Do muscles get pumped up when running? What muscle groups work when running. Extensor toes longus

It is known that the human body consists of more than 600 muscles, which are responsible for various motor activities - ranging from continuous muscle contraction internal organs and ending with a voluntary movement of an arm or leg. One of the most available ways keeping in good physical shape is running. We will try to find out what kind of load this sport puts on a person’s muscular system and whether it is possible to lose weight on a treadmill.

Features of the structure of the muscular system

Any movement of bones or joints is impossible without muscle contraction. At least two muscles are involved in this process - one is responsible for flexion, and the other is responsible for extension. Regardless of the type of muscle, their work is always precisely coordinated - while the flexor muscle is working, the extensor muscle is in a relaxed state.

Their precise and timely control is possible thanks to nerve impulses coming from the human spinal cord and brain. Regular exercise helps maintain muscle strength and endurance and promotes muscle growth.

There are two types of muscle load that have different effects on them. With a static load, their weight and volume increase due to an increase in the number of blood vessels, and also more connective tissue appears and the tendons lengthen.

Weightlifters and boxers most often face such a load - their muscles are very strong and have a more prominent appearance. And if dynamic load predominates in physical activity (running, volleyball, football), then the tendons become shorter and the muscle fibers lengthen - the number of nerve endings in them increases and the circulatory system works better.

The muscles do not have a pronounced relief, but have greater endurance. It is curious that the release of the hormone adrenaline into the blood can increase muscle endurance, their strength, and also increase the rate of their growth.

It has been proven that during prolonged intense exercise, the body begins to work in “full combat readiness” mode, which affects hormonal background. In such cases, adrenaline begins to enter the blood about half an hour after the start of intense training and remains there for another hour after it ends.

This hour and a half plays a huge role in growth muscle mass- all existing reserves of fats and carbohydrates in the body are used to restore overworked muscles. You can help achieve maximum efficiency from such intense exercise with food, rich in proteins and carbohydrates.

It is important that you eat within an hour after training.

With this regimen, you will not only provide your muscles with a strong load, but also give them the opportunity to recover.

What muscles work

Morning jogging is a great alternative to exercise. Despite the apparent simplicity of performing body movements, this process involves the muscles of not only the legs, but also the torso, arms and feet. Let's talk about the work of these muscle groups in more detail.

• They are responsible for straightening the knees and bending the hips. They are directly involved in shock absorption after you put your foot on the ground.

• Gluteal and thigh muscles. Some of the strongest muscles on the human body. They help keep your body upright while you run, and they are also responsible for the free movement of your hips and their fixation while running.

• Helps maintain balance and move the foot.

• These include: flexors and extensors thumbs feet, flexor toes longus, and tibialis anterior and posterior muscles. They are all designed to allow you to flex and extend your foot, move your body's center of gravity from heel to toe, and flex and straighten your toes.

• These muscles reliably fix the spine and prevent it from “dangling in different sides"while running. In this way, they protect him from injury and reduce the percentage of unnecessary body movements to a minimum.

• This group includes: biceps and triceps. They help bend and straighten your arms at the elbow, making running easier.

• They take part in the work of the diaphragm - during inhalation and exhalation.

Did you know? Respectable age for running is not a hindrance. The oldest participant in the London Marathon was Indian Fauja Singh, aged 93. It took him a little more than 6 hours to cover the 42.2 km distance.

During normal running

By jogging, you force the muscles of the hips, pelvis, calves, as well as the intercostal muscles, abs, etc. to actively work. As you can see, this type of load forces almost the entire body to take part.

When running on a treadmill

The main load falls on the lower body - the muscles of the thighs, buttocks, calves, as well as the anterior and posterior tibial muscles actively work.

In addition, by adjusting the pace and angle of the simulator, you can not only increase the load on these muscles, but also connect others to the work, for example, the abdominal muscles, pelvis, intercostal muscles, as well as the muscles of the shoulders and back.

When skiing

Cross-country skiing also involves almost all muscle groups in intensive work. This type of active leisure allows you to “pump up” the muscles of the hips, pelvis, back, calves and abs. An additional bonus is that walking in the snow saturates the lungs with oxygen and is an excellent prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Important! Running has the following contraindications: osteoarthritis of the joints lower limbs, overweight, thrombosis, diseases of the cardiovascular system, myocardial infarction, renal failure and the presence of chronic diseases.

