Diet & Exercise

Ashley Graham’s Latest Workout Sparks Criticism From Fans

Ashley Graham’s latest workout is no joke!The model showed off her moves Sunday by rocking […]

Ashley Graham’s latest workout is no joke!

The model showed off her moves Sunday by rocking through a lower body workout at Dogpound, a fitness studio in New York. In her Instagram post, Graham performs sumo deadliifts with 50 pounds of added weight. To up the resistance, trainer Dara Hart adds a resistance band around her hips and another around her thighs.

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The 29-year-old sported an all-black ensemble as she confidently executed every rep of this intense exercise.

Double band sumo deadlift with lil Miss @dara__hart ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝwearing @bigbottombehavior leggings

A post shared by A S H L E Y G R A H A M (@theashleygraham) on

“Turns out to have a tush like hers, we might have to squat or something,” one follower wrote to a friend in the comments. Another wrote, “I love it that you promote body positivity, but also being healthy and exercising.”

Other fans were quick to tell Graham that her form is lacking, despite being coached throughout the move by Hart. “You are doing it wrong. It actually hurts your back!” wrote one critic. Another added, “You will hurt your back.”

Though we’ll leave it up to the model’s trainer to critique her form, Graham isn’t the first model to be ‘corrected’ after posting a similar exercise.

Kate Upton posted a video clip in August of herself performing a move similar to deadlifts using a kBox machine by the pool.

Still working off that frozen yogurt๐Ÿฆ #playingforthetie @benbrunotraining

A post shared by Kate Upton (@kateupton) on

Upton had a slight arch in her back as she lowered the equipment, leaving fans to instruct her to “watch” and “straighten” her back. Fit followers wrote that a normal deadlift would be performed with a flat back from shoulders to hips.

While they aren’t wrong to be concerned over the curve of the model’s backโ€”too much pull from the spine can lead to injuryโ€”Upton isn’t performing traditional deadlifts.

The kBox machine is a fairly new addition to the workout scene, so it may require unique form from what traditional weights call for. The machine uses constant resistance to pull the user downward, so it may cause the pressure on the back to feel a bit different.

Though both models’ have been critiqued for similar exercises, neither is a stranger to working out, especially in preparation of their Sports Illustrated Swimsuit spreads. (Graham was the 2016 cover model and Upton earned her third SI Swimsuit cover in 2017.)

Upton worked with trainer Ben Bruno to achieve her fittest, strongest physique for the annual shoot. They train at least one hour together five to six days a week. “I found a training plan that really works for my body,” Upton told PEOPLE. “I love feeling strong, and strength training has really changed my body.”

To do this, she performs high-energy circuit routine with weights, but they switch things up often. She slays moves like landline bench squats, weighted hip thrusts, single-leg deadlifts and TRX rows without rest, which knock out cardio and strength training in one. She spends no time on the treadmill!

As for Graham, she works with Dogpound trainer Dawin Pena to fit fitness into her crazy routine.

“Ashley is a busy woman,” Pena told Women’s Health. “But that doesn’t mean she can’t get in a great workout in a short amount of time. Generally we do weights with a high rep count and some calisthenics in between to get her heart rate up.”

Admittedly, though, Graham enjoys a variety of workouts from strength training to kickboxing and most recently, aerial yoga. The curvy model has shared a few snaps of her silks and ropes poses as of late, and you can color us impressed!

Photo credit: Instagram / @theashleygraham