Fitness

I pushed myself too hard at the gym – and ended up in the hospital

Published

2 months ago

June 30, 2026

I pushed myself too hard at the gym – and ended up in the hospital

In January 2025, I attended my first bootcamp class.

I had spent the day hunched over my laptop, anxious and craving an intense workout that would dispel my worries. I booked the class at a nearby gym, and the five-star reviews promised the all-consuming exercise I wanted: “Militant style instructor, but very motivating,” read one. Another: “Hardest workout of my life; extremely rewarding.”

The gym was no-frills – just a room with a mirror. After a standard warm-up, we did four sets of lateral shuffle push-ups across the floor, interspersed with standing, weight-bearing exercises.

When my turn came, I dropped to plank position and started doing steady, shallow reps, focusing on my form.

But caution soon fell away. Upbeat music was booming and someone was always advancing beside me. When the instructor encouraged us to lower all the way down, I obeyed, even though my form suffered. I had rarely done more than a handful of pushups at a time, and in the final set, I was exhausted, collapsing on every rep and barely prying my torso off the floor.

The rest of class was a blur. I became nauseated, told the instructor I needed to pause, and stepped outside to suck cold winter air into my lungs.

Back in the studio, I sat on the sidelines and waited for the dizziness to recede before slinking to my spot for the core section and cooldown.

Later that night, I felt what I thought was typical post-workout muscle soreness. I was satisfied; the ache was proof of a successful workout.

But the next day, lifting my arms to wash my face was exhausting. Searing pain kept me awake that night. Two days after the class, my arms were so stiff I couldn’t raise them more than a few inches, even to brush my teeth.

When I Googled my symptoms – pain, weakness and a new one, dark urine – something frightening came up: exertional rhabdomyolysis, a condition wherein extreme exercise causes muscle cell contents to flood the bloodstream, potentially overwhelming the kidneys. One article warned that debilitating pain after a new, intense activity was a sign to visit the emergency room.

I went to the ER but suspected I was overreacting. After all, the internet always offers the worst possibility.

Doctors use bloodwork to test for exertional rhabdomyolysis; typically, they diagnose it if a patient has too much of a muscle enzyme called creatine kinase (CK) in their blood – at least 1,000 units per liter, or five times the normal range. However, there is little consensus on this number, says Dr Barry Boden, an orthopaedic surgeon at The Orthopaedic Center in Maryland, who specializes in sports medicine. Some recent guidelines suggest that only higher amounts – as much as 10,000 units – warrant diagnosis and inpatient treatment.

My CK count was so high the machine in the emergency room couldn’t measure it; a nurse had to do a second blood draw and send it to a more precise lab. They put me on an IV drip and eventually reported the exact number: 57,000.

Thus began my seven-day hospital stay. My mom and sister traded shifts, acting as my arms for the week – scrubbing my teeth, feeding me, washing my face. I had never felt so helpless and irresponsible. What had I done to myself?

What is exertional rhabdomyolysis?

Normally, during exercise, muscles tear a little and then rebuild. There may be a little extra CK in a person’s blood as a result, which healthy kidneys can filter out.

But excessive exercise can harm muscle cells so much that their contents – including CK and a protein called myoglobin – overload the system. “When the cell membrane starts to break down, the chemicals within the muscle cells start to get released, which can cause damage to other organs around the body,” said Boden. “ If there’s enough of those chemicals from the muscle that reach the kidney, it can cause damage to the kidney.”

The symptoms are muscle pain (even while at rest), weakness and dark urine, though few people experience all three. Treatment involves early and aggressive administration of IV fluids to help the kidneys filter the toxins. It’s possible to manage a mild case with at-home oral hydration, but it’s always important to consult a doctor because mild symptoms don’t always mean low CK elevation, said Dr Petr Schlegel, a CrossFit trainer and professor at the department of physical education and sports at the University of Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis is dangerous and fatal in very rare cases; researchers estimate that 10% of patients develop acute kidney injury (AKI), and some suffer other serious complications.

How common is exertional rhabdomyolysis?

Before I had rhabdomyolysis, I had never heard of it; I thought the worst that could come from a workout was a broken bone or a regurgitated lunch. I now know it can happen to anyone, although people with certain conditions, such as sickle-cell trait and hypokalemia, are predisposed. Despite the common misconception that only unfit people can get it, even elite athletes are susceptible.

