Exercise Myth 04:
"The more exercise the better!"

Another understandable but dangerously wrong myth
This misguided belief goes straight to human nature. We all tend to think that, if some of something is good, more must be better. Certainly, it's far better to work out three times a week than once. That's not where this myth is dangerous. The danger is that it suggests no upward limits to how much or how often you work your body, and that can and does cause over-training symptoms, resulting in aches and pains, and plateaus in your progress, particularly in the weight room.

Too much exercise can lead to injury
It's only during your rest periods that your body can respond to the exercise, repairing, maintaining and building your tissues. So, make sure you give yourself enough time to recover between workouts—typically, 24 to 48 hours rest from cardio, and 48 to 72 hours rest from exercising individual body parts. (And don't forget to stretch.)

It's quality, not quantity, that counts
It isn't how many sets of an exercise you complete that gets you results: it's the intensity at which you work. With weight training, for example, the more you focus on the muscles you are working, by lifting in a slow and controlled manner, the better workout you'll have and the quicker you'll see change. For cardio, 20 to 30 minutes in your target zone will give you a more efficient workout than an extended period outside your zone.