How used to a specific exercise can your body get?

numinousnymph

So I know that our bodies get more efficient at doing a certain exercise the longer we keep doing it, and end up burning less calories than you did when you started the exercise. That's why it's always recommended to change up your routine every so often. But I was wondering, if you DON'T change your routine, is there a set limit to where your body can adapt? Let's say that you burn 600 calories running for one hour. If you stayed the same weight, but ran at that exact same speed and incline five days a week, it'd eventually get easier. But would you still burn the same number of calories as when you started out, considering you are still the same weight? Or would you STILL burn less because your body is adapted to it? If so, will you keep burning less and less if you stuck with that same exercise forever (hypothetically speaking here of course)? Or is there, say, a minimum amount your body mathematically *must* burn doing that activity, no matter how adapted at it your body is?

Sorry if this question didn't make much sense or sounded too complicated... hopefully some exercise physiology buffs out there can help me out!

LKArgh

numinousnymph wrote: »

So I know that our bodies get more efficient at doing a certain exercise the longer we keep doing it, and end up burning less calories than you did when you started the exercise. That's why it's always recommended to change up your routine every so often. But I was wondering, if you DON'T change your routine, is there a set limit to where your body can adapt? Let's say that you burn 600 calories running for one hour. If you stayed the same weight, but ran at that exact same speed and incline five days a week, it'd eventually get easier. But would you still burn the same number of calories as when you started out, considering you are still the same weight? Or would you STILL burn less because your body is adapted to it? If so, will you keep burning less and less if you stuck with that same exercise forever (hypothetically speaking here of course)? Or is there, say, a minimum amount your body mathematically *must* burn doing that activity, no matter how adapted at it your body is?

Sorry if this question didn't make much sense or sounded too complicated... hopefully some exercise physiology buffs out there can help me out!

Not true. If you get really good at something, you might become more efficient at it and do less "unnecessary" moves when performing the exercise, but the calorie difference will be practically negligible if duration and intensity are the same (for the same bodyweight of course)

sijomial

Nope.
If a person walks or runs the same distance every day they will burn the same number of calories whether they are used to it or not.
It's physics - mass and distance moved equals energy (calories) used.

That it feels easier over time is due to improved fitness levels not reduced energy expenditure.

numinousnymph

wow, if this is true then that makes me feel so much better. i thought that improved fitness level = less energy expended... so perceived effort has no impact on calorie burn?

sijomial

numinousnymph wrote: »

wow, if this is true then that makes me feel so much better. i thought that improved fitness level = less energy expended... so perceived effort has no impact on calorie burn?

@numinousnymph
The better your fitness the better your CAPACITY for calorie burns is. That's why the fittest people win competitions - they can produce more power and for longer.

As for perceived effort....
I'm very fit but a mate of mine is a club record holder for cycling 24hrs (441 miles) and he is coasting along easily at a pace I find unsustainable although we would be burning roughly the same calories when riding together.
Alternatively at the same perceived effort (maximum!) he can produce 30% more power than me (and so calories) for an hour or match my one hour maximum for four hours.