What muscles does running work?

Running works the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, hip flexors, abs, calves, tibialis anterior and poroneal muscles. Although the exercise does not build these muscles or make them stronger, it does make them capable of greater endurance.

Running is particularly effective in working the larger leg muscles, such as the quadriceps, which are affected when a person extends his knee, and the hamstrings, which flex the knees to cause the lower legs to move toward the gluteals. However, running also works smaller muscles, including the tibialis anterior muscles, which run along the fronts of the shins, and poroneals, which run along the sides of the shins.