A personal trainer has warned of the dangers of “ego lifting” after she claims smashing a personal best in the gym left her hospitalized — when she snapped her right hip bone.
Kristina Schmidt, 24, started incorporating barbell hip thrusts into her gym routine in an attempt to grow her glutes after seeing her favorite fitness influencers raving about the exercise.
But after quickly working her way up to a personal best of 310 lbs. in March 2023, she developed agonizing pain in her right hip that “felt like someone was tearing her leg off.”
Kristina Schmidt had to have surgery for a hip fracture from her exercise routine. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
At one point the pain became so bad that Kristina was left “crying with every single step” and was eventually unable to walk.
Kristina visited her doctor and had an MRI scan before being referred to hospital.
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Footage shows her performing the high-impact thrusts that, over time, caused a stress fracture that’s believed to have been caused by lifting too heavy a weight with incorrect form.
After being struck down with blood poisoning when her fractured hip became infected, Kristina underwent surgery to clean the wound and needed a three-month course of antibiotics.
Now, Kristina wants to warn prevent others going through the same ordeal.
“I wanted to look cool in front of my powerlifting gym friends,” Kristina, from Malibu, California said.
“The most I could lift was 310 pounds for eight repetitions and I would usually do two sets of that, but that was with horrible form and not properly engaging my glutes.
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She said that her high-impact thrusts caused the painful stress fracture. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
“If I’d been able to lift it up properly then it would have been impressive but I was just swinging it up.
“In January I was only lifting 245-265 lbs. and then by March it was already up to 310 lbs., which in hindsight was probably way too fast. It was too much.”
In March Kristina, who was studying Japanese language, politics and economics at Hokkaido University in Hokkaido, Japan, went on a day out with pals and started struggling to walk due to the pain in her hip.
“I remember going on a car trip with my friends and I couldn’t walk,” she said.
“I was crying with every single step, my hip felt like someone was trying to tear my leg off. It was a horrible pain, I couldn’t stop crying and my friend had to carry me into the house.
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“Doctors said I had a stress fracture with small cracks in multiple places around the neck of my femur and hip joint. They said this was likely caused by repeatedly overloading my hip over time with too many heavy weights and incorrect form.
“Doctors said I had a stress fracture with small cracks in multiple places around the neck of my femur and hip joint,” she said. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
“The space between my hip bone and femur shrank so much that my bones were grinding on each other.
“I then got a bacterial infection that settled in my hip — the weakest and most compromised part of my body at the time — caused the synovial fluid in my hip joint to turn orange, and resulted in septic arthritis and borderline blood poisoning.
“I needed surgery to clean out the joint and after that I was on crutches and still couldn’t walk for weeks.
“I was put on antibiotics for months, which destroyed my gut microbiome, weakened my immune system, and triggered a domino effect of other health issues.”
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Kristina started working out at the gym in 2021 and implemented the booty-building move into her routine around 18 months later after being inspired by social media influencers.
“I needed surgery to clean out the joint and after that I was on crutches and still couldn’t walk for weeks,” she said. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
Since her accident Kristina, who used to work as an English teacher, started her personal training and nutrition qualifications and is due to be fully qualified in May 2025.
“I just saw people doing the hip thrust online. I never saw people talking about what to do if you’re more quad dominant, like I am,” she said.
“It was more of a one-size-fits-all approach, like, ‘If you want big glutes then you should do this.’ But not everybody has the same muscular genetics.
“I think the muscular imbalance was a big thing that caused me to ruin my form on the hip thrust because when the weights got too heavy for what I could handle with good form, the more developed muscles — in my case, the quads and hamstrings — would take over to complete the lift.
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“But that imbalance and overcompensation by the quads and hamstrings ended up putting immense pressure on my hip area, causing the stress fractures over time.”
“Nobody talks about the slow burn of injuries like a stress fracture — which, unlike an actual fracture, can often go unnoticed — and how it leads to a domino effect of other health issues,” she said. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
Instead of focusing on proper form and technique, Kristina was stacking on weights quickly in an attempt to impress her gym friends.
She quickly added 30kg onto her weights, working her way up from a 245 lbs. to 310 lbs. hip thrust in just a matter of months.
