Besting "Beasting"

BBC reports on the acquittal of Army personnel whose junior colleague died after being subjected to harsh physical exercise as punishment for a misdemeanor. Pte Gavin Williams, 22, of Hengoed, Caerphilly, collapsed and died at Lucknow Barracks in Tidworth in 2006.

Admittedly, I need to know more about the details - I don't mean to be insensitive to this family's terrible loss; and it does sound like these soldiers went too far. But will someone who has spent time in the military explain to me and the rest of the ignorant civilians how "beasting" is qualitatively different from disciplinary exercise generally? And if it's not to be however-many pushups or a long hike for insubordination, what are we back to in order to keep recruits in line? Flogging?