Over agressive training methods

I posted this on the 2oldfortwinkies clan page and thought I'd repost it here. Just something I've been thinking about lately:

I haven't watched a lot of Biggest Loser, but the little I have seen left an impression of far too aggressive training methods for the people that are training.  Generally the contestants on this show are morbidly obese (correct me if I'm wrong, like I said I haven't watched much of it) so it makes me wonder why they would take this boot camp approach from the beginning.

Granted they have doctors and everything onhand, but it seems to me there are several risks here.  The most immediate of course is someone dropping dead or becoming seriously injured.  Then there's the lack of aftercare that from what I've read results in a lot of these folks putting the weight back on.

The reason I've been thinking about this is because since I've gotten back into the gym I've seen the inhouse trainers working with some bigger people and putting them through some routines that I think are unsafe.  Granted I'm not an expert, and perhaps because I have the bad back I'm overly cautious, but I was watching (in one example) a heavier woman jumping around like a lunatic then doing a lot of quick bend-at-the-waist type movements.  That isn't good.  They tried to get me to sign on for this too but I declined.  But is this what passes for physical training these days?  Did The Biggest Loser spearhead this agressive training fad?

I'm not confusing high instensity (in a safe, controlled manner) with what I'm referring to.  You can work hard and keep your heart rate up but still work out safely.  You can push yourself within your limits and still get results without having to go to extremes.

As far as the after care thing goes, I think back to when I wrestled in high school.  We were put through the ringer every day, 7 days a week.  It was tough and I usually hated it, but the coach drove us and stayed on us, and we back each other up and got through it.  If I were asked to do that on my own I couldnt; I wouldn't.  But because I had my coach there overseeing everything I did it.  If such a strict, difficult regiment is put upon normaly sedintary people what are the odds that they would keep up with it on their own?  I'd say about nil, and I would say that its almost irresponsible of the people who run this show to promote this type of routine as safe and/or healthy.

But maybe I'm wrong, I dunno.

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When I signed up for the gym the manager and one of the trainers were pushing me hard to sign up for all this training time. They have a Biggest Loser competition of their own, the winner gets $10,000. Without a doubt I would win this, I can guarantee you that barring injury over the next 3 months that I will cut a higher percentage of body fat than anyone who signed up for that contest. But the catch was you had to buy training time, lots of it, to the tune of over $2000 from what I was told with supplements. And then they would put you on their program, which there's no way in hell I would survive. I was actually pretty alarmed that they would even consider putting someone in such bad shape as me on this type of thing. They kept going on about plateaus, high intensity workouts, switching up every 30 days...yeah great, good ideas and everything for sure.

But as I pointed out to the guy, all I had done at this point was sign up for a membership - I hadn't even set a foot inside the place to work out. I've had 3 shoulder surgeries, 2 knee surgeries, and I have herniated a disc in my back. I was not about to jump into something so aggressive. When the time comes that I get stuck and need help (and it will come, it always does) I will ask for it. If I have to cough up a few bucks for an hour with the trainer then so be it.

And what happens once the contest is over? I know for a fact that even if I made it through their routines that I wouldn't continue something that aggressive on my own. So I opted for my own approach, the old program (more or less) that I used to a great deal of success 15 years ago. I keep the intensity high by resting no more than 30-60 seconds between sets and pushing myself to failure in each set. Believe me, I'm sweating hard by the time I hit the treadmill let alone by the time I'm off the treadmill.

Anyway just my 2 cents. Anyone have any thoughts on these crazy agressive training routines?