JOE Wicks has hit back at dad-shaming online trolls that slammed him for sharing a picture of his baby son hanging from a pull-up bar.
Body Coach Joe, 37, came under fire for letting seven-month-old Leni hang from a metal bar on Santa Monica beach, LA.
The fitness pro followed the backlash by holding a framed picture of him and his eldest kids Indigo, four, and Marley, three, dangling from another beach bar.
In the original picture featuring Leni, Joe is seen proudly looking up at his little one, who doesn’t appear to have any trouble hanging from the bar.
Babies are in fact born with a monkey-strength grip, call the Palmer grasp, which means they can hold their own body weight.
However, the image is still striking and Joe’s fans rushed to comment on it, with many unimpressed.
One person asked him: “Is that safe for her shoulders and joints to hang onto bars supporting her own weight like that?”
A second commented: “Please don’t do that to your baby he would be frightened.”
While a third said: “Is that a normal thing to do with baby….nope.”
“Heart attack I’d have if that was my baby at first pic,” added a fourth.
A fifth raged: “I hope that’s photoshopped! Publicity stunt! I’ve always liked you Joe but I really hope this is a stunt.”
Joe, who is known as The Body Coach, and model wife Rosie are also parents to Indie and Marley.
Joe was one of the first influencers to find mainstream fame thanks to fitness and food posts on Instagram, then he was catapulted to national treasure status via his PE With Joe workouts during the Covid lockdowns.
His YouTube exercise classes — aimed at kids but loved by parents too — drew record-breaking numbers of viewers, saw him donate £600,000 to NHS charities and secured him an MBE.
