Ben Askren just gave his thoughts on the strange training methods of an MMA coach.
The coach has gone viral for his hardcore conditioning techniques to toughen up a bunch of children. His name is Yidikes Yom, and he teaches at an MMA center in Lyon, France.
He likes to share clips on his Instagram, promoting his gym and giving a sneak peek of his training systems.
In one video, there are dozens of teenagers lying on their backs waiting for the coach to slam a whole tire onto their abdominal area. They all look terrified and one of them even had to endure the pain twice.
Another clip shows the students doing handstands around the cage, waiting for the coach to hit their mid-section with a punching pad. One of them is able to escape the punishment as he is too obese to get into position in the first place.
While conditioning is a vital part of combat sports, netizens are criticizing the coach for being too hard on these kids.
In another video, the coach is picking up three giggling preteens from their ankles and flipping them one by one, so that they can land on their feet.
There are many videos similar to these ones on the coach’s Instagram.
Ben Askren questions how the trainer is able to get such a gym packed full of students in the first place.
The former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion tweeted the following:
“😂😂😂 I’m dying laughing but also wondering how this guy convinced so many people to come to his gym.”
Askren, who’s now retired from MMA, last competed against Jake Paul in a boxing match in mid-2021. After being undefeated for his entire MMA career, he had an unsuccessful run in the UFC. He lost two of his three outings.