“Anybody can get it – anybody that’s pushed to an extreme, taking a big jump in their exercise level, or doing something they’re not used to doing,” said Boden. “Everybody has muscles, and if the muscles are damaged enough, you can develop rhabdomyolysis.”

Boden authored a study estimating there were over 40,000 exertional rhabdomyolysis cases in US hospitals from 2000 to 2019. But he said it’s impossible to get a precise count, as no organization collects the data.

This number is likely an underestimate, as the condition is probably under-reported, said Schlegel. Since the symptoms closely resemble those of delayed onset muscle soreness – the normal ache people expect after a workout – individuals may not seek care.

Data indicate exertional rhabdomyolysis is on the rise. In Norway, Australia and the US, researchers have observed an increase in hospital records between the 2000s and 2010s. This year, hospitals in a Canadian province reported a surge in cases.

Researchers suspect the popularity of high-intensity workouts is behind the rise. They are efficient and produce measurable progress, but are risky if misused, said Schlegel: “Evidence suggests that high-intensity exercise, especially when combining strength and endurance elements, carries the greatest potential to induce [exertional rhabdomyolysis].”

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Can you prevent exertional rhabdomyolysis?

Prevention guidance has been pretty consistent since the earliest studies from the 1960s: vary exercises to avoid overloading one muscle group, incorporate rest, and gradually build intensity when starting something new or after time off.

Starting low is especially important when targeting large muscle groups – such as biceps, triceps and quads. “It’s that hyperintense going from zero to 100, really intense workouts of large muscle groups, that puts people at risk,” said Dr Bryant Walrod, a sports medicine physician and the head team physician for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Weight matters, but so do reps; an outrageous number of low-weight exercises or calisthenics – hundreds of pushups or squats, for example – is the trigger in many cases. Walrod also advises doing a different kind of workout from one day to the next.

Eccentric exercises like push-ups – where muscles lengthen – are particularly likely to cause injury. In a 2024 article about how to prevent rhabdomyolysis in student athletes, the National Federation of State High School Associations called push-ups the “No 1 cause” of rhabdomyolysis. In April, Texas families filed a lawsuit against a charter school after 20 children were hospitalized after hundreds of pushups.

Walrod said collegiate sports professionals became more vigilant about prevention after University of Iowa football players were hospitalized with exertional rhabdomyolysis in 2011. “That case spurred better control of workouts, better monitoring, and better input from the trainers and strength coaches.”

“Where we see most of the cases is that athletes are being pushed or threatened or punished [contrary to industry standards],” said Dr Rebecca Stearns, COO at the Korey Stringer Institute for preventing sudden death in sports. Coaches are not exercise physiologists, and even when well-intentioned may not have adequate training to prevent overexertion, said Boden.

Similarly, there’s no guarantee fitness instructors understand the risk. “People may be going in unconditioned and doing too much too soon,” said Walrod of these classes. CrossFit incorporated prevention into its trainer curriculum after reports of severe cases among participants, but in general, class participants should self-monitor.

How do you identify overexertion?

I was discharged from the hospital with a firm instruction: no exercise except walking for a month. I had to learn what an appropriate challenge felt like – how to self-monitor, discern between safe discomfort and overexertion, and advocate for myself. But when is hard too hard?

Unfortunately, sensing that something is wrong is a subjective measure; there is no universal metric.

“I never have a very satisfying answer to that, but I do think it’s a line we need to be vigilant about always, and it changes from day to day,” said Dr Natalia Petrzela, author of Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America’s Exercise Obsession, longtime fitness instructor, and professor of history at The New School.

“You know your body the best, and if you feel like something isn’t right, it’s time to speak up,” said Walrod. Sports medicine physicians advise people to stop exercise immediately if unusual pain occurs; in the event that there is excessive muscle breakdown, it’s critical to stop the movement right away.

Speaking up in a class setting can be difficult. Many feel self-conscious about pausing or modifying activity, especially if an instructor is singling them out. Petrzela said that she motivates participants in her class but also expresses a key caveat: “Only you know what you can do today.” She said this language “helps [them] find that very important and difficult-to-discern line”, adding that this nuance might get lost in classes with less experienced instructors who give inflexible instructions.

During that fateful class, I ignored the alarm bells. Maybe I was desperately chasing endorphins or wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t weak. Ironically, my arms atrophied to below baseline as a result.

Over a year later, I’m still building my strength back – but not at bootcamp. I opt for low-impact methods such as barre and pilates where I can modify if needed, and there is no need to keep pace with others.

