Over 50? This Popular Fitness Fad Could Kill You

Two Exercises You Should Avoid

Written by Ken Swearengen

Posted September 25, 2012

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Two of TV's most marketed fitness programs could be lethal to your health.

If you haven't seen one of those obnoxious commercials for the CrossFit or Insanity workouts, I envy you.

These "high intensity interval training" (HIIT) regimes promise quick results (Insanity lasts just 60 days) with grueling workouts that leave you feeling like a limp rag doll afterwards.

I can't argue with one thing: Both CrossFit and Insanity will produce results. They'll leave you with washboard abs you haven’t seen since high school.

But I'll tell you something else: Those six pack abs ain't worth it.

It's tempting to follow a fitness program that promises a ripped physique...

Don't let those beautiful people fool you.

90% of the diet and fitness programs you see on TV aren't concerned about your health; they're concerned about your physical appearance.

Not only are many fitness and diet programs often unable to fulfill their grandious promises, but many of them could leave your health in danger...

Know Your Rhabdo

The great results of HIIT training have taken precedent over a dangerous condition that it can cause: rhabdomyolysis.

Rhabdo is the massive death of your muscle cells. The condition is characterized by intense muscle pain during or immediately following exercise and symptoms include dark-colored urine. (Before I continue, if you ever experience these symptoms, you should call an ambulance immediately).

The dark-colored urine is a sign of your body's of ridding itself of dead muscle cells— and it can be lethal. As the muscle cells drain into your blood stream, they can cause heart attacks and kidney failure as your body tries to flush the debris.

Rhabdo is caused by numerous conditions including venomous animal bites, anorexia, some cholesterol medications/supplements... and overly-strenuous exercise.

Exercise-induced rhabdo develops from exposing your body to exercise that it it cannot yet handle. And it doesn't have to be much, especially if you are new to exercise or returning after a period off. There is one documented report of a novice exerciser coming down with rhabdo after doing just 30-40 sit-ups each day for one week!

The takeaway here is to never rush into an exercise routine if your body is not ready.

And while it's easy to get excited about losing weight and becoming healthier and want to dive right into things, as with all things worth undertaking, you'll have more success if you ease yourself into it.

That means absolutely no HIIT programs if you're a novice to exercise, or have not undertaken a vigorous exercise program in recent history.

And even if you're moderately fit, you may want to avoid HIIT activities:

"But after one 42-minute workout [of CrossFit] emphasizing upper-body strength, [25 year old Navy Corpsman] Boland was almost immediately struck by pain so acute he could hardly move.

“My muscles felt like they were ripping as I tried to stretch my arms out,” he recalled.

Three days later, he saw blood in his urine and went to a doctor. Diagnosed with rhabdomyolsis in his chest and arms, Boland spent three days in the hospital on painkillers and a saline intravenous drip to help wash out the lactic acid that had built up in his muscles." 

He was on medical hold for eight months, and it took him more than a year to regain the strength in his arms and return to normal exercise. During recovery, he suffered stress fractures in his ankles because running was one of the only ways he could stay in shape.

— Navy Times

This warning is more important if you're an older adult.

As you age, your muscle cell mass starts to decrease, which can make jumping into an intense exercise program all the more dangerous.

Designing a safe weight loss program you can stick to...
The two biggest dangers with HIIT training, especially for beginners to this kind of exercise or people new to any form of exercise, is the intensity level and the lack of rest in between exercises. 

Obviously, you want to select an exercise intensity level that develops muscle strength and endurance without leaving you feeling like you're going to pass out as you do it. But one thing many new exercisers forget to include is proper rest: This includes both time in between sets, as well as time in between exercise days.

Without giving your muscles proper rest, you increase the chances of over-exerting the abilities of your muscles, a primary cause of rhabdo.

Not giving your muscles enough rest can also be self-defeating if you are trying to build muscle mass.

(Strength training burns more calories than cardio workouts, as muscles continue to burn calories even after the workout is finished. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn — and the more weight you'll lose.)

Remember, lasting results take time.

Don't focus on having the body of a supermodel or professional athlete; if you stick to creating a healthy body, the looks will come with it — and you'll feel much better to boot

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