“Ego lifting has always been a meme online,” she said. “You see pec muscles disconnecting when someone benches too heavy, or someone’s back breaking when they’re deadlifting — these are all instant injuries.
“Nobody talks about the slow burn of injuries like a stress fracture — which, unlike an actual fracture, can often go unnoticed — and how it leads to a domino effect of other health issues.”
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After injuring herself Kristina admits that she was “scared” to return to hip thrusting, but has since slashed the weight she lifts in half.
“The accident definitely inspired me to become a personal trainer,” she said. “I focus more on doing slower reps for greater time under tension and sometimes even adding half reps and holding the hip thrust at the top and going until failure.
“I now do my hip thrusts almost exclusively on the smith machine because I don’t have to worry about balance and can focus on (perfecting) form and time under tension.
Kristina wants to warn others about the dangers of lifting too heavily. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
“I really focus on control. I’m now hip thrusting 152 lbs, quite literally taking the 310 lbs. and cutting it in half.
“There are some days where my form might be a little off and I can tell that it’s off because my quads or my hamstrings will start taking over.
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“That’s how I know that it’s not right and I know that I need to lower the weight or adjust the distance that the bench is from the bar (on the smith machine) and try again. I really try and check in with myself after every set.”
Now, Kristina wants to warn others about the dangers of lifting too heavily to impress others and getting her information on how to lift solely from social media.
“I do regret having social media as one of my main sources of information back then,” she said.
“The hip thrust itself is not a bad exercise,” she said, but added that people need to do it responsibly. Kennedy News/@growwithkuri
“With some of these influencers, you don’t even know if their glutes are real or not and were actually built in the gym or not, or whether they’re certified as instructors and actually understand the mechanics behind what it takes to grow muscle correctly and safely.
“You have to be quite careful about what you see online now. Just because it works for one person, doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
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“Having guidance from someone who is certified and who knows what they’re doing is really important.
“The hip thrust itself is not a bad exercise and I don’t want to scaremonger, or to discourage people from trying it, by all means try it but the whole point is to do so responsibly.”
After sharing a video with the details of her injury on Instagram the clip went viral, racking up more than 19,170,000 views, likes and comments.
“Just to be safe: this happened because u used too much weight not because the exercise is bad, right? Lmao,” one user wrote.
“Everyday on this app I unlock a new fear,” another commented, while a third added: “The first rule before going to gym is…leave your ego at home.”
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“I had a similar thing, my quads were way stronger than my hamstrings and glutes, and one day I stood up at a park and tore and sprained all my ligaments and tendons in my hip flexor… work out ur bum guys,” said yet another.
You’ve probably heard this one a few times before: Research suggests that exercise is linked to a longer life.
What’s more surprising is that a tiny amount of activity could have a noticeable effect, according to a study published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that included more than 13,000 women with an average age of 72. For these women, walking just 4,000 steps one day a week was enough to start seeing a decline in likelihood of dying or developing heart disease over the course of the study. The findings suggest that walking a mile or two once a week is still beneficial, even if your other days are less active.
Small steps, big change
Fitness apps and wearable trackers often set a goal for users to reach 10,000 steps per day. Yet many experts agree that number is arbitrary. Amanda Paluch, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst who studies step counts as a measure of physical exercise, says the popular benchmark seems to have been inspired by a Japanese pedometer device made decades ago. “It has not been backed up by scientific evidence,” she says.
Still, steps are a handy way to think about physical activity, so researchers have been working to understand exactly how many per day are linked to improved health.
Read More:What Experts Think About the Japanese Walking Trend
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In the new study, participants wore step counters for a week, and the researchers recorded the number of days each woman achieved step counts greater than 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, and 7,000. Then, for more than a decade, they tracked whether the women developed cardiovascular disease or died.
The goal was to determine whether even relatively small numbers of steps, logged on just a handful of days, would affect the women’s health, says study author Dr. Rikuta Hamaya, an instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Women who walked 4,000 steps once or twice a week experienced a 27% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 26% lower risk of dying during the study period, compared to those who didn’t—a substantial difference.
