Military-style workouts lead to athlete hospitalizations at multiple colleges

Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich remains hospitalized following a workout on Aug. 20 led by Tim Zeisel, a third-party trainer and former Green Beret. The session was conducted in 90-degree temperatures and resulted in Mayich developing exertional heat stroke. While Zeisel's legal counsel characterized the training as mid-intensity, the athlete's counsel disputes that assessment. This incident follows a 2024 event at Tufts where 24 members of the men’s lacrosse team developed exertional rhabdomyolysis after a 75-minute workout led by a Navy SEAL. The university subsequently implemented a rigorous vetting process for third-party programming and shifted conditioning responsibilities primarily to internal staff. Experts note that when such sessions lack physiological evaluation and emergency planning, they pose significant risks to athlete health regardless of the specific training intensity or style.

• 6:38 PMYahoo Sports — How Military-Style Workouts in College Sports Get Dangerous