How many calories does running burn?

It's no secret that running is an excellent way to lose weight and burn those hated extra calories. The exact number of calories you burn during exercise depends on many factors: the type of run, your pace, your weight and your metabolic rate.

During normal running at a leisurely pace, an average of 500 kcal/hour is burned. To achieve visible results, you need to run for at least two hours, without long stops for a break. For beginners, this may seem like too much stress on the body.

But, if you gradually increase the distance and running time with each run, in a couple of months you will easily overcome this milestone and be able to acquire excellent physical shape.

If you choose a treadmill, your calorie burn will primarily depend on your weight and the pace at which you run. At a slow pace (fast step) you can “lose” up to 300 kcal/hour. It is with this load that experienced trainers advise beginners and people undergoing rehabilitation after injuries to start training.

Measured jogging with a transition to fast walking for a break will allow you to get rid of 500 kcal/hour. But running with acceleration and without breaks is considered intense and can save you from 700 kcal per hour on the treadmill.

Skiing is the leader in burning calories. In an hour of such a load, you can easily get rid of 700-1000 kcal. You can increase these indicators by 200-300 kcal if you move through snowy areas.

This kind of jogging is considered more gentle on muscles and joints than regular running; in addition, the increased consumption of kilocalories will speed up the process of losing weight. The only pity is that cross-country skiing is not available all year round.

Did you know? Many countries hold annual “Marathons in Heels”. To the participants of this comic sporting event you need to run 80 m. The fastest result is 1 minute and 4 seconds. Often in this marathon you can find male representatives who carefully prepare for the race in heels in advance.

What to do if your muscles hurt when running

If you do everything correctly, then pain should not occur while running.

However, let's look at the most common reasons the appearance of pain in muscles and joints when running:

1. Insufficient before load. Ten minutes of exercise before the start significantly increases your chances of reaching the finish line. Stretch your elbows and knees, bend over, stretch your thigh muscles and walk a couple of circles - these simple exercises will help warm up your muscles and protect you from injuries and soreness the next day.
2. Incorrect running technique. It turns out that you also need to be able to run correctly. Make sure your shoulders are not slouched and your back is straight. Avoid sudden movements and jerks; your knees should not fully extend, but you should step from heel to toe. Failure to follow these rules increases the load on the spine and ankle, which is fraught with injury and the occurrence of areas of pain.
3. Shoes not intended for jogging. Regular sports shoes are not suitable for running. Take care of purchasing special running shoes - in them your foot will be securely fixed, and special shock absorbers will ease the load on your knees and spine that occurs when jumping.

If you feel severe muscle pain while running, change the pace. You may have chosen the wrong speed or the route is too difficult. In this case, you shouldn’t stop abruptly either - it’s best to gradually reduce the speed and go to a walk.

Give your body a rest while walking. After this, resume running - start at a slow speed, gradually increasing the pace.

Important! Right choice places to run are also important. The best and safest place for runners is well-trodden forest paths or dirt roads. This coating provides good traction for the foot and shock absorption, which reduces the load on the joints and spine. But concrete and paving slabs were considered the most unsuitable surfaces for jogging. Their hardness and harsh recoil when jumping can cause problems with the musculoskeletal system.

How to relieve soreness after running

Krepatura is called muscle pain that occurs after exercise. The cause of pain is the accumulation of lactic acid, which is produced during intense exercise.

Most often, this phenomenon is encountered by newcomers to sports or athletes who have returned to sports activities after a long break. If the next morning after an intense workout you feel pain in your body, do not despair, we have prepared for you useful information about how to alleviate this condition and speed up the process of muscle regeneration.

