Which Muscles Do I Use for Running?

Running uses the muscles in the thighs (quadriceps), the backs of the legs (hamstrings), calves, hips, low back, and buttocks, and the upper body cannot be ignored since you use your torso (back and abdominal muscles) as well as your arms and shoulders to help you stabilize, balance, and move forward. Here are a few tips for running-based muscle building.

1. Run up and down hills to focus on tightening and toning your thighs and buttocks.

2. Doing speed work or intervals (where you sprint for a few minutes at high speeds and then recover at a slower pace) is comparable to leg exercises in the gym (leg press, leg extension, etc.), so you can skip your leg work on the days that you do these workouts.

3. Run backward if you want to work your ankles, lower back, and thighs (hamstrings and quadriceps) and improve your balance.