physical activity will build muscle on some level), it's mainly a cardiovascular exercise, it's not meant as a muscle building exercise. The reason running is so important (besides the health benefits) is that if you have excess body fat, you won't ever have that "toned" look.

As for it hitting just your legs, that's incorrect. Running targets many muscles, although like I said, it's not a mass building exercise. Running also targets fat (provided you create a daily calorie deficit) on your entire body, not just your legs or your midsection. The same applies to all exercises that promote weight loss.

+1
To add, most literature points to the "cardiovascular" AEROBIC system kicking in after sustained 15 minutes of exercise. Only then will you be targeting your adipose or fat cells.

Anything short of the 15 minutes and you're just pushing your ANAEROBIC system and building fast twitch muscles. So if you're running for at least 15 minutes, start if you want to burn calories and fat....

[bluetroll]

when i first started jogging a few years ago my abs hurt after running. so i'm pretty sure it works your core too.

+1!

running will strengthen your core muscles.

[gilboman]

+1
To add, most literature points to the "cardiovascular" AEROBIC system kicking in after sustained 15 minutes of exercise. Only then will you be targeting your adipose or fat cells.

Anything short of the 15 minutes and you're just pushing your ANAEROBIC system and building fast twitch muscles. So if you're running for at least 15 minutes, start if you want to burn calories and fat....

I'm not too sure about that. I mean if you want to burn fat or lose weight, even during the first 15min you are doing that just by burning calories, it just means for the first 15min, less of the calories burned is comming from fat. but if you just do 15min but still maintain a calorie defiict, you will still be burning fat.

[SENSEI]

I'm not too sure about that. I mean if you want to burn fat or lose weight, even during the first 15min you are doing that just by burning calories, it just means for the first 15min, less of the calories burned is comming from fat. but if you just do 15min but still maintain a calorie defiict, you will still be burning fat.

You are correct to a certain extent.
You burn calories regardless of the length of activity.
However, the fat you burn in the pre-15 min time is so minimal as most energy is coming from glycogen at this point.

Any exercise is better than nothing.
But I assumed we were talking about semi-healthy individuals and not morbidly obese individuals with co-morbidities.

In the healthy population, you should always look to create a calorie deficit through diet to see the best weight loss. But I wanted to point out that you can augment your training with the type, length and frequency of aerobic training you do as well.

[Oni-kun]

Screw running! Cycle cycle!

[CSR]

Screw running! Cycle cycle!

+1

[lazer]

Running is cardiovascular or anaerobic depending on how you train. If you go slow but for long distance or time you burn alot of fat (i lost 30 lbs in 5 mos). if you do more sprint or hill work like a friend of mine you will definitely build leg strength and muscle.

In either case, any exercise you do will stress your body and require rebuilding where human growth hormone comes in. my buddy and i both noticed without doing any pushups or resitance training, our arms and shoulders became much more 'cut' just from running. I have read somewhere, HGH helps to balance out the body's symmetry. That is why even if you injure your left arm but continue to do right arm curls both arms will continue to grow in size, to preserve symetry. Running strengthens all muscles is what i am saying, not as much as weights but do what you enjoy so you can stick to it.

[sexpuppet6000]

Take it from someone who has run several 40km distances, running works out your entire body.

When you are constantly jobbing/running and your arms and shoulders begin to kill. Depending on your running stride your legs may be burning. Pretty much every muscle in your body will ache.

[izzyzz]

Running (not to be confused with jogging) strengthens your legs, back and other muscle groups. It is an essential exercise for all sorts of sports -- athletics, martial arts, soccer, hockey... It is far more effective than cycling.

[at1212b]

I've always looked at areobic running as working the true engine of your body.. the heart. With a good heart, it provides a solid foundation for anything else you want to do physically, and take further advantage of those other excercises.

[danns]

Running is cardiovascular or anaerobic depending on how you train. If you go slow but for long distance or time you burn alot of fat (i lost 30 lbs in 5 mos). if you do more sprint or hill work like a friend of mine you will definitely build leg strength and muscle.

In either case, any exercise you do will stress your body and require rebuilding where human growth hormone comes in. my buddy and i both noticed without doing any pushups or resitance training, our arms and shoulders became much more 'cut' just from running. I have read somewhere, HGH helps to balance out the body's symmetry. That is why even if you injure your left arm but continue to do right arm curls both arms will continue to grow in size, to preserve symetry. Running strengthens all muscles is what i am saying, not as much as weights but do what you enjoy so you can stick to it.


Link to where you read this...?