Sometimes I tell instructors about my medical history, so they understand what’s happening if I pause. Verbalizing it also reminds me to be careful. Finally, I avoid anything new or especially difficult when I’m having a hard day.

Fitness culture taught me that pain is gain – but now I know that’s not always true.

Fitness

Fitness: Success of weight-loss drugs doesn’t lessen importance of exercise

Published

4 hours ago

August 16, 2026

Press Room

Fitness: Success of weight-loss drugs doesn’t lessen importance of exercise

The popularity and success of weight-loss drugs has dramatically changed the role exercise plays in helping people maintain a healthy weight. Once considered a vital part of any weight-loss strategy, exercise has taken a back seat to drugs, whose success is the result of appetite suppression, not burning calories at the gym.

But the benefits of exercise far exceed those related to weight loss, a message the American Heart Association wants to make clear to anyone who has stopped working out while on weight-loss drugs.

“It is important to emphasize that physical activity and exercise (a planned structured, and repetitive subset of physical activity performed to maintain or improve health, fitness or both) have cardiometabolic health benefits independently of weight loss,” said the authors of a scientific statement published by the American Heart Association.

Being active improves cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease and increases overall fitness. It’s also a boost to mental health, improving mood, sleep and lowering anxiety. But a study of 700 adults found the majority exercised less once they started on weight-loss drugs, which is why the American Heart Association is offering a reminder about the additional health benefits of exercise.

For some, the side effects of their drug regime— nausea and fatigue — can make exercise difficult, especially long or high-intensity bouts of aerobic exercise. But it doesn’t take a lot of physical activity to reap the added health benefits exercise has to offer. And once the numbers on the scale start to fall, physical activity becomes easier with less body mass to move through space.

The American Heart Association suggests following the general recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week. But they also stress weight training be included in any regular exercise program.

When people lose large amounts of weight they lose muscle as well as fat, which has implications beyond a loss of strength. Muscle mass naturally decreases with age, so any premature decline in muscle can result in increased risk of fragility and reduced function in the last few decades of life — arguably a time when you need more, not less, strength.

Obesity experts have also suggested individuals who carry large amounts of excess weight are likely to have higher levels on fat in their muscle, which can be moderated by being active.

Admittedly, research into the long-term effects of the newest class of weight-loss drugs is scarce, so there are no firm guidelines as to the optimum volume, intensity and type of exercise it takes to maximize health benefits. But there is consensus physical activity remains an important part of any weight-loss journey.

“By leveraging the unique, multifaceted health benefits of physical activity, we can improve the likelihood of long-term success of comprehensive obesity treatment options and help reduce the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related cardiovascular outcomes,” the American Heart Association said.

Finding the right workout while getting used to how your body feels while taking weight-loss medications can take some trial and error. Moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise may be too much on days when energy levels are low. And weight training may be intimidating if you’ve never lifted weights. But yoga or Pilates classes can keep you moving while you adjust to your new reality. And daily walks, with short bursts of speed on days when you feel like you have some gas in the tank, can get your heart rate into the training zone.

Hiring a personal trainer to help build a strength workout that can grow with you as you lose weight is a great investment. So is a smart watch that can objectively monitor your activity and help you set up daily goals to ensure you’re accumulating enough physical activity over the course of the week. If 150 minutes seems too ambitious to start, scale it back. Several studies have noted health benefits even when the number of exercise minutes per week fall below what’s recommended — especially in individuals who were inactive.

Editor’s Picks

If you’ve tried and failed at establishing an exercise routine in the past, it’s time to give it another go. Losing a few pounds will add some much-needed spring to your step and provide a boost of confidence that may have been lacking in the past. Invest in new workout clothes, join the gym, try a new activity or rekindle your love of a sport or activity you once enjoyed.

Physical activity doesn’t need to be vigorous to improve health. Consistency trumps volume and intensity. And once you’ve made exercise a habit, the more confidence you’ll have in your ability to sustain the occasional vigorous workout and challenge yourself more in the weight room. Underneath those unwanted pounds is an active person just waiting to realize their full potential.

Fitness

These Simple Workout Changes Are the Secret to Building Muscle After 50, According to Experts

Published

16 hours ago

August 15, 2026

Press Room

These Simple Workout Changes Are the Secret to Building Muscle After 50, According to Experts

Lifting weights is about so much more than just growing seriously muscular arms—it’s also key to building functional strength that will carry you through the rest of your life.

