The Fitness Industry Has An Ego Problem | Bryce Calvin and Chris Beal

Transcript of Ep: 81 - P2 Podcast

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[00:13] Chris:

Yeah, let's do it. Let's talk about the elephant in the gym. Recently, we witnessed a situation where one of the most respected educators in the fitness space was physically assaulted by someone significantly larger than him in a gym setting. Bryce, what was your initial reaction to that video?

[00:49] Bryce:

Well, should we maybe introduce what we're talking about first? Some people might have no idea what we're discussing.

[00:55] Chris:

Yeah, fair point. Jeff Nippard was physically assaulted by someone who disagreed with his fitness ideology and—

[01:11] Bryce:

Let's take one more step back. Who is Jeff Nippard?

[01:15] Chris:

Right, yes. So Jeff Nippard is a prominent figure in the fitness space. He's been one of the strongest science-based voices, very unassuming, not threatening at all, but always focused on the science. He's dedicated to helping people through educational videos. Being 5'5", he was essentially called out by someone larger who claimed that science-based lifters don't know what they're talking about because "if they did, they'd be big."

Obviously, that's a ridiculous argument. There are plenty of coaches in professional sports who never played the sport. There are many masterminds who don't have the genetics or physical attributes to be high performers in their field of expertise.

The interaction started relatively mild but escalated into physical assault – hands around neck, pushing to the ground, knocking him over equipment, all caught on camera.

[02:40] Chris:

I had some thoughts, but what were your initial feelings?

[02:46] Bryce:

I first saw it through a reaction video, someone giving an overview of the situation. For context, Jeff Nippard is probably the most well-known fitness content creator, especially on YouTube. He pulls millions of views on every video and has been doing this for over a decade. The remarkable thing is, he's universally well-liked. In all the controversial figures in fitness and bodybuilding, I can't recall ever hearing anything negative about him. That's incredible given his status and influence.

He's a smaller guy, short but well-built. At 5'5", he's not physically intimidating. So when you see someone who is physically intimidating using that as a weapon for intimidation – this Mike guy, who I hadn't really known before this, must be 6'5", tattooed head to toe, very intimidating appearance – my first reaction was just shock. Like, why would anyone attack Jeff Nippard?

Initially, I wondered if Jeff must have said something provocative, but then you see the original video and it's the most respectful response possible. It was a reply to Mike's earlier criticism about science-based lifters being small. Jeff simply responded by highlighting his accomplishments in bodybuilding and powerlifting, essentially saying, "Maybe I do know what I'm talking about." The response was so measured and professional.

[06:08] Chris:

It's very Jeff-like, very characteristic of him.

[06:36] Bryce:

Right, and it's worth noting that most fitness content creators aren't like that at all. This is an industry that rewards polarization. It rewards people making demonstrative statements and creating cult-like identities. To do that, you have to be very binary in your approach – "I'm right, you're all wrong," with very little gray area.

[08:17] Chris:

Yeah, it's encouraged to be inflammatory to gain engagement. Like when Brett Contreras and Kas are arguing over degrees of hip flexion – why are you guys calling each other names in the comments? We see you. Why attack individuals who come up with different approaches?

[08:57] Bryce:

It's all ego. The industry's incentives push people toward being inflammatory. Like that original video claiming science-based guys don't know what they're talking about because they're small – it takes two seconds to realize that's nonsense. There are plenty of evidence-based practitioners who are huge.

[09:35] Chris:

And there's another aspect to consider. Take our coach Tyler Yee – genetically, he's not predisposed to be large and muscular, but through his knowledge and education, he's found ways to combat his genetics. If anyone has an incentive to really understand the science, it's people who are genetically disadvantaged. Maybe we should trust their opinion, understanding that while they might never be as big as others, their knowledge can help everyone get bigger.

[10:06] Chris:

Bodybuilding culture has always seemed very sheltered to me. People behave like they've never been punched in the mouth before. It shows that many haven't had to physically defend themselves or apologize for disrespecting someone. I'm not advocating for violence, but having a healthy fear that actions have consequences might encourage more humility and respect.

[11:57] Chris:

What bothers me about bullies isn't their violence or aggression – it's that they're selectively violent and aggressive against people they know they can dominate. You chose Jeff Nippard, the always-smiling, kind guy who's half your size? Come on. That shows you're not just someone with a fragile ego – you're a predator looking for an opportunity to feel better about yourself because you feel inadequate. But it backfired because you didn't win a fight; you just look like an asshole.

[12:16] Bryce:

Unfortunately, this will probably end up benefiting that guy because his personal brand is built on controversy. It's that "us against them" mentality. He'll probably get charged – I'd love if he went to jail for a bit over this – but he's going to come out with a stronger following because of it. He'll be seen as a martyr by his audience.

I doubt he consciously planned this, but there are some very calculated people who might think, "If I do this, Jeff Nippard will post about it, others will post about it, controversy will spread, and my personal brand will grow stronger." I doubt he's that smart, but some people are that Machiavellian.

