When you settle into your saddle for a bike ride or a virtual cycling class, you can count on your entire lower body being put to work for the duration of your workout. Cycling engages practically every single muscle in your lower body, including your quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Know what else it engages? Your glutes—big time.

The glutes are the biggest muscle in the body and are located between the lower back and thighs, making up the buttocks. If one of your fitness goals is targeting this part of the body, it’s helpful to know how exactly the glutes are used while cycling and how to activate them as much as possible so you get maximum benefits from each pedal stroke. But does cycling build glute strength? Keep reading to find out.

Does Cycling Work Your Glute Muscles?

Peloton instructor Christine D’Ercole says that cycling absolutely works the glute muscles throughout the majority of each pedal stroke. If you think of the pedaling motion as a clockwise movement, the glutes are primarily engaged between what would be about 12 and 5 on a clock face. This is the ‘push’ phase, when the glutes and quads are straightening the knee joint. "There is a 'break' in glute activation on the 'up' stroke as the opposite leg takes over on the other side," Christine says, of the one moment when the glutes get a micro-break.

In addition to working the glutes, Christine says that cycling engages the hamstrings, calves, quads, and the tibialis anterior, which is a muscle in the lower leg located near the shin. Cycling also engages the hip flexors and adductors (inner thigh muscles) to keep the hips and knees stable.

Does Cycling *Really* Build Glute Strength?

Engaging the glutes is one thing, but improving your glute strength is something else entirely. So, does cycling build glute muscles and can you expect them to get stronger if you cycle regularly? If one of your fitness goals is to increase glute strength and build more muscle, you’ll also want to incorporate strength training.

To make sure your glutes are firing while cycling and you are employing as many muscle fibers as possible, Christine recommends doing some glute activation exercises before getting on the bike. Adding strength training (like split squats with dumbbells) and power training (like box jumps) will further enhance your glutes ability to push through challenging pedal strokes.

How to Activate Your Glutes While Cycling

“Cycling tends to be a quad-dominant exercise,” Christine explains, “so it is very helpful to make sure you are also activating the muscles of the posterior chain to be most effective and efficient in your workouts.” The posterior chain includes the glutes, lats, erector spinae, and the hamstrings. It is also important to note the importance of proper bike fit to keep your joints and limbs in the optimal position for riding.

Ideally, Christine says, it’s helpful to have a professional fitter make sure your seat, handlebars, and pedals are all where they should be, specific to your individual body. “Everyone has unique differences in their ratio of limb lengths and muscular imbalances or tightnesses that may result in modifications on an 'ideal' position in order to account for these differences,” she says.

In general, Christine says that the bike position and cleat position on the shoe should allow for the ball of the foot to be set over the axle of the pedal to generate power through the pedal stroke. “Also, very generally speaking, the legs should not be over-extended so that the toe drops down to accommodate reaching the bottom of the stroke, nor should the leg be so bent that the benefit of the leg lever length is lost,” she says. There are moments, during a sprint for instance, when tucking the hips under slightly may help produce more power because you are more able to recruit the glutes.

How to Do Glute Activations Before Cycling

What you do before getting on the bike matters too. Glute activation exercises—which involve contracting the glute muscle—can “wake up” the glutes before your ride, Christine says. Because these moves isolate the glutes, they also help build glute strength. Below are five glute activations Christine recommends doing before cycling. “These moves will help train the brain and musculature to communicate so that they are more responsive throughout the pedal stroke,” she says.

Glute Bridges with Alternating Hip Drops

1. Start in a glute bridge position by lying on the floor, bending your knees and placing your feet on the floor, with your hands at your sides. Thrust the hips to lift the glutes and lower back off the floor.

2. Use your glutes to dip your left hip closer to the floor. Come back to the starting position.

3. Use your glutes to dip your right hip closer to the floor. Come back to the starting position.

4. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

Banded Clam Shells

1. Place a resistance band slightly above your knees. Lie down on the floor on your side, resting your head on your bottom arm and bending your knees at 90 degrees. Your knees should be stacked on top of each other.

2. Engage your core and lift the top knee as high as you can without rotating your hips. Come back down to the starting position.

3. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

Glute Bridge with Alternating Single Leg Extension

1. Start in a glute bridge position by lying on the floor, bending your knees and placing your feet on the floor, with your hands at your sides. Thrust the hips to lift the glutes and lower back off the floor.

2. Extend your left leg out straight before slowly bringing your foot back to the floor.

3. Extend your right leg out straight before slowly bringing your foot back to the floor.

4. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

1. Stand up straight and hold a heavy dumbbell in each hand. Place your arms in front of your thighs. 

2. Hinge at the hips, bend your knees slightly, and push your glutes behind you. Keep your chest lifted.

3. Lower the weights to your shins, pausing when you’re halfway down. Your arms should straighten as the weights move down your legs.

4. Use your glutes and hamstrings to come back to the starting position. 

5. Do two sets of 10 reps.

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

1. Stand up straight and hold a dumbbell in your left hand, in front of your thigh. 

2. Balance on your right leg, bending your knee slightly. While keeping your back flat, bend at the waist, extending your left leg behind you. Continue bending until the dumbbell is halfway down your shin.

3. Come back to the starting position, engaging your glutes and pushing your hips forward. 

4. Do 10 reps. Then repeat on the other side. 

The Takeaway

Doing the above glute activation exercises and cycling regularly are a great way to start building glute strength. But Christine says that it may also cause muscle tightness, making it harder to cycle properly. The key is to know your body and don’t forget to stretch and recover.

“Remember, fitness is not a linear process and whatever your goal is, getting into a well-rounded, periodized program including strength, flexibility, mindfulness, and stretching will set you up for success,” Christine says.