Why does this happen?

[Spartacus Maximus]

At a certain point during intense activity, there is a near complete loss of control of movement and muscle action. It becomes difficult to move, breathing is strenuous and vision seem to get clouded.

Why does this happen and how can it be overcome?

[JR 137]

Your body isn't recovering quickly enough. There are a few different processes the body uses to make ATP (what the body uses for energy). Glycolysis, Krebs Cycle, fermentation, and one or two others.

Regardless of the process, oxygen is needed to convert stuff into energy, and to break stuff apart.

The harder you work, the more energy needed. The more energy needed, the more oxygen needed.

The more muscles you use, the more arteries and capillaries open up to oxygenate and feed those muscles (oxygen is carried by red blood cells). The more blood needed in the muscles, the less there is available to the brain.

Aerobic and anaerobic exercise will cut down on the effect you're experiencing. Your body will make more red blood cells, and grow more capillaries (where oxygen diffuses out of your blood and CO2 diffuses into your blood) in your lungs and muscles.

IMO the most effective way to get into "fighting shape" is interval training. Short bursts of very high intensity exercise followed by short bursts of medium intensity exercise. On a heavy bag, it could be maximum power and speed punches for a minute, followed by footwork with light punches for a minute. Lather, rinse, repeat. If running, or would be alternating periods of all out sprinting and jogging.

Regardless of what you're doing, the key is to get your heart rate up near max for a short duration (that'll actually seem like forever), then let it go back down to a cardio rate to recover, then back up again.

Experts will bicker about how long each interval should be. None of them who know what they're talking about will disagree that interval training is the most effective way to get results.

Look up interval training and play around with the numbers until you find your optimum results.

All of this assumes you don't have any underlying health issues, of course.

[wayneshin]

The above is correct how please consider if this response you are describing is something new and not your body's normal reaction to intense exercise. If so please see a Doctor.

[Spartacus Maximus]

It is nothing new, nor is it a unique reaction limited to a single person. It can be described as similar to a short-circuit. When it happens to someone, the first thing immediately noticeable is that the person has trouble moving as they did earlier in the beginning of the session. Some seem to "forget" techniques, panic or even freeze. The condition improves somewhat when conscious efforts are made to breathe deeply.

[JR 137]

To further my previous post...

When exercising, you're actually damaging tissues. This damage is good, so long as you don't overdo it, and give it enough time to rest. The body's response will be to repair the tissue stronger than it was so that it doesn't happen again.

This process brings inflammation. One or more of the chemical mediators in the inflammatory response blocks motor nerve signals as a defense mechanism; you can't move it, so you can't further damage it. The body doesn't know you're intentionally damage it.

Instead of stopping when those chemicals are released (and it's not a total paralysis, only partial), we start compensating. The compensation manifests in poor mechanics.

Part of "the burn" you feel during repeated exercise is lactic acid (a waste product of metabolic processes), and part of it is the inhibiting chemicals.

These are perfectly normal, within reason. Passing out or the like there isn't. Everyone's line of enough and too much is different. The more you work out and push yourself, the better you understand that line.

[Nidan Melbourne]

To add onto what JR 137 has stated, what you are experiencing is normal. With the exception of the clouded vision as this can be an indicator of numerous problems.

Interval Training is amazing especially for Tournament competitors due to the nature of what you have to do. For the timing of the intervals themselves it varies from person to person especially when starting off. But the intervals will change drastically when those times are plateauing.

BUT IMHO this does not work for every person who is trying to lose weight, due to certain conditions that inhibit their ability to undertake such training. I'd say majority of us who are active on this board are able to do it safely without risk of injury.

I would say you should speak to your doctor to get a work up prior to doing intense exercise dependent on your age, if your over 45 your normally are recommended to see a doctor to be given a work up and approval to start such exercise.

Don't forget Interval Training is not just Cardio based, but also can be used with strength training as well. Nearly every MA you can also do interval training with multiple partners where you have to work hard. I know of Sensei Bruce Hyland of Ishinryu Australia utilises this at his clubs and has been quite successful in using it for all his students.

[goforit1]

Spartacus... I can relate to your symptoms. I've found that hydrating before an intense workout of any kind can really make a difference. I'm in my late 50's so it has become more of a problem as I've gotten older. There is nothing worse than going too far in an intense workout to the point of getting painful muscle cramps, which has been my problem. I found this article on "Fatigue Fighting Fitness Tips" from a Physical Therapist at the Rehabilitation Department, Sports Rehabilitation and Performance Center in New York that has several tips that may help you.

https://www.hss.edu/conditions_avoiding-muscle-fatigue-exercising-tips.asp

[Spartacus Maximus]

The issue is most common in people who are unaccustomed to the intensity of the activity they are attempting. This is the majority of cases, but it also affects those who are in poor physical health as well as those past their physical prime.

From experience, it is as if the muscles and the entire body is choking and the result is a kind of panic followed by loss of control. Conscious efforts to breathe effectively is the solution, but it is much more difficult than it sounds. Without concentration, the body will always revert to its usual breathing pattern which is insufficient for intense activity.

[Alan Armstrong]

Hi Spartacus! Seems to me but I am no doctor or therapist or trainer etc. Just needed to clarify all that first. You could be over working your heart. Blood and oxygen are not circulating quick enough around your body; I think you are border lining for a heart attack. I take in as much oxygen into my body just before my intense short practice then recover. Drive any car long enough or fast for long periods and something is gonna give; people aren't much different than cars. Short burst with intense training works. Recover and do it again. Repeat until you cannot; then call it a day. There is always another day awaiting a killer workout just make sure your no the one getting killed! All the best with your workouts.

[Montana]

You need to talk to physician IMMEDITELY! It sounds like a heart issue to me..not pumping fast enough for your activity. My wife has similar issues and it's a valve in her heart.