Shifting from an all-or-nothing mindset
The new study suggests “it’s not all or nothing…even just starting with one day can be incredibly meaningful for your health,” said Paluch, who was not involved in the work. The findings are similar to her own previous research suggesting that even 6,000 steps a day are linked to lower risk of heart disease in adults aged about 60. The new research is also reminiscent of other teams’ work on “Weekend Warriors,” or people who pack their exercise into just a day or two a week but see better health outcomes than those who don’t exercise.
Dr. Shaan Khurshid, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, agrees that even a modest amount of exercise can have meaningful health benefits. “[That finding] enables us to empower patients by saying…even if you’re not exercising every day or walking every day, you’re still getting a benefit from that,” he says.
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Read More: Backward Walking Is the Best Workout You’re Not Doing
Other factors might influence the link between movement and health. The researchers can’t conclude, based on observing study participants, that movement definitively caused their better health outcomes. Preexisting frailty could have been at play, as well—although the researchers did their best to control for this, there’s always the chance that some of the people who walked very little did so because they were already not in the best of health.
Plus, Hamaya points out, this study followed only older, mostly white women. More diverse studies with younger people are needed to determine the effects of step counts for other groups.
Still, as studies suggesting even small amounts of exercise are beneficial continue to pile up, the latest findings are an encouraging sign that, if you’re considering upping your activity level, even a little bit can make a difference.
Aging sucks. Your body feels weaker and everyday activities start to take more effort.
“By the time you reach 40, your body isn’t as quick to bounce back as it once was, and muscle starts to fade faster,” says Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree.
Sarcopenia—age-related muscle loss—starts at around age 30 if you aren’t doing anything to counter it. The process accelerates as we age, spiking with hormonal changes like the menopause, which for many people starts in their 40s.
So when I asked what those over 40 should be prioritizing to maintain their health, it’s no surprise that she suggested strength training to counteract muscle loss.
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“Lifting weights or using resistance bands can rebuild what’s been lost and keep your bones strong. It helps you move with more ease and lowers your risk of pain or injury later on. The sooner you start, the more strength and freedom you’ll have in the years ahead.”
But what is more surprising is that Chakoian went on to highlight one particular strength exercise, and another form of exercise that complements strength training.
To keep it really simple, Chakoian has broken down the most important areas of exercise you should be doing, and why.
Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox.
1. Resistance training
“Strength training is the single most effective tool for slowing down biological aging. It improves insulin sensitivity, supports metabolism, and combats the muscle and bone loss that accelerates after 40,” says Chakoian.
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“It also helps regulate mood and cognition by balancing hormones and supporting brain health. Over time, resistance training keeps your posture stronger and your overall resilience higher.”
“Keeping your muscles strong helps you stay steady on your feet and protects your joints from strain. It also keeps your blood sugar, mood, and energy more balanced. Strong muscles don’t just look good; they help you move, age, and live better.”
Want to start resistance training, but aren’t sure where to begin? Try this strength training for beginners plan, all you need are dumbbells, or if you have a gym membership, begin with this gym machine workout plan for beginners.
No weights? Start with this 10-minute bodyweight workout from Chakoian.
2. Squatting
Beginner’s Guide: Squat – YouTube
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While squats fall under the umbrella of resistance training—even when you perform them without holding a weight—they hit such a crucial part of your body that Chakoian wanted it to have its own spot on the list.
“Squats build and maintain lower-body strength, which directly ties to independence and long-term mobility,” she says, telling me that the legs are often where sarcopenia hits first and hardest.
“Squats work major muscle groups such as glutes, quads, hamstrings, while engaging the core and improving balance,” says Chakoian. “Strong legs are strongly correlated with reduced risk of falls, better joint stability and greater metabolic health. They also boost bone density and stimulate testosterone and growth hormone, both of which drop with age.”
3. Steady-state cardio
“Steady-state cardio like brisk walking, cycling or swimming trains the heart to be more efficient,” says Chakoian. “It improves circulation, blood pressure and fat metabolism, while being gentle on the joints.”
“For people over 40, this moderate-intensity training, where you can still talk but feel challenged, enhances mitochondrial health and increases the body’s ability to use fat for energy, key markers linked to longevity. It also lowers stress hormones and supports recovery from strength training.”
