Do Treadmills & Stationary Bikes Work Different Muscles?

Whether you are new to exercising or have been working out for years, treadmills and stationary bikes provide a rigorous workout at the gym or in your own home. Besides a cardio workout, both types of equipment can help you strengthen muscles. Treadmill and stationary bike models usually have a console with controls that adjust speed, resistance and incline to change your workout intensity. Check with your doctor before you try any type of exercise, and stop exercising and talk to your doctor if you have symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or tightness in the chest.

  1. Leg Muscle Benefits

    • Both the treadmill and the stationary bike work the muscles that move the hips and knees forward, and the calf muscles that move the forefoot away from the body. Unlike the stationary bike, the treadmill works the muscles that move the hips backward and sideways away from the spine, and the muscles that move the forefoot toward the body. Unlike a treadmill workout, which impacts the joints when you step on the moving belt, pedaling a stationary bike does not impact the joints.

    Benefits to Other Muscles

    • Unlike the stationary bike, the treadmill strengthens your core muscles, including the abdominal muscles and the muscles that rotate the spine and move the spine to the left and right. As you walk or run on the moving treadmill belt, these core muscles must work to help you keep your balance, notes Wellness Watchers MD. Unless you use dumbbells to add an upper-body workout as you pedal a recumbent bike, a stationary bike does not strengthen the core muscles or any muscles other than the glutes and leg muscles.

    Correct Treadmill Posture

    • For the maximum benefit to your leg and core muscles, you should stand upright and close to the treadmill console when you are walking or running. You can place your hand on the handlebars to maintain balance, but do not rest your body weight on the handlebars during your workout. Before you begin your treadmill workout, straddle the moving belt and grasp the handlebars. Clip the safety tether to your waist so that the treadmill will stop if you fall. Select a slow speed and step onto the moving belt, and adjust to increase or decrease the speed or incline to change your workout intensity.

    Correct Stationary Bike Posture

    • Your leg muscles will benefit from a stationary bike workout if your legs are almost fully extended, with the knees slightly bent, at the bottom of the pedal cycle. You can adjust the seat on your bike to the correct distance for this posture. On an upright stationary bike, your back should lean slightly forward when you grasp the handlebars. If you use a recumbent bike, your back should rest against the back of the seat as you grasp the handles on either side of the seat. You can adjust the resistance on a stationary bike console to increase or decrease the workout intensity to give your muscles an optimal workout.

    Treadmill and Stationary Bike Workouts

    • Exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike for 20 to 30 minutes three to five times a week. For five to 10 minutes before your workout, warm up your muscles and gradually increase your heart rate with light jogging or walking. Begin a stationary bike workout at low resistance for five minutes, and gradually decrease speed and increase resistance at three- to five-minute intervals for 10 minutes so that your leg muscles burn. Return to a low resistance and higher speed, and repeat the speed decrease and resistance increase for another 10 minutes. On a treadmill, you can walk, alternating between flat and a 4 percent incline every three or four minutes, or run, alternating between flat and a 5 to 8 percent incline. End your workout with five to 10 minutes of stretching to cool down.