1. Light workout every day. Very often, when you feel pain the next day after a long run, even thinking about any physical activity becomes unpleasant. But you shouldn’t quit exercising during this period, quite the opposite - walking, light exercise, or exercises will help increase blood circulation in the muscles, thereby accelerating the elimination of lactic acid. Immediately after this warm-up, you will feel much lighter.
2. Drink more water. Mineral water without gas will help restore water balance in the body and remove toxins from it. By the way, during training you should definitely drink water in small quantities and in small sips. Remember that it leaves the body very quickly along with sweat, thereby causing dehydration.
3. Warm bath with sea salt and aromatic oils. It will help increase blood circulation and remove lactic acid from the body. , lavender oil or chamomile infusion will help calm inflammatory processes in strained muscles and reduce pain.
4. Cold compresses and lotions. This method is effective immediately after physical activity, as well as for sprains. It is best to use cold running water - ice can cause vasospasm and you are unlikely to get relief.
5. Balanced diet. A varied diet is good and correct, and during moments of recovery of the body after heavy stress, it is a clear necessity. Add foods containing amino acids to your food - fermented milk products, chicken breast, And .
6. Rest. Remember that without proper rest, endurance and strength in the muscles will definitely not appear. Get at least 8 hours of sleep, and try to rest for some time during the day.

It would be wrong to write about methods of getting rid of sore throat without talking about its prevention. So that the day after sports activities to feel only lightness and pleasant relaxation in your muscles - you need to properly organize your workout the day before.

First of all, don't jump into a strenuous running program right away. Start with a warm-up, gradually increasing the pace and load. At the end of your workout, spend some time doing stretching exercises. Such a “correct” end to training will help reduce the occurrence of pain syndromes in the muscles to zero.

We are accustomed to the fact that running means strong legs and heart. But in reality, much more muscles are involved in the work. Therefore, as a final article for this week on running physiology, we bring you a story about which muscles are used during running.

So let's start from the bottom ;)

Legs

Quadriceps muscles. When running, the quadriceps (quadriceps) muscles are actively involved. They occupy the entire anterior and partly the lateral surface of the thigh. Their function is to extend the leg at the knee and flex the hip.

As you run, they stabilize your knees and absorb the shock that occurs when you land on the ground.

Thigh muscles. The thigh muscles located on the back surface perform the opposite function - they flex the knee muscles.

Calf muscles. The calf muscles bend the knees, elevate the legs, and stabilize the body.

During running, the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles develop, as a result of which the lower leg becomes more even and harmoniously developed. These muscles also help absorb the impact of your foot on the running surface and give you a spring in your stride.

Gluteal muscles. The gluteal muscles help keep the body upright while running. It is a group of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus.

The gluteus maximus muscle extends and rotates the thigh, straightens and fixes the torso.

The gluteus medius muscle is involved in hip abduction, and when the hip is in a fixed position, it abducts the pelvis. Straightens the torso bent forward, when standing, tilts the torso in its direction.

The gluteus minimus muscle is also involved in hip abduction and trunk straightening.

Iliopsoas muscles. The iliopsoas muscles are the muscles of the internal group of pelvic muscles. These muscles perform flexion and supination of the thigh at the hip joint.

Feet

Long extensors thumb legs. The long extensors of the thumb are the muscles of the lower leg of the anterior group. They are responsible for extending the big toe and foot, lifting its front edge.

Flexor hallucis longus. The long flexors of the thumb are the muscles of the lower leg of the posterior group. They occupy the most lateral position, located on the posterior surface.

Like the rest of the posterior muscles of the leg, it produces flexion, adduction and supination of the foot. Strengthens the longitudinal arch of the foot.

Long toe flexors. The long flexor digitorum muscles also belong to the posterior group of lower leg muscles. They are located on the back of the tibia. These muscles act on the foot as a whole, and together with the triceps muscles of the leg, they take part in placing the foot on the toe, actively help strengthen the longitudinal arch of the foot and press the toes to the support during walking and running, respectively.

Anterior and posterior tibial muscles. The tibialis anterior and posterior muscles are involved in the function of the foot. The tibialis anterior muscles extend the foot, and the tibialis posterior muscles flex the foot. The peroneus brevis and peroneus longus muscles are also involved in foot flexion and pronation.

Frame

Abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscles (upper and lower) help us maintain proper posture, which is critical for peak performance and helps avoid injury. When we run, our core is loose and this can cause spinal rotation, and strong abdominal muscles help stabilize the upper body and minimize the dissipation of energy through unnecessary body movements. This is especially true for long-distance running.

Intercostal muscles (external and internal). These muscles play a supporting role in running. External muscles are involved in forced inhalation, internal muscles are involved in forced exhalation.

