Just like Goldie Locks and her porridge it is important to get just the right amount of exercise. We know that too little is bad, but too much can be just as detrimental to your progress too.

Not enough can lead to heart disease, obesity, decrease in lean muscle mass, lethargy, laziness, and the list goes on and on. Think of increase chances of getting sick, being out of breath before you reach the top of the stairs, and just feeling plum worn out.

But too much can do the same. Without giving your body plenty of time to relax and repair from workouts or working out for over 1 hour a day multiple times per week can be just as bad. The body can be driven to exhaustion once gain brining down the immune system to make you catch that bug that is going around the office. Also chances of injury will be highly increased.

This is referred to as overtraining. You are putting your body into a state where not only are you putting your health in jeopardy you will probably not see the results show in your physique that you think should be there from the long workouts.

Here are some additional signs that you might be a victim of overtraining:
Lack of appetite
Fatigue
Inability to complete a workout
Muscle cramps and pains
Dehydration
Headaches

If you feel you might be overtraining the best thing to do is take a few days off to rest. You are in this position because your body is not fully rested from the workouts. Also change up the routine of things. If you have been doing the same workout for over 12 weeks then it is definitely time to change it up. You body will love it!
Keep workouts to under 60 minutes. This is plenty of time to get the best results and keep your body healthy. Do not workout more than 5 times per week and never work the same muscle group 2 days in a row. Remember rest and recovery is needed to muscle growth and results!

So the lesson to keep in mind that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you are serious about getting in shape have looking great just be smart.

As a side story I will tell you my lesson learned. In college I fell victim to overtraining in an effort to get rid of the freshman 15. As a result I ended up with a cast on my arm AND my leg. I had a stress fracture in my leg and I broke my wrist because I did not want to wait for my leg to heal up to workout! I also caught every cold and bug that came through the dorms! GROSS.

Good article and a good reminder, thanks!

1 hour a day workout is "peanuts". When I used to do martial arts, it used to be 1 hour of body weight exercises before starting the routines. If you are doing weights you need to target different muscle groups and put rest days in-between. You can also alternate cardio and weights. However to put the blanket on 1 hour is misleading.

I agree with Tribal.

The one hour thing MAY hold true for beginners. As we advance, each person is going to be different.

Some can train longer and more days per week without over training. (me for instance) others over train very easily and get the best results training 1.5 hours 3 days per week. (one of my training partners)

Everyone is different and responds to different training loads and intensities. I like the article, as there is a lot there we need to think about, and it got me thinking.

I do not like stating things in the context that they should not be done.

On a personal note, I consistently break the guidelines.

Train more than 1 hour, yes.
Train more than 5 days per week, yes.
Train the same muscle group 2 days in a row, yes.

I want to add to what tribal and goergen said to point out that overtraining is not just about the stress you put your body under during a workout (which is based on a lot of things which are not related to the number of minutes!). I believe that this is, as pointed out above, extemely unique to the individual.

Overtraining is about the overall stress that your body faces. How much sleep you are getting. How you are eating. What 'stress' you face in daily life (work, etc.).

The proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back for some people is often not adding another day or hour to training - it is the cummulative effect of LIFE stuff. It's being at that edge and THEN having to deal with illness in the family, a harsh deadline at work (where you cut back on sleep, etc.)...and so forth - things that require energy that your body just doesn't have to give.

The key to prevention is keeping a good sense of where your energy stores are at. The indicators of fatigue, heart rate, performance declining, depression are good monitoring signs. But even before you get too far, you can often see overtraining coming ahead by mood. If you're someone who looks forward to working out, have you lost that excitement and energy? Do you just not feel like going? Usually, people think that they need to fight being unmotivated and ignore these signs. However, if you are someone who does not normally struggle to get motivated, then your body is trying to tell you something about needing to rest and recharge your energy system! Listen!

That's a good point Sig.