Source: BroBible
Summary
A St. Louis Blues prospect, Matthew Mayich, was hospitalized after a military-style workout led by a former Green Beret at Arizona State. The session, conducted in mid-80s heat, included sprints, planks, and push-ups. Mayich collapsed and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Similar incidents occurred in 2024 when Tufts lacrosse players were hospitalized after a Navy SEAL-led workout. Arizona State is investigating the event.
Our Reading
The routine arrives with confidence.
Workouts now come with military credentials.
Heat is just a suggestion.
Complaining is a sign of weakness.
Discipline is a personality trait.
Being pushed to the edge is just part of the package.
Author: Evan Null
Blue prospect and Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich was hospitalized after enduring a workout overseen by a former Green Beret
In 2023, the St. Louis Blues used the 170th overall pick in the NHL Draft to select Matthew Mayich, a defenseman who was born and raised in Ontario. He was still playing in the OHL when he was scooped up, and last season, he made his NCAA debut while suiting up for Clarkson University in upstate New York before tallying seven goals and eight assists for the Golden Knights.
The 21-year-old decided to transfer to Arizona State for his sophomore year, and he was taking part in a preseason workout with the team on the morning of August 20th when he was rushed to the hospital after collapsing following what has been described as a “cardiac event.”
The school quickly announced it was looking into what transpired, and we now have some more information courtesy of The Arizona Republic.
The outlet reports Mayich and other Arizona State athletes were participating in a military-style workout led by Tim Ziesel, a Scottsdale resident who was formerly a member of the United States Army Special Forces (a.k.a. the Green Berets).
The Athletic detailed the specifics of the workout, which was conducted outdoors at Arizona State’s track facility last Thursday, where the temperature was hovering in the mid-80s when paramedics responded to a call that was initially chalked up to a “heat-related illness.”
The workout included sprints, planks, push-ups, and bear crawls
People familiar with the workout said Mayich and the other athletes taking part spent close to an hour being subjected to an unceasing gauntlet of sprints, planks, push-ups and bear crawls, with those who fell behind forced to complete extra sprints or exercises. Participants were instructed not to complain, and Ziesel reportedly departed before the final exercise: a 200-yard endzone-to-endzone sprint while holding a medicine ball.
It’s not entirely clear when Mayich collapsed, but he was transported to Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, where he remains in a coma and is listed in critical condition.
This isn’t the first time a military-style workout has caused serious issues at the college level; in 2024, a dozen members of the lacrosse team at Tufts were hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis, a potentially fatal condition that can trigger kidney failure, after taking part in one overseen by a former Navy SEAL.
The post Workout Led By Green Beret In Brutal Heat Blamed After Arizona State Hockey Player And Blues Prospect Hospitalized In Critical Condition appeared first on BroBible.
Workouts are now sold as survival training
College athletes are expected to endure anything for the sake of performance. Military-style workouts are the new norm, with former soldiers leading the charge. The idea is that if you can survive a Green Beret’s session, you can survive anything.
Heat is just a minor inconvenience. Pain is a badge of honor. Collapse is a sign of weakness, not a warning.
Mayich’s case is the latest in a string of incidents where extreme training methods have led to serious health consequences. But the trend continues, as schools look for any edge, no matter the cost.
It’s not about fitness anymore. It’s about toughness. And toughness is sold like a product, with a military label and a price tag.
The next time you see a workout led by a former special forces operator, remember: this is not training. This is branding.
Brutal workouts are the new self-care
Self-care has evolved. It’s no longer about rest or reflection. It’s about pushing through pain, sweating in the heat, and ignoring your body’s limits. The new mantra is: if it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you tougher.
Workouts are no longer just about fitness. They’re about proving you’re tough enough. And if you don’t survive, well, that’s just the price of admission.
Mayich’s case is a reminder that the line between discipline and danger is thin. But in the world of college sports, that line is often blurred, if not erased entirely.
The next time you see a military-style workout, remember: this is not a training session. This is a performance. And the cost is measured in health, not success.
Brutal workouts are the new self-care. And if you don’t like it, maybe you’re not tough enough to be here.
