Stop giving your body the same exercise stimulus

Yes, the title is click-baity. You should do what ever activity that makes you happy. This article is just a discussion about the science behind adaptations in our body, to outside stimulus or stress. These are the basic concepts behind exercise, and how it works to improve something in our body. There are certain parameters that will help to improve your efforts.

Our body will respond better to different stimuli, not that same repeated ones. If we start exercising in some manner, our bodies will respond positively upwards in progress for about 2-3 months. After that, the gains start to level off.

This is not definitive in every case, just common. Some weightlifters will need constant resistance to maintain, and add strength.

Most people reading this are looking for something else. Usually weight loss or rehab.

The treadmill is a good example to talk about. If you walk most of the day, in and out of work, and you walk on a treadmill, you may not be producing change. It is more of the same stimulus, and your body will not perceive this as a workout that warrants attention, i.e. weight loss. Of course, any activity will use a certain amount of calories.

The other interesting thing about a treadmill is that it moves the earth for you. When you walk, your buttocks and hamstrings push you forward on the earth, which takes some muscle effort. The treadmill motor does this for you, so you may actually be working less. Of course you could add some incline to help with that.

A better use of equipment might be the stationary bike. This is a different exercise stimulus than walking the halls at work. The bike offers greater joint range of motion, which joints need for better health, and there is very little joint surface impact.

Walking or running by comparison offers very little joint ROM, and more joint impact. Something to consider if you are arthritic, or having joint pain.

This next section is not dissecting what is right or wrong, just informing the reactions that will take place. Walking, running, swimming, bike riding, are mostly aerobic in nature, and tend to “burn” more calories. Weight training is more anaerobic, and will produce a different hormonal response.

I believe that everything in the human body is on a continuum, not 100% one way or the other. In other words, when you lift weights, you are increasing more of a testosterone and human growth hormone response than walking. Walking will also elicit these responses, just not nearly as much as weightlifting.

If you are looking for a better fitness response from exercise, you should consider some type of weight lifting, or resistance training.

There are great debates over which is better for weight loss. One argument is that building muscle is better, as that muscle will require energy in the form of more calorie burn. Sometimes this doesn’t always work, as some heavy weightlifting will increase a stress/cortisol response which could increase belly fat.

There are so many different routines and numbers, it’s difficult to cover all the different avenues. There are number factors for rest times, volume, number of sets, number of repetitions, number of days per week, sessions per day, etc.

I read about people on the internet eating 1500 calories and killing themselves and sweating in the gym. Sometimes this works, and sometimes it is unsustainable. It’s as if the body only knows that it is being starved under a stressful survival situation, and will fight back by retaining calories.

Then after you have this all figured out, you need to change again, every 3 months. You can change naturally with the seasons. Walk indoors on the treadmill in winter, outdoors when warmer. Or change number routines, percentage of weight lifted, rest times, etc. The variations are endless.

The important thing to remember is that you will have higher fitness gains with change.