After age 30, we begin to naturally lose muscle through a process called sarcopenia, says Nikki Ternay, CPT, a health and fitness coach and founder of MavenHeart, an empowerment program for women over 40. And for women, changing estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause can accelerate this process, especially as you reach your 50s.

The antidote? Strength training, which can stimulate muscle growth and help maintain bone density, mobility, and overall health, says Ternay. Having muscle mass can contribute to disease prevention, too. The higher your muscle to fat mass ratio is, the less likely arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity are to occur, according to Ternay. Muscle burns a lot of energy and helps keep your blood sugar stable, which can even lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, she adds.

Building—and maintaining—muscle after 50 takes a concerted effort. But one thing is for certain: Your future self will never regret it. Here’s how to do it effectively.

How to Build Muscle After 50

Lean into lifting.

Aim to incorporate resistance training at least three days per week, focusing on key muscle groups like legs, back, and core as you build up your routine, says Ternay. Target each muscle group with at least two to three exercises per session, and for each one, perform 6 to 12 reps and 3 to 5 sets per exercise, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets. (Beginners can start with fewer sets per muscle group and gradually increase over time.) Lastly, choose a weight that makes the last couple reps of each set feel challenging, but still doable with proper form.

Here’s a sample week workout plan:

Day 1: Full-body workout (legs, back, core)
Day 2: Rest or low-impact light movement/active recovery (think: walking, biking, swimming, or stretching)
Day 3: Full-body workout (chest, shoulders, arms, core)
Day 4: Rest or low-impact light movement/active recovery
Day 5: Full-body workout (legs, back, chest, core)
Day 6: Rest and active recovery (light movement like walking, stretching, or biking)
Day 7: Rest

Before you start lifting weights, it’s important to learn how to perform exercises with proper form. This ensures you’re working the correct muscles and avoiding injury. If you’re new to lifting, Ternay recommends seeking guidance from a reputable trainer, in person or virtually, to make sure your technique is correct and personalize a program that is appropriate for your age and fitness level.

But learning proper form doesn’t have to feel overwhelming—start by focusing on bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and pushups to understand how your body moves, what feels good, and what feels challenging to you. From there, you can gradually incorporate weights and resistance exercises.

Warming up is worthwhile (and so is cooling down).

As you get older, it takes a little longer to get your muscles primed and ready for a workout. Warming up prior to a strength sesh prepares your body to do the work by increasing circulation, ultimately resulting in decreased risk of injury. Pretty good deal, huh?

The ideal time frame for a warmup is 15 to 20 minutes, performing movements that increase your heart rate at a slow and steady rate, says Ternay. Gentle walking is a great warmup choice to do anywhere, or jump on a stationary bike if you’re in the gym. Bodyweight moves like planks and squats work well for priming the body ahead of a workout, too. (Check out more great warmup exercises for any workout.)

Just like you ease into your workout, you should ease out of it as well. The cooldown allows the body to return to its regular temperature and brings the heart rate back down a little slower—a safer approach than just stopping your workout abruptly, Ternay says.

A good cooldown could include gentle stretching, light walking, or using a foam roller (or even a massage gun) to release any muscle tension. Spend 10 to 15 minutes on your cooldown to give your body time to adjust and reduce post-workout soreness.

Focusing on flexibility becomes even more important—not only for workouts but for everyday activities—as we age. Better mobility means you’ll be able to reach and bend with greater ease, with less strain and risk of injury. In your workouts, specifically, you’ll be able to get in the proper position to perform your exercises safely and for maximum benefits. Not to mention, a good base of mobility helps loading and unloading weights feel a little more manageable.

Ternay recommends picking three to five dynamic (moving) stretches and doing each one for 30 to 60 seconds, for a total of at least five minutes. Dynamic stretches like leg swings or arm circles prepare your muscles for movement by increasing mobility. Follow dynamic stretching with about 10 minutes of static stretching, such as holding a hamstring or quad stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, which helps increase flexibility and reduce tension.

Eat enough protein.

Proper nutrition is also part of an integral part of building muscle after 50. Protein helps rebuild your muscle post-workout, allowing for strength gains. Without adequate protein intake, you won’t be able to get ahead of age-related muscle loss, regardless of your workouts. Aim to get 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal, especially if you’re eating three meals a day.

Get your mind right.

