Can you do harm......?

Question

Can you do harm to your body by over exercising? Let me expain I work out all the time( 7days a week) I'm a aroebic instructor .I feel fine, however I know some instructors tell their students that to much exercising is not good for you. I was not trained that way. I was taught to limit my self. I need a professional answer to tell my students. The people I work with who teach we are divided 50/50.
We Need An Outside Oppinion!

Answer 1

Your body was made to work 365 days per year. Think about our evolution. If a saber-tooth tiger came chasing us everyday for a year, we would run from it all 365 days. I don't believe our bodies were made to bench 340lbs and squat 550lbs every day. Seeing how you (and your colleagues) are aerobic instructors, I thought you may have a more intimate knowledge of what is happening in the body during exercise. I'll list it below.

Weight lifting/anaerobic exercise: Your body is tearing itself down for energy, and is being torn apart by the stress involved with lifting a lot of weight. This drastic damage to the body requires it to rebuild itself through a day or two of rest.

Aerobic exercise: Your body is using stored energy, for a while, then it dips into reserve energy, such as blood glucose, fat stores, and muscle itself. There is very little actual damage done to the muscles, so recovery times are often much shorter, because all your muscles need to do is replenish their energy supply rather than completely rebuild/build new tissue, than with weights and anaerobic work (this is why you can run a marathon on Sunday and still work on Monday).

The only danger I see posed to someone in your situation is wear on your joints. But, so long as you keep your diet healthy, you should be just fine for many years to come!

Answer 2

Yes, you can do some harm by over training. What kind of exercises are you doing? Is it all cardio? Do you weight train? How were you trained? You weren't told to take 1-2 days off a week? Your muscles need recovery time, you can "overuse" them, they fatigue, and then the injuries begin.
I know some instructors who did this year after year, with no rest, always working out, I lived in the mountains, so after they taught class, they would go hike, bike, ski, etc. After awhile they fatigued, and had to start getting cortisone shots in the areas that were hurting, and they still have to go get the shots.I know a few that have chronic fatigue syndrome, of which there really isn't a cure. It's from overworking yourself to fatigue, and all of a sudden you're so tired, all you want to do is sleep. The medical profession doesn't know much about this but the girls that I know that have it, have exercised like this. I don't know of anyone having the fatigue syndrome who is not active.
Your muscles will also get very tight from working out all the time, with all you're doing, be sure to take the time to really stretch all of your muscles daily.
I am the fitness director/trainer/aerobic instructor at our club, we make sure no teacher is teaching too many because of these reasons.

Answer 3

Because your job is an aerobic instructor, I assume that it is very demanding physically. If you feel something tear or pop or cramp up badly, take a break.

Answer 4

Well i think it's fine if u work out 7 days a week, theres nothing wrong w/ keeping in shape, but i do think u should give your body time 2 relax from it, that's probably wut those other instructors meant.

Answer 5

I believe the answer is inside... each of us. If one is in tune to one's own needs rather than one's wants, they can arrive at what is best for their own body. I want to exercise that comes from a place of fear is way different than listening to your body and its needs and then doing what it asks.

Yah Bless