Eight high school students in Texas have been hospitalized after they were forced to do 400 push-ups in an hour without any breaks by the football coach. 

Rockwall-Heath High School Head Football Coach, John Harrell, has been put on administrative leave after he reportedly forced students to do 300 to 400 push-ups during an eighth-period athletic class on Friday. 

A mother, who did not want to be identified, claimed the football players were forced to do the intense workout without water breaks, according to Fox 4 News. 

She said her son was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis - the breakdown of muscle tissue that can release damaging proteins into the bloodstream, which can cause kidney damage or failure. 

It is unclear what the other seven students were diagnosed with. None of the players' identities have been released. 

Principal Todd Bradford addressed the situation on Monday, writing in a letter to student-athlete parents: 'On Monday, January 9, 2023, several parents reported that their student(s) subsequently needed medical attention, and in some cases, hospitalization. Please know the District immediately implemented measures to address the situation and provide support for our students.' 

It also advised parents to inform their students to see the trainer if they experience not being able to 'bend or extend your arms, unable to lift arms above your head, dark urine (tea or cola-colored), and sharp arm pain,' as well as, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion, or lethargy. 

'Student safety is a top priority for Rockwall IDS and we will continue to take immediate and appropriate measures in the best interests of our students as we address this situation,' the letter said. 

The Dallas-based school has also launched a third-party investigation into the incident and said students who attended the class on Monday did a light, nonstrenuous workout. 

Despite the terrifying situation, some of the players defended Harrell and said he was not trying to harm students, but to teach them discipline. 

Player Barry Luff, who was at the workout, told Fox 4 News: 'He's treated us with nothing but respect and he loves every single one of us like his own.' 

Luff also told WFAA that Harrell was at the hospital 'all night with those boys' to make sure they were okay. 

'He would never made us do a workout thinking that it was going to put any of us at risk,' he told the outlet. 

His mother also defended the coach, saying she 'would have been the first person up at the principal's office' if she thought something was wrong. 

Harrell was promoted to head coach in January 2022 and he has been with the school since 2019. 

Rhabdomyolysis is a rare condition that occurs after a muscle injury that caused the muscle to break down. 

It can be a life-threatening condition and athletes, firefighters, and military personnel are at a heightened risk of it. 

Patients can develop rhabdomyolysis after overexerting the muscle, which can cause the muscle cells to disintegrate, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This can cause myoglobin, a protein, to be released into the bloodstream. 

The kidneys help remove the protein from the bloodstream through urine, but in large quantities, it can cause kidney damage or failure. 

The condition is seen in roughly 26,000 people a year and symptoms include muscle swelling, weakness or tenderness in the muscle, and dark urine. Some also experience dehydration, nausea, or loss of consciousness. 

Symptoms usually don't appear until around 24 hours after the exercise. 

The condition has been seen across several college football teams. 

In 2011, Iowa's team had 13 players hospitalized after a grueling off-season workout. One of the players sued and won a settlement of $15,000. 

In 2017, three Oregon players were hospitalized, one with rhabdomyolysis, after a military-style training workout that saw players do push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and plans for up to an hour. 

Offensive lineman Doug Brenner sued the NCAA in April 2022 for $100million after he developed the disorder and his suffered permanent kidney damage. His life expectancy was reduced by 10 years, according to the Dallas Morning News. 

He lost the lawsuit, but won a $500,000 settlement with the school. 

Other sports that see the condition more frequently is marathon runners and those who take spin classes.