Did Andy Elliott Exploit His Daughters? – IronMag Bodybuilding & Fitness Blog

by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN

To preface this article, I have nothing against Andy Elliott. He is apparently a really good sales trainer and business coach, but I cannot confirm nor deny that as I’ve never worked with him.

This article is my opinion based on a video that has gone viral where he brought up his two little girls (9 and 12 years old) on stage to show off their abs.

So, with all of that being said and out of the way, let’s dive into my opinion of the situation.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current regimen.

Did Andy Elliott Do Anything Wrong Bringing His Daughters on Stage?

I’ve been in the fitness industry for over two decades now, and I’ve seen some crazy things during that time that made me shake my head. The latest from Andy Elliott is just another example.

Nine years ago, I wrote an article where the IFBB was allowing girls as young as 5 and as old as 15 to compete on a bodybuilding stage. I explained how bad of a look this was for the sport and the IFBB, and the majority of people who saw what took place agreed.

Now, it’s one thing to simply bring up your girls to the stage and have them explain their lifestyle and how they stay active and fit, but it’s another thing to tell them to “show off your abs.”

There were some people in the crowd who yelled their displeasure at what Andy Elliott was doing, and then Andy hit back, telling people, “It’s fitness, idiots.” He also claimed they’re a “fitness family.”

My oldest son is 10, and my twin boys are 6. Do I randomly post a photo on social media of them working out with me? Yep. Are they fully clothed and not showing off their physiques? Yep.

But why?

Because there are absolute creeps out there online, who would do the unthinkable by seeing kids “showing off their physiques.”

My kids enjoy working out with me. It’s a great time that we spend together as a “fitness family,” as Andy Elliott said. But I’d never exploit my kids. In fact, I try to keep my kids off the internet as much as possible and keep my private life private. But yes, I post a few pics here and there throughout the year.

Circling back, there’s nothing wrong with his girls coming up and sharing their wisdom and experience. But what Andy Elliott did was borderline exploitation. Before he told his girls to show off their abs, he explained that he told them if they could get abs before the speaking event, he would take them on a shopping spree and buy them whatever they wanted.

To me, that sounds like bribery, not fitness.

I’m not going to be one of those people online saying that child protective services need to be called, where’s the mother, etc. Some may say that’s reckless. But the bottom line is that I don’t know him as a father, and I do truly believe he loves his kids and is good to them.

I simply think he made poor judgment by his actions of bringing them on stage and having them remove clothes to show their physiques. I look at it as the same thing I mentioned above, with little girls competing in the IFBB.

It’s just wrong.

I think Andy messed up. And listen, I don’t agree with many things Andy Elliott says online. I think he crosses the line many times. For instance, he claims he fires employees who don’t have abs because he has “high standards.” That’s weird to me.

But I’ve also been known to say and do stupid things online as well that people may think I’m a loose cannon. I have zero filter between my brain and my mouth.

Where Does Andy Elliott Go From Here?

Do I think Andy Elliott is going to lose some business due to his actions? Yeah, I think that’s inevitable. Will he gain more business in the following months to replace those he lost? I’m sure of it.

Last I heard, he was charging $1,500 as a one-time membership fee with a recurring $499 per month just to work with him (those prices may have changed since then, so don’t hold me to them). Those prices are pretty insane, but I’ve also seen higher, so there’s that.

What I think needs to happen is that he needs to make an apology. If you’re in the industry for any amount of time, there’s a difference between fitness and preaching it to your family, and then there is borderline exploitation.

Andy Elliott crossed the line, in my opinion.

And for that, I think he needs to make a statement. Unfortunately, I don’t foresee Andy swallowing his pride and doing so. I can’t see him saying he messed up and shouldn’t have done what he did. But I could be wrong.

Unfortunately, from what he said on stage with the people who weren’t happy he was telling his girls to show off their abs, I feel as if he’s going to double down to try and make a point as if he is in the right (he’s not).

Today, this is news. In a month from now, no one will be talking about it. Perhaps Andy Elliott will just stay quiet about it (knowing he messed up and that there’s backlash) and move on as if it never happened.

The sad thing is, the internet doesn’t forget, and I feel it will be some time before his comment section on social media isn’t blasting him with “how could you do that” comments.

In the end, I hope he learns from this mistake and moves forward to continue helping his clients and followers. There are a lot of people looking for the information he puts out, and if they choose to work with him after this, I’m sure they will get what they paid for.