Is this the reason behind Mike Van Wyck’s ‘attack’ on bodybuilding rival Jeff Nippard? As an influencer, he appears to criticize fellow powerhouse in an Instagram video

Jeff Nippard was reportedly attacked by another bodybuilder while the fitness influencer was working out at the gym.

A viral video is circulating online, in which fellow muscleman Mike Van Wyck appears to grab the Instagram star by the neck and throw him to the ground.

Nippard, who has two million followers on Instagram and owns a fitness app called MacroFactor, then took to Instagram to post a photo of himself appearing to be in a hospital, along with a caption about the video.

The photo showed he had suffered an abrasion to his neck as Nippard stood next to a CT scan machine.

During the statement, he made it clear to fans that he was ‘OK’ after the incident.

While it is unclear what caused the incident, Nippard also claimed that rumors that he “approached Van Wyck first were false.”

He added: ‘I don’t know why he attacked me other than he really, really hates my training style.’

Mailsport has since contacted Van Wyck’s team for comment.

As Nippard suggests, it appears that their feud stemmed from disagreements over their different training methods.

Recently, IFBB Pro bodybuilding coach Van Wyck reached out to science-based trainers on his social media account.

It prompted a response from Nippard, who uses a scientific training regime, who clapped back at Van Wyck’s criticism on his YouTube channel.

Although Van Wyck did not directly mention Nippard in his Instagram video, he claimed that bodybuilders who use science-based training regimens are “mediocre.”

It appears their online feud could have played a role in the events that unfolded in the viral video that circulated the Internet on Tuesday.

Fitness influencer Jeff Nippard (right) was reportedly attacked by bodybuilder Mike Van Wyck (left) while training at a gym

The push seemed to send Nippard flying backwards onto the gym floor

In a clip published on his Instagram, Van Wyck said: “We all know the science-based guys. Whichever top three you choose.

‘Tell me if you would describe their physique as excellent, average or mediocre.

“And where would you put (them) in there? I guarantee it’s not excellent. Somewhere in the middle, right?’

He added: ‘Scientists must first answer this question: Why do you remain so mediocre when you know so much?

‘Because if I knew a lot of things, I would be very well versed in that subject.

“If I was a financial wizard and I knew how to read the stock market and I could see investments and see what companies were going to say, I’d be damn rich, right?”

“In bodybuilding you can be so short in some cases,” he continues. ‘And you can be an expert on muscles, but you don’t have them. If you already have it, it’s not very well put together.”

“Unfortunately, you have to apply what you know so that people can trust you. But they have these damn nerds or dorks trying to prove themselves at shows and they come in last.”

Van Wyck recently took to Instagram to attack bodybuilders on a scientific basis

He referenced another financial reference in the video, comparing science-based trainers to those who trade cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin online.

“There are a lot of scammers in the day trading world. Anyone who’s a day trader or a Bitcoin guy, who buys and sells Ethereum like they’re day traders, who sits in front of their (screens) like they’re going to guess the trends – those guys are all bulls*** artists. Run away from them.

“Those guys are the guys I’m talking about in the fitness world.”

The video had prompted a response from Nippard, who pushed back on Van Wyck’s claim that “science-based lifters were mediocre.”

“I know I don’t have to respond to this,” Nippard began in the YouTube clip. “But since he asked, I have won the national bodybuilding nationals using science-based training. I earned my pro card on the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation competition stage. I placed second in my first bodybuilding pro show. While doing this, I set the Canadian record for the bench press and a provincial record for the squat.

“I currently weigh 180 pounds and am 6 feet tall, which is pretty close to my natural limit considering my height and my genetics.

‘However, that doesn’t matter, because facts are facts. Information is right or wrong, it doesn’t matter who that information comes from. If the people with the best physiques had the most knowledge, why would CBum (Chris Bumstead) need a coach? He has the best physique in the world. Who could know more than he?’

Nippard has previously been seen at Pure Muscle Fitness gyms speaking to professional bodybuilders about whether they are interested in advice or insights on science-based training plans. Several professionals had indicated that they were interested.

‘It’s clear that success in bodybuilding comes from great genetics and very hard training. And if you want to make it in the IFBB, use steroids. I like science because it gives me more confidence in what really works and what doesn’t because it isolates variables. If you trust the advice of a big guy over scientific studies that don’t bother me, I’ll listen to what big guys have to say, too.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Nippard had sent a message to his followers on Instagram addressing the video.

“If you have seen the video by now, I want to clarify the incident,” Nippard wrote.

‘First I would like to give an update that I had a CT scan and that I am doing well.

“In case you haven’t seen it, this is exactly what happened and there were many witnesses.

‘Mike Van Wyck stabbed me twice in the throat in the middle of the gym and then shoved my cameraman.

“There’s already a lie going around that Mike asked me to stay away from him, and that I didn’t listen and approached him first. This is FALSE and @puremuscleandfitness has security footage to prove it. I think they should release it.”

Nippard, who was examined in hospital after the alleged attack (pictured), says he gave Van Wyck no reason to hate him

Jeff Nippard (pictured) claims Van Wyck ‘stabbed’ him twice in the throat and shoved his cameraman

Nippard then thanked the fitness community for the support he has received.

“I don’t know why he attacked me other than he really, really hates my training style,” he wrote.

‘I certainly didn’t give him any reason to hate me. And even if I did, there is no excuse for physically attacking someone over a disagreement.

“My opinion is that this is a result of the anger caused by the video I posted yesterday in response to his question about science-based training. Pretty wild stuff.”