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About our expert
About our expert
Denise Chakoian
Denise Chakaoian is a veteran fitness expert and founder of CORE Cycle and Fitness LaGree, the first Rhode Island studio to introduce the Lagree Method—a high-intensity, low-impact workout performed on the Megaformer. A former competitive dancer with nearly 30 years in the industry, she blends technical precision with holistic wellness. Her Providence-based studio offers cutting-edge group fitness, including Lagree, indoor cycling, boxing, and strength training, all delivered with an evidence-based, community-focused approach.
Harry Styles completed the Berlin Marathon in under three hours, even beating his Tokyo Marathon race time.
Running a half-marathon may feel impossible to many — but with the help of experts, you could join the ranks of people who have competed to run 13.1 miles at a time.
“Running a half-marathon is a great goal and achievable while balancing life’s other demands if the proper approach is taken,” Jackie Sanders, Doctor of Physical Therapy and certified running coach at Anchor Wellness, tells USA TODAY.
Sanders has some tips for training for a half-marathon — with the caveat that a training will look different for everyone, and that generalized advice doesn’t account for “individual strengths, weaknesses, or unexpected events like injury, illness, travel or increased life stress.” Speaking to a physical therapist can be helpful in order to further tailor your training to your specific needs, from everything from running form to which shoes can best support you.
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“Challenges occur, runners should not assume the race is unachievable,” Sanders adds. “Seeking professional guidance may be what allows the goal to be reached. There is more than one way to prepare for a race, and while some obstacles may be insurmountable, others may just require a pivot in approach.”
Here’s everything you need to know about training for a half-marathon.
How long to train for a half-marathon
The specific amount of time to train for a half-marathon varies for everyone, considering their fitness level and running experience when beginning, as well as what their overall goals for the race are and how much space they have in their schedule to dedicate to training. Are you trying to win gold? Beat your personal best? Just happy to reach the finish line?
But overall, Sanders recommends a “focused training plan lasting 12 to 16 weeks” is usually best. For example, the Boston Athletic Association offers a 12-week training plan for those new to running a half-marathon, that consists of slowly building stamina, starting with the first week consisting of three days of two to three mile runs and one five-mile run, all the way up to some nine or ten mile runs closer to the week of the race.
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“If there are anticipated disruptions such as travel or family conflicts, the longer plan allows for these interruptions while still giving time for a proper build,” Sanders says, adding that it’s necessary to also allot time for less intense training weeks and breaks. “Active recovery days or full rest days should also be included to avoid overload and unnecessary physical or mental fatigue.”
For beginner runners, Sanders suggests beginning with a “foundation of walking” before transitioning to partial walking and running sessions. “If someone is new to running this distance, a slow gradual build with plenty of complementary training is important,” she says.
Gradually building up training isn’t just a helpful tool for beginners, though. Athletes who have experience running but maybe not experience running 13.1 miles at a time should also focus on a “systematic build,” which Sanders says should focus on ” improving cardiovascular fitness without the higher risk of injury associated with increasing mileage too quickly.”
According to Sanders, training should include:
Mostly “easy-paced miles, at least 60 to 90 seconds per mile slower than anticipated race pace”
One higher-intensity workout every week. Cross training can include cycling, swimming, rowing or using an elliptical
One “progressively longer run” most weeks
Strength training, which research has shown can help decrease the likelihood of running injuries
More: Running is great exercise, but many struggle with how to get started. Here are some tips.
What to avoid when training for a half-marathon
Sanders has seen many runners skip strength training in favor of just running more practice miles, which can be harmful in the long haul, she says. Don’t skip the small stuff that adds up over time: strength work, getting quality sleep, eating well and lowering stress.
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“When fueling is insufficient, sleep is inadequate, or stress is high, training quality will suffer,” she adds.
Training for a half-marathon is much like the philosophy of actually running a half-marathon: You’re in it for the long-haul, so don’t get too excited or discouraged by a small portion of the training.
“Fitness is built from consistency and not every day will feel great or hit the mark, and that is okay,” Sanders says.
