An Italian fitness coach with a six-pack. Photo: IC 

 

A 20-year-old man in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province ended up with "melting muscles" after he exercised too much in a bid to get a six-pack. 

The man surnamed Ma, who is a university student, wanted to get into super shape before summer comes and undertook a ruthless exercise regime at the campus gym, according to Hangzhou Daily. 

He added 10 extra kilograms more than usual for strength training and worked out for 90 minutes on Saturday in an attempt to hasten the body-building process. 

As most body builders know haste makes waste and Ma paid the price. His legs ached bitterly and he could hardly walk the following day. He also had a fever of 39 C. 

After a checkup in hospital, Ma's creatine kinase (an enzyme related to motion) was 173 times the normal level. The doctor said that Ma's exercise exceeded his limit, and he tore some muscles. The result was a breakdown not a build-up that muscles "melted" and a substance from his muscles entered his blood, inducing his symptoms. 

 "I guess this means I had better keep away from the gym," wrote a Sina Weibo user who was happy to use Ma's experience as another excuse. 

Hangzhou Daily