Biceps brachii muscles. The biceps brachii muscles (biceps) are located above the elbow. The shoulder is bent at the shoulder joint, the forearm at the elbow. And it is these muscles that we work to keep our arms in the correct position while running.

Triceps brachii muscles. The triceps brachii muscles (triceps) move our arms back and toward our torso. They are also involved in forearm extension.

Latissimus dorsi muscles. The latissimus dorsi muscles are superficial muscles that occupy the entire bottom part backs. These muscles move the arms when running backwards.

Have productive runs and have a great weekend!

Running requires developed muscles. They are needed to master the correct running technique and the ability to maintain it throughout the entire distance. Trained muscles will allow you to run faster, more technically and more comfortably.

“Soviet Sport” looked into what muscles and how to train them for high-quality running.

HIPS

What they do: the thigh muscles take on almost the main load when running. The quadriceps (or quadriceps) muscles extend the knee and pull the leg up. These muscles are located on the front and sides. The back of the thigh is responsible for bending the knee.

Insufficient training of these muscles will lead to the destruction of the entire running “structure”. You won't have enough explosive power to lift your hips. Knee-joint will not be able to move strictly forward and will lead the foot away from the correct trajectory.

How to train: air squats, squats a large number of repetitions with light weight (35-40 kg, number of repetitions - from 20 per set), walking lunges. Jumping in place with high knees.

You can train your hips using approaches with rest (30-45 seconds of rest) or in circuit training mode (exercises should be performed in circles, without rest).

GUTTEAL MUSCLES

What they do: The gluteal muscle complex keeps the body upright while running. The glutes are also responsible for hip abduction and movement hip joint. Proper hip movement when running is impossible without the strength of the gluteal muscles.

How to train: Light dumbbell deadlifts will do. Try to do deadlift on one leg - with the other one moving back (at first, keep the second leg half-bent in the air, but try to gradually straighten it - take it back fully straightened). Pushing your legs back from a standing position on all fours. Walking or jumping on a box.

CALF MUSCLES

What they do: act as a stabilizer when running, take on the load when the foot lands, and help bend the knees.

How to train: the main exercises for training calves for runners are calf raises on a platform (additional weight is possible) and squat jumps. Do them after regular squats or in conjunction with them. For example, 5 timed laps - 30 squats, 30 high knee jumps, 30 calf raises, 15 squat jumps.

ILIOPSOUMAS MUSCLES

What they do: this is a muscle of the internal group of pelvic muscles. They regulate hip flexion in the hip joint and are responsible for stabilizing the hips. If while jogging you begin to ache in the hip joint area, this most likely indicates that the iliopsoas muscles are weak and not ready for stress.

How to train: hanging leg raises (or knees), sitting corner (sitting on the floor, raise and stretch your legs forward, body slightly tilted back, arms along the body), leg raises from a lying position (without your feet touching the floor, lying on the floor, alternately lift and lower them).

FOOT MUSCLES

What they do: the foot muscle complex is responsible for supination, flexion-extension of the foot, and the position of the toes when running. In addition, the foot must be able to withstand the pressure of the body weight when landing.

How to train: stand and walk on tiptoes for a while (30-40 seconds or more), do calf raises, try to lift small objects from the floor with your foot, forcefully bend your toes and straighten them. Do this exercise one after another, 10-15 times each.

PRESS AND CORE MUSCLES

What they do: Stabilize your upper body when running. Do not allow the upper body to sway back and forth and to the sides.

How to train: plank exercise. Start with 45 seconds, increase the time to 2 minutes or more. Do 3 sets with 45 seconds rest. Add crunches or hanging leg raises to the plank.

TRICEPS, BICEPS, LATISM DORSI

What they do: bend and straighten their arms while running, placing them behind their back.

How to train: A runner doesn't need a lot of muscle mass, so the best option upper body muscle training will include pull-ups and dips on uneven bars with your own weight. Do pull-ups with different grips: a wide grip will strengthen your lats, a narrow reverse grip will strengthen your biceps, and dips will strengthen your triceps.

Train your running muscles on non-running days;

Spend 2-3 days a week on muscle training;

Start your muscle training with a light warm-up - swinging your legs, arms, bending, twisting your torso, jumping rope;

Add a stretching routine to your muscle training. Bend your legs while standing and sitting, spread and stretch your hips while sitting, and fall into splits.

