A former Navy SEAL turned fitness expert has come under fire from social media users after he appeared to share a video of a boy balancing a log on his shoulders while performing a fitness training exercise.
David Goggins, 49, is known for his extraordinary stamina and fitness and seeks to inspire others on his Instagram.
The American ultramarathon runner and public speaker regularly uses his Instagram to show off his exceptional fitness and provide updates on his life.
Goggins has also trained elite athletes, including MMA star Tony Ferguson, ahead of his fight against Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett at UFC296.
Ferguson had claimed that Goggins “almost broke me,” according to MMA Weekly.comduring his preparation for the fight.
In 2006, he placed second at the 320-mile Ultraman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii. He would later run the Moab 240 ultramarathon, placing second in the event, and has written two books about his life story, while urging others to reach their full potential.
On Thursday, the American, who has 12.6 million followers on Instagram, shared a video on his Instagram of a child doing an intense training session.
In the video, the boy appeared to have his feet extended between two posts dug into the ground.
The boy had crouched between the posts and had balanced a large piece of wood on his shoulders.
Former Navy SEAL David Goggins received criticism online after posting a video of a child undergoing an intense training regimen.
The American ultramarathon runner and public speaker regularly posts inspirational messages on his Instagram and encourages others to stay fit and healthy.
Tony Ferguson teamed up with Goggins before his fight with Paddy Pimblett
He was accompanied by what appeared to be his trainer, who seemed to be shouting words of encouragement towards the little boy.
Under the weight of the log, the boy was seen grimacing and shouting at the man as he swung on the two posts.
Below the video, Goggins added a caption praising the boy for his resilience.
‘I love this damn kid!’ Goggins began.
‘While most of you won’t agree with the physical and mental training this kid is going through, what’s going to come out the other side is one son of a bitch you don’t want to fuck with!
‘Any obstacle that is put in front of this child, he will be able to overcome and conquer it easily!
This is the epitome of who will carry the boats and logs!
Goggins took to Instagram to praise the toddler, praising him for his resilience.
‘I would choose that young man to be on my team out of 99% of the men in this world today! Stand firm!’
It seems Goggins intended the clip to be a motivational post for many of his social media followers, but some fans were left divided in the comments.
“No, this is child abuse,” one wrote. Another added: ‘I disagree with David and I respect you. “This is trauma, not trust-building.”
“He’s too young for this kind of ‘training,'” another added.
Another added: ‘This is child abuse!!! What the fuck.’
‘This is fucking outrageous child abuse!!!’ wrote one Instagram user. ‘As a psychologist, I can tell you that this is NOT okay. And it does NOT generate resilience. This is completely unacceptable behavior by an adult towards a child.
‘This is horrible and it is equally horrible that you admire it, which only shows that you have not understood the trauma and trauma that you yourself experienced and that feeds your internal dialogue.
‘I don’t think you understand what children need if you applaud this. Nor how to create resilient children. Please don’t glorify this. It’s child abuse.’
But some attacked Goggins on Instagram, claiming the video was “child abuse.”
Instagram user @richiehardcore added: ‘Yes, no, we can have resilient sons and daughters without literally torturing our children. This is too much.’
Mail Sport has contacted Goggins for comment.
Others responded to comments claiming the video showed child abuse.
“LOVE IT,” one wrote with two fire emojis. ‘STAY HARD. I receive criticism for the way I train my students. People think it’s child abuse, but the reality is that those people who say that… are what’s wrong in today’s society and are weakening children.’
One wrote: “Never give up,” while one Instagram user wrote: “Unbreakable.” “Most people won’t understand.”
Another Instagram user gave a lengthy response to the clip, writing: “As long as the child has the option to leave the registry and receive help in the process if they request it, I think it’s fair game, assuming they have agreed to participate in this training.
Others, however, joined Goggins in praising the little boy in the comments section.
‘Doing difficult things does not translate into abuse unless the individual, young or old, is maliciously forced or manipulated into doing something they do not want to do. According to the translators, there seems to be no malicious intentions or trauma here.
‘Unless it is revealed that the boy is being forced to perform this action in a longer video, it appears to be a boy testing his strength and endurance. Go away, boy! Remember to take breaks from time to time.