[14:21] Bryce:

Think about the types of people who get seriously into bodybuilding. Often, it starts with deep-seated insecurity. Maybe they were bullied as kids. They use bodybuilding as an escape, build something worth being proud of, start getting respect, become intimidating. We've talked about the correlation between bodybuilding and other forms of peacocking – piercings, extreme tanning, tattoos. It's all about "How can I peacock the loudest?"

Most people get into bodybuilding because it's selfish and vain, but also because you can control it. If you can't control things at home or school or in your social environment, bodybuilding can be a great outlet. But you don't just shed those insecurities when you get bigger – they're still there. So you become this massive person who's still deeply insecure about everything.

[16:47] Chris:

Lane Norton is a perfect example. He'll attack casuals – not even other experts at his level. He'll attack somebody with five followers from Africa and call them a loser who should quit at life. That's wild.

[17:08] Bryce:

Yeah, and Paul Carter would post something and when people asked questions in the comments, he'd respond with "You fucking idiot, you can't read." Is this real? These are your followers who care enough to engage, and you're attacking them? It's insanity.

I've never met Lane Norton, but he doesn't seem like someone I'd want to be friends with. He seems very serious all the time. Maybe there's a reason for that – I'm pretty serious most of the time too, but I can take myself less seriously. I can joke around. Some people in this industry seem like they've never smiled or laughed at anything except at someone else's expense.

[19:55] Chris:

It's a strange place. I don't tolerate disrespect well, which is why I stay out of a lot of it. I think it's interesting that the majority power is so... you know, if you go back several generations, this was actually quite normal. People would get upset, and there would be consequences. Now everyone can hide behind a keyboard, saying "You can't do anything to me or I'll sue you."

[22:01] Bryce:

Well, the consequences to actions are very disproportionate now. Social media is a place where you can subtweet people infinitely, and as long as you don't say very explicit things, nothing's going to happen to you. Most of the time, you're never going to come into contact with these people you're talking about.

[22:58] Bryce:

It incentivizes seeking controversy even where it doesn't need to exist. You go to YouTube, and there are people whose entire social media personas are dedicated to finding other people's videos, breaking them down, and saying, "This person's a fucking idiot." That's their whole schtick.

[24:49] Chris:

It's like the fall of Tiger Woods. He was America's male sweetheart – black people loved him, white people loved him, he was Tiger fucking Woods.

[25:15] Bryce:

Or Bieber – granted, Bieber had a lot of haters, but ultimately, he was a kid. People just loved the fact that Bieber had all these issues. Why are you rooting for people's downfall? That's insanity to me.

[26:37] Bryce:

Take a young woman who sees a bikini pro who looks spectacular. Six months later, you find out she actually has an eating disorder and gained 30 pounds. Suddenly that envy you had for her physique is gone, and you feel better. We'll publicly say we're empathizing, but what's actually happening inside is a lot of pent-up envy being released.

[29:15] Chris:

Before we shift gears, here's my proposition: I think everyone should be allowed to box one person a year. Like celebrity death match type stuff. Most of my fights were like at the park playing basketball – we'd fight, bloody each other's faces, then have pizza later. Sometimes it's just like, "Okay, we moved that energy." I guarantee if I got upset because someone disrespected my family, they'd think twice about disrespecting someone else's family again in the future.

[31:00] Bryce:

I agree 100%. Like the Liver King situation – that guy should have been shamed into eternity. He should never be on social media again. Public shaming works. It doesn't have to be extreme, but if you're scamming people, taking advantage of people, lying to people – you deserve to be publicly outed.

[35:01] Chris:

I've always been team humility. The minute someone who doesn't have to step off their pedestal does and says, "I was wrong," and makes a deliberate effort to correct it – you now have that extra 8-10% of my trust that was probably the hardest to gain.

[40:19] Bryce:

Attention is a zero-sum game. There's only so much attention to go around. If you get more attention, someone else gets less. This incentivizes very tribalistic behavior, us against them. Even though we're all humans working toward the same goals, it becomes tribal. Look at Elon Musk – he's purely driven by getting more attention, like a teenager. But most adults act like that in some way.

Social media is pure attention – they even have metrics for it. Reach. How broad is your reach? How much attention do you get? You can see the numbers going up or down. It's not good for your psyche, but it incentivizes certain behaviors that dominate your personality and identity. Then it leaks into the real world, and you have people throwing punches over modest criticism.

[44:32] Chris:

If we're ever in the gym and someone assaults me and you don't immediately jump them, we're not friends anymore. Just an FYI.

[44:38] Bryce:

Depends how big they are! If they're Jeff Nippard's size, I can probably kick them or something...

[44:41] Chris:

Thanks everyone for tuning in to a long-awaited podcast after our brief hiatus. We'll be back doing these more regularly. Like, share, let us know what you think and how you're processing these situations in the fitness space. Have a great weekend, and we'll talk to you soon.

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DISCLAIMER: Bryce Calvin is not a doctor or registered dietitian. The contents of this document should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Consult your physician on matters regarding your health. Materials in email transactions are not to be shared.