32-Y.O. Science-Based Bodybuilder Points Out Flaws in Powerlifters and IFBB Pros’ Training Technique

32-year-old natural bodybuilder Jeff Nippard has built his fame as a science-based lifter. The fitness influencer with 4.52 million followers on YouTube alone has entire catalogs of videos showcasing scientific evidence-based workout tips. However, Nippard tested his credibility in his latest video by asking IFBB Pros if they wanted to take training advice from the “science nerd.”

Nippard revealed he was filming the video at Pure Muscle + Fitness Gym in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The bodybuilder explained that elite IFBB Pros and mass monsters frequent the gym. So it didn’t take Nippard too long to find Mr. Olympia and Arnold’s Classic-level competitors. However, there was a reason why Jeff Nippard chose to make the video in the first place.

A former IFBB Pro had some harsh words for Jeff Nippard

Besides making science-based lifting videos, Jeff Nippard has also made videos on Sam Sulek. Sulek became the center of attraction for the entire fitness community after his insane rise in popularity at age 21. Sam Sulek became so famous that even without stepping on the bodybuilding stage, he became a special guest at the Arnold Classic 2024.

However, many veteran bodybuilders, like Jeff Nippard, have critiqued Sulek’s exercise execution. Yet the drama started when former Canadian national champion and retired IFBB Pro Mike Van Wyck responded to Nippard’s video. While the veteran bodybuilder didn’t know Nippard, he brutally critiqued his take on Sam Sulek’s training.

While he didn’t name Jeff Nippard, he addressed the bodybuilder as a “very nerdy individual,” who had no right to critique Sam Sulek. “You’re a grown adult who is tiny and has no physique to speak of and hangs his hat on how strong he is for his size,” said Wyck. He also claimed that Sulek had a ‘1000%’ better physique than the natural bodybuilder.

The bodybuilding coach also belittled Nippard’s science-based approach. Wyck said people like the 32-year-old talk about “ideal points of pressure… This exercise is greater to this compared to that, and this is so much better for hitting this… You’re all f***king wrong!” said Wyck. However, Nippard found an ingenious way of responding to the former IFBB Pro.

IFBB Pros react to taking advice from a smaller bodybuilder

While fellow Canadian bodybuilding coach and fitness influencer Greg Doucette made a video naming Mike Van Wyck and Jeff Nippard, the 32-year-old took a different route. Instead of making another standard response video, Nippard set out to prove Wyck wrong with his video. While the fitness coach insinuated that he could “never” become a pro or advice one, Nippard simply asked IFBB Pros.

The first IFBB Pro who appeared in Nippard’s video competed in the Arnold Classic 2024 and has competed in the Olympia as well. Canadian bodybuilding star Antoine Valliant said he would be open to taking advice, even if the person giving him advice was smaller. “If you’re smart, you going to ask the big guy; you got to ask the science guy who’s also in shape, obviously,” said Valliant.

“Then you just try out and see what works for yourself,” said the elite IFBB Pro. Nippard then approached IFBB Pro Morgan McDonald. The pro bodybuilder reacted similarly to Nippard’s offer. “Absolutely man! I’m always willing to learn. You might not agree with someone’s entire training approach, there’s always little things that you can take, that you can apply,” said McDonald.

When Jeff Nippard optimized the angle at which the IFBB Pro did his cable lateral raises, he immediately felt the difference. Morgan McDonald even said that he would incorporate Nippard’s advice into his shoulder training for a day to see how he felt. However, there were instances where Nippard admitted that he had nothing to teach them.

The Canadian fitness influencer had nothing to rectify about how world-class powerlifter Dima Alizarchyk did bench presses. He also found no flaws in IFBB Figure Pros Manon Dustily and Valerie Ratelle’s technique. Nippard simply praised Ratelle’s machine rowing and Dustily’s barbell front squats. However, one thing was common among everyone he approached.

While Mike Van Wyck harshly criticized Nippard, every professional athlete he approached was humble toward Nippard. In 2021, Mr. Olympia competitor Hassan Mostafa showed respect toward the natural bodybuilder. “Nobody knows everything. Of course, there are things that he doesn’t know yet, so the more he knows the better,” translated Mostafa’s interpreter. Nippard showed him a unique variation of the T-bar row.

Similarly, Quinton Eriya, a rising star in competitive bodybuilding, was open to Nippard showing some tricks. While the fitness influencer didn’t have to correct anything in Eryia’s pulldown, he pointed out something that the IFBB Pro didn’t even know he did. “You said something about the wrist being curled. I never catch that, and when I switched it… I felt a much harder contraction,” said Quinton Beastwood.

So, Mike Van Wyck criticized Nippard, and most other IFBB Pros didn’t share his perspective. Meanwhile, Jeff Nippard responded to Wyck’s criticism without even indirectly mentioning him.