Jeff Nippard: The Science Based Lifter
Introduction:
Jeff Nippard
People don’t always train the way they’re supposed to. Sometimes even experienced lifters don’t fully optimize their workouts or go out of their way to create more engaging—yet unconventional—workouts. Canadian YouTuber and professional powerlifter Jeff Nippard aims to fix this problem, so let’s dive into what he does.
Who is Jeff Nippard?
Jeff Nippard’s Nutrition App
Jeff Nippard is a popular fitness influencer and full-time science-based lifter. He has garnered attention all across YouTube, with over 6 million subscribers. Not only is he a professional body builder, but also a professional powerlifter, acquiring titles throughout his career. Nippard typically creates YouTube shorts that include concise, but impactful advice on how to optimize exercises. Nippard gets lots of his information from studies conducted online, and has used these studies to disprove common misconceptions about bodybuilding.
For example, Nippard breaks myths surrounding how “cardio kills gains.” In it, he states that long-term research has shown that cardio is beneficial to bodybuilders and doesn’t hinder muscle growth, as long as it’s done at the right time and under the right intensity.
Another example of Nippard breaking common myths is him criticizing the role of fast, circuit-styled ab exercises that many perform in order to develop the abdominal muscles. In this case, he says that only two exercises are really necessary for abdominal muscle growth: the cable crunch and leg-lifting exercises.
Nippard has also been successful in making body building programs, as well as making an app to catalog nutrition.
Achievements:
Nippard has earned a few awards, such as several Canadian national records. These include the following:
502 lb (227.7 kg) squat
336 lb (152.4 kg) bench press
518 lb (235 kg) deadlift
In addition to these official achievements, he also has a lot of experience coaching bodybuilders. He has trained people for the women’s bikini and men’s bodybuilding national and provincial, and IPF competitors.
Values he wants to push forward:
As explained in a video responding to another professional body-builder Mike Van Wyck: Nippard’s core goals to push forth science based-fitness advice is to encourage others to understand how the body works. This effectively helps people understand what they’re doing with their body, and have full confidence knowing that the exercises they perform are actually working. Nippard doesn’t make this content to promote himself or his brand, but rather to educate people for a better gym environment. Nippard also believes that people who follow science-based lifting principles are less likely to turn to the usage of steroids, another idea he actively promotes.
Controversy:
Jeff Nippard and Mike Van Wyck
Although having an overall positive opinion by the general public, Nippard has been on the receiving end of controversy before with fitness Guru Mike Van Wyck. Both have been back and forth for the past year, with Wyck criticizing the role of science-based lifters such as Jeff Nippard. Wyck attacked Nippard in a gym in 2024 and this incident is still currently being investigated.
Conclusion:
While not being well known for his powerlifting accomplishments, Jeff Nippard is still a major figure in the current influencer space. He is a role model for millions of people who are starting out at the gym, and even for experienced lifters. Nippard approaches bodybuilding and exercising in a way most other people don’t, and ultimately promotes natural bodybuilding practices to better the lifting community around him.
Sources:
“About.” Jeff Nippard Fitness, jeffnippard.com/pages/about#:~:text=As%20a%20powerlifter%2C%20Jeff%20has,best%20Wilks%20score%20of%20446. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.
Staff, TMZ. “Star Bodybuilder Jeff Nippard Attacked by Mike Van Wyck, Charged w/ Assault.” TMZ, TMZ, 22 Oct. 2024, www.tmz.com/2024/10/22/bodybuilder-jeff-nippard-assaulted-mike-van-wyck-gym/.