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David Goggins of Strength Training

I didn't know Goggins before this topic.

What usually comes out of the type of personality that shows itself on a tough, warrior aspect... is fragility. As the saying goes: it's the little dog that barks the loudest. And that's exactly what Goggins does, playing the tough guy and putting himself on display in the videos. Whereas the world's best athletes are more modest.

All elite endurance athletes train more than Goggins, have a better work ethic and, above all, train sensibly. They don't do stupid things like train with injuries. Yes, it's stupid, not "strong" and shows Goggins' lack of self-knowledge (or knowledge of marketing $$$). The OP talks about Goggins' records, but that's on non elite popular races or non elite ultramarathons. I'm waiting to see his times on the UTMB . I'm sure he'd get pummeled.

All this to say that Goggins is far from being an example for me. He's even an anti-example.
 
Grayland said:
I wonder the same. I'm certain that when he was an active duty Seal, he didn't stretch 2 hours a day or even run 7 miles a day. He probably did the minimum effective dose of PE to keep him ready for whatever he was asked to do.
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Actually says in the book at one point he was in charge of training for his team. Said the guys hated him and complained it wasn’t Buds.
 
Boris Bachmann said:
A lot of haters here. I think the guy's impressive as heck. I enjoyed his book. I have no interest in being like him, but he could definitely teach most of us a thing or two about intestinal fortitude.
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What some of you forget is that Goggins (like 99% of our Western contemporaries) has never experienced horrendous adversity. He's a privileged rich man who can do what he wants.
I remember a discussion that Djokovic was one of the strongest people mentally, because he could handle match balls in tennis. It's laughable.

Read these 2 books written by concentration camp survivors. There you can learn something about mental strength and survival.

"If this is a Man" by Primo Levi.
"Hope is the last to die" by Halina Birenbaum

These are tough people, way tougher than Goggins or other influencers.
 
Paotle said:
What some of you forget is that Goggins (like 99% of our Western contemporaries) has never experienced horrendous adversity. He's a privileged rich man who can do what he wants.
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??? Have you read his book? I mean, he didn't grow up in the middle of a war zone or starving, and he didn't have to endure the holocaust but I don't think that makes him "privileged".
Paotle said:
These are tough people, way tougher than Goggins or other influencers.
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Well cripes, of course.
 
Greg H said:
Actually says in the book at one point he was in charge of training for his team.
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Selected To Training His Team

Whoever allowed that should be question.

It remind me of whoever define "Military Intelligence" as being an Oxymorn.
 
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Boris Bachmann said:
??? Have you read his book? I mean, he didn't grow up in the middle of a war zone or starving, and he didn't have to endure the holocaust but I don't think that makes him "privileged".

Well cripes, of course.
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Didn’t he grow up with an abusive, violent, neglectful father? He’d probably score pretty high on the ACES. Not exactly come from a place of privilege as his origin, although he’s quiet successful now.
 
What you need to understand about goggins is that he’s terrified about returning to that fat lazy unmotivated guy he was. I understand. It’s the same feeling reformed drug addicts have. You know that guy is always there waiting for you to slip up.
Goggins in his heart and soul is a fat lazy achieve nothing loser. He hates that guy. I understand, in my heart & soul I’m an alcoholic and drug addict. I hate that guy.
I don’t need to go to Goggins extremes, but I fully understand why he does what he does. He’ll never stop, because he knows that fat lazy loser is always there waiting.
There’s no need be Goggins, the dude is a freak & obviously has issues. But that’s what works for him. Take motivation from him 100 percent. But don’t blindly follow.
We all deep down know what our insecurities will let us be.
We also know who we could be if we had a go & believed in ourselves.
Fake it till you make it people, that’s all Goggins has done. Choose who you want to be and act appropriately.
It’s doable.
 
Paotle said:
What some of you forget is that Goggins (like 99% of our Western contemporaries) has never experienced horrendous adversity. He's a privileged rich man who can do what he wants.
I remember a discussion that Djokovic was one of the strongest people mentally, because he could handle match balls in tennis. It's laughable.

Read these 2 books written by concentration camp survivors. There you can learn something about mental strength and survival.

"If this is a Man" by Primo Levi.
"Hope is the last to die" by Halina Birenbaum

These are tough people, way tougher than Goggins or other influencers.
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Not really fair comparisons there imo. By those standards almost 100% of the modern military and mma fighters alone aren’t “tough.”

Goggins grew up in a poor, abusive family situation and endured racism through a great portion of his life. IIRC he even dealt with a learning disability in school. He lost what, something like almost 200lbs to become a navy seal? After he retired from the military he signed up as a smoke jumper, and was working the fires in Canada last year (if I’m not mistaken).

If you’re going to bring out the “privileged and rich” argument there are hundreds of better targets.

He’s not “for everyone,” and he even says so, often.

Like others have said, maybe a good source of inspiration, but not necessary to follow what he does exactly as he does it.
 
bluejeff said:
He lost what, something like almost 200lbs to become a navy seal?
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He lost 106 but he did so in less than 3 months. The reason for this was that there was an age limit and had he waited more than 3 months he would not have made the cut.

There are some videos out there where people tried one day of his diet and exercise plan and one day was enough. Here's one of those videos.

 
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MikeTheBear said:
He lost 106 but he did so in less than 3 months. The reason for this was that there was an age limit and had he waited more than 3 months he would not have made the cut.

There are some videos out there where people tried one day of his diet and exercise plan and one day was enough. Here's one of those videos.

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Just losing more than 5% bodyweight and keeping it off for years puts I’m in the 1%.
Dang.
 
I’m sorry for not following this thread more closely earlier. At StrongFirst we don’t say that you’re wrong, just that we know what we do works. Mr Goggins can do whatever he wishes, and I’d much rather discuss, well, anything related to actual training than trying to decide who’s suffered the most.

-S-
 
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