Try to approach your workouts as a way to celebrate your body, not punish it. For women over 50, this mindset shift can be especially powerful. Rather than focusing on burning calories or “undoing” something you ate, view exercise as a long-term investment in your health, energy levels, and independence. “Exercising is a way of taking care of your body and giving you a better chance at a long life of living independently,” Ternay says.

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Best Muscle-Building Workouts for Women Over 50

Not sure where to start? Check out the WH+ Strong After 50 Plan, which guides you through four weeks of science-backed workouts to build full-body strength, along with nutrition tips and expert advice.

Check out the WH+ Strong after 50 workout plan

Once you’re done with that plan, here are some excellent muscle-building workouts for beginners and avid exercisers over 50 alike. These workouts build a strong foundation to support everyday activities and healthy aging, starting with bodyweight exercises and moving into more advanced moves as you progress.

The more muscle mass you have, the better you’ll feel and function, meaning greater independence in how you can move your body and live your life. Building strength helps build security for your future health, whether that means being able to travel, take care of your family, or simply move around comfortably as you age.

Nicole Clancy has been a freelance writer and Certified Fitness Trainer in Santa Barbara California since 1990. Nicole’s articles have been internationally syndicated in Vogue, Glamour and Easy Living.

Fitness

Fitness coach Dan Go says ‘this exercise should be mandatory for desk workers’: Watch how to do it

Published

1 day ago

August 15, 2026

Press Room

If you spend hours sitting at a desk every day and battle persistent knee or lower back aches, your instinct might be to stretch your hamstrings or rub your aching joints. However, according to US-based fitness coach Dan Go, the true culprit could be an overlooked joint down at your ankles. Also read | ‘This exercise saved my lower back’: Fitness coach reveals 1 movement to reverse damage from years of sitting

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on August 14, Dan highlighted a simple yet transformative drill, sharing: “This exercise should be mandatory for desk workers.” The culprits? Loss of ‘ankle dorsiflexion’ and restricted forward knee movement, he shared — both quietly caused by prolonged sitting.

The hidden chain reaction of stiff ankles

Dan highlighted that when you spend long hours seated, your ankles remain stationary, gradually losing their capacity for dorsiflexion — the ability of your foot to pull upward toward your shin. When your ankle loses this movement, it forces the rest of your body to compensate every time you squat, bend, or move, he added.

According to him, a stiff ankle forces a domino effect of bad biomechanics across your lower body:

⦿ Heels lift off the floor when you squat.

⦿ Knees cave inward on the way down, limiting range of motion.

⦿ Lower back rounds at the bottom of a bend or squat.

⦿ Foot arch collapses just to steal a few extra degrees of movement.

⦿ Hips work overtime to cover for a joint that has quit doing its job.

“You feel it in the knee. You feel it in the back. You blame the knee and the back, but the restriction is 12 inches lower,” Dan shared. Also read | Back pain from sitting all day? Physician Dr Kunal Sood explains Japanese towel method, a simple technique that can help

The 30-second wall test

Before fixing the problem, you need to assess your current mobility, Dan shared as he recommended a straightforward 30-second assessment you can perform right against a wall:

⦿ Place your big toe about four inches away from a wall.

⦿ Drive your knee straight forward toward the wall.

⦿ Ensure your heel stays pinned flat to the floor the entire time.

If your heel lifts off the ground before your knee touches the wall, or if your knee drifts inward to bridge the gap, your ankle dorsiflexion is restricted, Dan shared. Be sure to test both legs independently; most people display noticeably worse mobility on one side than the other, he highlighted.

How to perform ‘ankle mobs’

Once you’ve identified the restriction, the fix doesn’t really require complex gym equipment. It requires controlled movement to teach the joint how to glide again, Dan said as he shared the step-by-step movement:

⦿ Place your foot flat on a platform or the floor, positioned near a wall or stable surface.

⦿ Drive your knee as far past your toes as it will naturally go while keeping your heel firmly planted.

⦿ Slowly return to the starting position.

⦿ Perform six slow reps per side.

Why it works

Unlike traditional static stretches, you aren’t just trying to lengthen a muscle. As Dan explained, you are asking a joint to move through a forgotten range of motion under a mild load, re-educating your nervous system and restoring fluid mobility to your lower body.

He highlighted that incorporating just a few sets of ankle mobilisations into your daily desk routine can relieve downstream pressure on your knees, hips, and lower back — making it a mandatory micro-workout for anyone sitting for a living.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.