What counts as excessive exercise?

Author: Mervin Murphy  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Over-exercising is when we do more exercise than our body can handle. This can include doing too much exercise or exercising in an unsafe way, or not eating enough food alongside exercising. Over-exercising is different for different people. One person might feel ok doing a certain amount of exercise.

How much exercise is considered excessive?

As a general rule, women's health specialist Felice Gersh, M.D., said 90 minutes per day is the point when people become susceptible to overtraining syndrome and its associated symptoms.

How do I know if I'm exercising too much?

  • You can know when you've worked out too much, if you experience the following symptoms:
  • Unwanted weight loss
  • If you are unable to perform at the same level
  • Excessive sweating
  • Lack of enjoyment in the work out.
  • Stiffness or soreness in muscles
  • Feeling of tiredness or exhaustion
  • Having problem sleeping

Is 2 hours of exercise a day too much?

Yes, two hours of exercise daily is too much for most people. Too much exercise can lead to overtraining, which can have serious health consequences. It is generally recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and strength training twice a week.

What counts as compulsive exercise?

What Is Compulsive Exercise? Compulsive exercise (sometimes called exercise addiction) happens when a person is driven to exercise too much. Injury, illness, going out with friends, or bad weather will not stop those who compulsively exercise.

What Too Much Exercise Does To Your Body And Brain

What counts as daily intense exercise?

What counts as vigorous activity? Vigorous intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. If you're working at this level, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath.

What is the best definition of excessive exercise?

Exercise that significantly interferes with important activities, occurs at inappropriate times or in inappropriate settings, or when the individual continues to exercise despite injury or other medical complications.

Is working out 7 days a week too much?

Working out every day is okay as long as you do not overexert yourself. It's important to take care of your body so you can produce efforts that support your goals.

What are the symptoms of over exercising your heart?

Common signs of cardiac problems during exercise

A person may feel constant fatigue, tiredness, chest discomfort, heaviness, or profuse sweating during or after exercise. These could be indicators of a likely heart attack and should not be ignored.

Does walking count as exercise?

Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.

What would be considered strenuous exercise?

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate is higher than with moderate activity. You won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. Examples of activities that require vigorous effort include: Jogging or running.

How do I tell if I'm overtraining?

Training-related signs of overtraining
  1. Unusual muscle soreness after a workout, which persists with continued training.
  2. Inability to train or compete at a previously manageable level.
  3. "Heavy" leg muscles, even at lower exercise intensities.
  4. Delays in recovery from training.
  5. Performance plateaus or declines.

What are signs of over exercising?

Here are some symptoms of too much exercise:
  • Being unable to perform at the same level.
  • Needing longer periods of rest.
  • Feeling tired.
  • Being depressed.
  • Having mood swings or irritability.
  • Having trouble sleeping.
  • Feeling sore muscles or heavy limbs.
  • Getting overuse injuries.

Is 6 days a week overtraining?

Unfortunately, there's no concrete answer to that question. For most people, the answer is… less. If you're training six or seven times per week but you're not training for a specific sport, event or competition, chances are you're overtraining.

How much is overdoing it at the gym?

There might be people in your gym who can handle two hour training sessions or multiple workouts a day, but they're in the minority. If you're wondering how much exercise a day is too much, cap training sessions at 90 minutes.

Am I out of shape or is it my heart?

Shortness of breath

Don't be too quick to assume shortness of breath is just a matter of being out of shape. Unexplained shortness of breath that occurs with small amounts of activity could indicate heart trouble. "If you climb up five flights of stairs, I expect you to be short of breath.

How much cardio is too much?

There's no exact answer for how much cardio is too much. But if you're not a distance runner, anything over 60-70 minutes per day is likely counterproductive—especially if you aren't consuming enough protein or calories to support the daily caloric expenditure.

What is considered extreme exercise?

Any exercise that pushes you above your target heart rate, or exceeds the maximum heart rate, is considered excessive. Your maximum heart rate is your age subtracted from 220. For example, a 40-year-old's maximum heart rate is 180.

Do you need rest days from cardio?

Taking some downtime between exercise sessions is essential for building strength and preventing injury. Experts recommend taking at least one day off from your daily workout routine each week. Taking a rest day after a particularly long or intense workout can be especially helpful.

Is it better to work out everyday or alternate day workouts?

Performing the same routine every day can lead to excess soreness or strain. Using the same muscle groups over and over again doesn't leave any time for your muscles to repair and grow. I recommend alternating days training different muscle groups so that you give your body time to recover.

Is 20 minutes of cardio enough?

Is a 20-Minute Workout Enough? Guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) also back up these research findings. The AHA recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, which equals around 21 minutes per day.

How do you know you're overtraining?

What are overtraining syndrome symptoms?
  1. Muscle pain and stiffness.
  2. Unexpected weight loss or weight gain.
  3. Anxiety.
  4. Poor sleep, or waking up feeling tired.
  5. Getting sick more often with minor issues like colds.

What is an overload in exercise?

The core idea of the overload principle is gradually increasing the level of stress being put on the body. This can be done through increased exercise frequency, greater intensity, more time spent exercising, or using a different type of the same exercise.

How much is too much walking?

There isn't a specific number of daily steps that's considered too much waking. Your fitness level and walking intensity can help you determine how much walking is suitable for you. Muscle aches, increased fatigue, and less motivation to walk are signs you may be overdoing it.

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