Everyone can run, but not everyone knows which muscles work when running. And this is important to know, first of all, for those who are planning to lose weight and keep their body in good shape.

To understand which muscles swing when running, you need to know what our legs are made of.

The legs are more massive than the arms, stronger, there are many muscles there. All muscles are divided into several large functional groups: flexors, extensors, adductors, supinators, fixators and others. The flexors and extensors of the legs are located at the back and the front, respectively.

Leg muscles. Click to enlarge the image.

On the back of the leg are the biceps, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles. On the inside are the adductor major and minor, which hold the legs together. Thanks to them, our legs will not move apart at the most inopportune moment.

On the outer side of the thigh are the vastus lateralis, rectus and medialis muscles (the same one that forms the tubercle next to the knee). All these muscles are clearly visible in athletes. There are also a number of small muscles here that need not be mentioned.

Below are the knee and popliteus muscles. The back of the lower leg is formed by the calf and soleus muscles. The latter got its name from its flat shape. The calf is quite voluminous, it pulls the heel towards itself, thanks to which we can stand on our toes.

To prevent us from flying back in time, there are anterior muscles of the lower leg: tibialis anterior and peroneus longus.

To the heel of the calf goes the beloved Achilles tendon, which was so loved to be cut during torture in ancient times so that the victim would not run away.

Above the thigh are the buttocks - the gluteus maximus muscle - the largest in the human body. The gluteus medius and minimus are located laterally.

From behind the coccyx, the erector spinae muscle extends upward along the spinal column. The abdominal muscles are located in front and on the sides above the hips.

All these muscles work when running!

If we talk about Nordic walking, the load also goes to the upper body. When running, this load comes down to moving your arms with each step.

The intercostal muscles are pumped well due to the fact that you need to breathe rhythmically and quickly.

Running dynamics

Let's look at which muscle groups work during different phases of running. To do this, we divide the run into several phases or stages:

1. The stage of pushing off with one foot from a horizontal surface.
2. Shifting the center of gravity to the second leg.
3. Lifting the pushing leg off the surface.
4. Landing of the second foot on the surface.
5. Shifting the center of gravity for the push, and again stage 1.

Running is a continuous chain of these 5 actions. One thing happens after another. We don’t even think about how to do this or that stage, we just run. We decided to run and the process began. Imagine what would happen if we consciously coordinated everything? It's so easy to get confused!

All stages occur overlapping each other. There is no such thing that one stage ends before the second begins. When the leg begins to push off from the surface, the second one already begins to move up and forward, and in parallel the first leg begins to lift off. This is how the entire run is carried out with pads.

Stage 1

When pushing off, the main muscles that work are the flexors, extensors of the legs, buttocks and calves. That is, all the muscles of the legs. In the first phase of the push, the adductor muscle controls the position of the leg.

The stronger the calf, the stronger you can push off and jump further. This is important for sprinters. At this stage, the cooperative work of all the muscles of the lower leg is also important so that the person does not fall.

The second leg begins to rise, bending at the knee. The height of your lift, along with your calf strength, will determine the length of the jump you can make as a result of your push. The calf will decide how long you fly, and the leg extensors (the same muscles that are located in front and slightly to the side of the thigh) will decide how quickly you put the other leg on the surface.

The very first step is carried out after transferring the body to the second leg, then the first leg pushes away the body and gives inertia. Then all running occurs according to the above algorithm.

Stage 2

At the second stage, when the second leg is already raised and the first one is pushing off, the center of gravity is transferred from the pushing leg to the one on which you will land.

Mostly the core muscles (abs, erector spinae) and upper legs work.

Stage 3

During the lifting of the pushing leg from the surface, a slight relaxation of the muscles of this leg occurs. Maximum contraction of the flexors and buttocks is followed by relaxation for the duration of the short flight.

Stage 4

During landing, the leg muscles provide shock absorption. This can be clearly seen in the example of bending the knee, which compensates for any landing. From the outside it looks like a slight squat.

Tension develops from the front of the lower leg, immediately after which the leg extensors are activated. The flexors located on the back of the thigh compensate for the work of the extensors, ensuring a balance of resultant forces.

Stage 5

It is carried out due to the joint work of extensors and flexors of the legs. Now the other leg is the push leg. Everything repeats itself again.

