An online debate got physical, fast.

Last updated on October 25th, 2024

Coach and content creator Jeff Nippard has been allegedly assaulted by another fitness influencer. On Oct. 21, 2024, video footage surfaced across social media, which seemed to show Nippard engaged in a physical altercation with bodybuilder Mike Van Wyck.

• “Mike Van Wyck jabbed me in the throat twice and then shoved my cameraman,” Nippard said in the late hours of Oct. 21.

While the exact cause of their spat is unknown, the pair had engaged in forceful debate over the merits of their respective training styles in the days before the incident.

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Jeff Nippard & Mike Van Wyck: Explained

On Oct. 18, 2024, Van Wyck posted an Instagram reel disparaging “science-based scammers,” — a knock against the “evidence-based” wing of the fitness industry, where Nippard is a prominent voice.

• “Facts are facts. Information is either right or wrong; it doesn’t matter who it comes from,” Nippard answered in a reply video posted on Oct. 19.
• “Van Wyck blocked me, which shows he doesn’t actually care about having a good-faith discussion,” Nippard added.

On Oct. 21, a fitness influencer named Joel Twinem posted an Instagram reel of Nippard and Van Wyck together at Pure Muscle + Fitness, a gym in the Burlington neighborhood of Ontario where Nippard frequently shoots training content. The clip shows Van Wyck grabbing Nippard by the throat and shoving him to the ground.

Editor’s Note: BarBend has reached out to Mr. Twinem for additional information on the incident. As of this article’s original publication, we haven’t heard back.

It’s unclear whether their online debate directly led to the altercation. In a second video, also posted on Oct. 21, Mr. Twinem alleged that Van Wyck “continued to assault” Nippard, but no additional footage has been released as of this article’s publication.

Nippard’s account of the attack continued:

• “As I was filming biceps curls for a YouTube short, Mike brushed by me and said, ‘sup.’ This was our first engagement that day. I chuckled. Mike said, ‘Oh, things are about to get real funny’ as he walked past me.”
• “I then asked him, ‘What did you mean by that?’ And I made sure my cameraman was filming in case he tried any funny business. Then he walked back toward me, he said, ‘Turn the camera off,’ and immediately jabbed me in the throat and I fell onto the floor.”
• “I stood back up and he told me to never talk about him ever again. Then he jabbed me in the throat a second time. Then he turned to my videographer and pushed him.”

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On Oct. 24, 2024, Charlie Caruso uploaded security footage of the incident to his Instagram page. The video shows the interaction right before the physical altercation that involves indicating toward Nippard’s cameraman. What was said isn’t clear, but the footage does show Van Wyck pushing Nippard via Nippard’s throat twice.

The Community Reacts

Nippard has received an outpouring of support since the incident went viral online. Several prominent creators have voiced their disappointment in the event, while others have sided with Van Wyck.

• On Oct. 21, Antoine Vaillant and Quinton Eriya discussed the fight on YouTube. They mentioned having first-hand knowledge that Van Wyck is currently barred from training clients at Pure Muscle + Fitness.
• Bodybuilding promoter Fouad Abiad, who frequently has Van Wyck as a podcast guest, said he “doesn’t drop friends at the first sign of problems.”

As of this article’s original publication, no criminal charges have been filed against Van Wyck. BarBend will update this article as more information becomes publicly available.

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Featured Image: @jeffnippard / Instagram