any people exercise far too little, but many others exercise far too much. Often obsessed with increasing their strength, stamina, and cardiovascular fitness, these zealous exercisers work out to the point of jeopardizing their physical and mental health. The question is: How much is too much?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise for up to 60 minutes at least three times a week to maintain fitness. Less clearly defined, however, is the other end of the exercise spectrum -- The point where exercise becomes a dangerous.

Excessive exercisers are people who work out or run 2 to 3 hours a day and won't back off despite pain and injury.

Exercise extremists can also be identified by a lack of attention to family or work. They may consider exercise to be more important than anything else in life.

When injured and forced to stop exercising, exercise extremists often become depressed. This people may be addicted to the endorphins released by exercise.

Some athletes exercise to extremes because they mistakenly believe it is good for them or that it is the proper way to exercise. Many people are converts to exercise. Some people thinking that if a little exercise is good, then a lot is better. May exercise for an hour a day when they were advised to work out for 30 minutes every other day.

Injuries occur in excessive exercisers because of the sheer magnitude of their activity. Minor problems with equipment, such as worn out running shoes or a new tennis racket, won't bother the average recreational athlete, but they can cause big problems in athletes who over do it. Likewise with minor injuries, which can more easily develop into serious conditions in patients who don't know when to