The buttocks provide a good push along with the calf, the adductors provide balance, the flexors and extensors provide the push and the rest of the running phases.

Thus, all the mentioned muscles are used when running. But you won’t be able to swing by running.

The fact is that the running load is aimed at burning calories. But not for muscle growth. By running, you can make a lean body, remove belly fat, and fat from the inner thigh. You can also develop the respiratory apparatus and heart. But build muscle mass in your legs without strength exercises will not work.

The importance of synchronization while running

As you understand, muscles work strictly in concert. At the slightest deviation or delay, the efficiency of movement is lost. If you jerk your leg at the wrong time, you will not be able to complete the desired phase of running.

The effort of one muscle is not enough to move the body; the cooperative work of all is needed. In our body control motor activity the brain is engaged without our participation. We just decide what we want. And the brain is already giving dozens of orders, activating or blocking different muscles. Thanks to such a complex system, our body can move so easily and freely, at first glance.

What does the erector spinae muscle do when running?

The muscle that straightens the spine has several functions:

1. Straightening your back.
2. Keeping it straight.
3. Shock absorption.

All three of these functions are performed while running. It is recommended to run with a straight back, do not slouch, and move your pelvis slightly back. Then your posture will be natural, and the softening of each step will be optimal.

Distributing the load while running

If you run on your toes, the load on your calves and soleus muscles will increase. If you raise your knee high, it hits the abdominal muscles, which are also involved in raising the legs.

If you push your heels back, your leg flexors will be trained.

This is how you can change the load.

Running has always been considered a reliable way to improve physical fitness, increase endurance levels and improve overall health. There are even cases where, after prolonged exercise in this sport, cancerous tumors disappeared in runners! This seems like a miracle, but still it can be explained quite simply. During running, the athlete’s body undergoes prolonged internal heating. Under the influence of heat, tumor formations also resolve. But the question of which muscles sway when running worries most runners who do not run professionally or who have only recently devoted themselves to this sport. The answer to this question is further in the article!

What muscles does running affect?

Almost all muscles receive a noticeable load to one degree or another when running. But each muscle group in this case receives loads that differ in intensity. What muscles does running develop first?

If you run regularly, then the main muscle that receives load during training becomes the heart muscle, and this is by no means a figurative expression. Gradually, due to this “pumping”, the walls of this muscle thicken, the left ventricle, the diameter of the coronary arteries, and the number of capillaries increase. The stronger this muscle is, the more blood it can pump. The consequence of increased blood circulation is the cleansing of pores.

Speaking about which muscles of the body are worked out by running, naturally, these are primarily the muscles of the legs. Conventionally, all leg muscles can be classified as supporting and basic. The main muscles are:

• thigh muscles;
• gluteal muscles;
• iliacus muscles (located at the base of the thighs and regulate the process of flexion of the hip joint);
• calf muscles.

Supporting muscles include the muscles of the upper and lower abdominals. It is the correct work of the abdominal muscles that will allow you to maintain proper posture during training, which in turn will help you avoid falls and injuries.

If your body is in the correct position while running, then the muscles of your back, neck and arms will also receive load (don't be surprised). Of the latter, the biceps, which are responsible for rotating the forearms and bending the arms at the elbows, work especially actively. Correct body position when running means that: You keep your torso straight and your shoulders straight. You should also not forget about following the rules of running technique.

But keep in mind that you shouldn’t expect a big effect from running, in terms of pumping up muscle mass. Running will help condition your muscles increased tone, as a result of which they will harden and increase slightly in volume. Also, it will help make your body stronger and more resilient. You will begin to move more, because... your body will gradually begin to produce a kind of muscle fuel called glycogen. Over time, the amount of this fuel will increase, and you will be able to run longer and longer without feeling discomfort. But there is no need to be afraid that in a year or two you will have Schwarzenegger’s legs, because running, for the most part, does not so much pump as it strengthens and tones them. If you want to pump up your legs, then you will no longer have to train on a treadmill, but in the gym, hugging the hardware. Also, do not forget that if you stop running, your body will very soon reduce glycogen production, gradually reducing it to its initial levels.

Now you know which muscles are trained when running, which ones are pumped and which ones are not, and what this simple and therefore popular sport can give to your health.

A few more facts in favor of running: