how do you know when to stop?

[ih8guitars]

i often find if i start exercising i keep getting harder and harder on myself untill i go to far and cant keep it up. how can i understand how much i should exercise for so that i can keep it up?

[Cort]

You need to make the question clearer. For the most part you should set a plan and stick to it. If the weight you are using doesn't seem like enough, make some changes and up it a little. If you don't feel your cardio is long enough or that you can go a little faster, then either go a little faster or make it a little longer. If you feel like you can do more push-ups or the number you can do in one sitting is getting ridiculous, put some weight in a back-pack and do them like that until the number becomes more manageable.

As far as keeping a pace in cardio, thats just trial and error. You need to find something that is intense enough that it keeps you working for your planned time, but at the same time that you can also maintain for that amount of time without bursting over your maximum heart rate.

[Firehawk]

Yeah rae you talking about overtraining?

[ih8guitars]

well i either start jogging and i know i can go a bit further than i currently am and therefore i do. eventually it gets to the point its too much to get into a routine and i cannot stick to it. i also used to do this with my sit-ups

[abarlament]

When you stop making progress, switch to another routine, deload, or take a little time off. If nothing is broke, however, don't try to fix it.

[Cort]

Originally Posted by ih8guitars

well i either start jogging and i know i can go a bit further than i currently am and therefore i do. eventually it gets to the point its too much to get into a routine and i cannot stick to it. i also used to do this with my sit-ups

With sit-ups, add weight, or change the routine. With running, run faster instead of farther.