Fitness Youtubers - A Brief Summary
I think I am correct in saying that the majority of us spend at least some time each day on either youtube or instagram and many of us who are enthusiastic about Fitness and gym culture will find our feeds full of various influencers each with their own slightly different take and style.
With so much conflicting information in the fitness space it can be hard to know what to believe. With that in mind I thought I would put a little break down of some of the big Youtube channels, most if which I do watch myself, picking and choosing what information I find useful. All these channels have something you can learn and many also a lot of garbage content which is best taken as entertainment rather than serious advice.
I`ve been wading through the swamp of fitness advice on youtube for way more hours than I ever should have so here is my take based on my experience.
In no particular order:
1. Greg Doucette
Profile: IFBB Pro bodybuilder and coach, famous for his high-energy, blunt, and often sarcastic delivery. Covers training, diet, and industry trends.
Strengths: Entertaining and highly engaging; great at calling out misinformation; promotes realistic, sustainable approaches. Has some fantastic information on diets and nutrition and his views on eating low energy dense foods in high volume to stay full whilst consuming less calories is on point. Great entertainment. Does a decent job of informing people on the negative effects of steroids
Drawbacks: Loud style can be quite annoying for some. Doesn`t really offer any in depth coaching advice. Spends a lot of time promoting his own brand including his HTLT supplements which are possibly rather questionable in terms of efficacy.
Best For: Viewers who want myth-busting and fitness advice with personality and overall good entertainment.
https://www.youtube.com/@gregdoucette
2. Jeff Nippard
Profile: Canadian natural bodybuilder and science communicator; produces detailed, evidence-based training and nutrition content.
Strengths: Thorough research; clear explanations; great for intermediate to advanced lifters. Has loads of great tips on exercises you can do to maximise efficiency and growth. Big fan of long length partials!
Drawbacks: Can be too detailed for beginners; not focused on follow-along workouts. Many people find him quite irritating as he is quite nerdy. Recently embroiled in some controversy surrounding defending “fake natties” which may have damaged his reputation temporarily
Best For: Lifters who want the “why” behind training decisions. Anyone looking for exercise examples and anyone trying to seek the most efficient ways to train.
https://www.youtube.com/@JeffNippard
3. Athlean-X (Jeff Cavaliere)
Profile: Former physical therapist and strength coach; focuses on biomechanics, injury prevention, and athletic performance.
Strengths: Great at form cues; strong injury-prevention content; blends sports performance with general fitness. Loads of useful exercise tutorials that you can incorporate into your own workouts.
Drawbacks: Sometimes overly rigid on “correct” form; quite fixed in the way he teaches things, often insisting his way is the only way. Has been some controversy around him using fake plates in videos. has some polarizing views on certain aspects of fitness. The most annoying thing about his channel is the clickbait titles.
Best For: People prioritizing longevity, mobility, and technical training. Just be wary not to follow everything to rigidly, always double check!
4. Renaissance Periodization
Profile: Team of PhDs, scientists, and athletes delivering research-backed training and nutrition advice.
Strengths: Extremely science-based; excellent for serious athletes and bodybuilders; covers hypertrophy, strength, and diet periodization.
Drawbacks: Academic tone; may overwhelm casual viewers. Dr Mike is quite a strange guy and I would think his sense of humour is certainly not to everyones taste. Also a self confessed steroid user and by his own admission not very healthy, may put some people off taking advice from him.
Best For: Those who want advanced, structured, research-backed programs. Plenty of good information and analysis that can be used to your benefit.
https://www.youtube.com/@RenaissancePeriodization
5. Revival Fitness
Profile: Industry critic and advocate for minimalist, functional, free-weight training.
Strengths: Cuts through misinformation; promotes fundamentals; cost-effective approach. Speaks a lot of truths and doesnt ever claim to be a definitive authority on anything which I appreciate. Has a great sense of humour and is very easy to watch and listen to. Great information on bulking and cutting and how to gain/lose weight.
Drawbacks: Less content for competitive bodybuilding; can be critical of other creators.
Best For: People who want no-frills, honest advice and practical training methods.
https://www.youtube.com/@REVIVALFitness
6. Jeremy Ethier
Profile: Kinesiologist and trainer known for clean, research-driven videos with strong visual demonstrations.
Strengths: Highly accessible; well-edited; suitable for beginners and intermediates.
Drawbacks: Less personality than some channels; slower-paced progression for advanced viewers.
Best For: Viewers who like clear, visual, and easy-to-follow science-based tips.
https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyEthier
7. Sean Nalewanyj
Profile: Fitness coach and author delivering straightforward training, diet, and mindset advice.
Strengths: Clear, practical, hype-free content; realistic approach to results. Always does an amazing job of busting all the misinformation on the internet. Very close in philosophy to myself, a lot of respect for this channel and have a lot of trust in what Sean says. One of the best natural physiques out there.
Drawbacks: Not as flashy or entertainment-driven; fewer follow-along formats.
Best For: People who want plain-spoken, reliable guidance without gimmicks. Definitely wont go far wrong listening to advice from this youtuber.
https://www.youtube.com/@Sean_Nalewanyj
8. Alexander Bromley
Profile: Competitive strongman and strength coach; focuses on strength sports, progressive overload, and practical programming.
Strengths: Deep knowledge of strength training principles; strong emphasis on long-term progress and goal-specific programming. Great information here for people who are looking to pack on size and strength. His backing of the big lifts for overall strength I totally agree with.
Drawbacks: Less focus on aesthetics or fat loss; content assumes some lifting experience.
Best For: Strength-focused athletes or lifters who want detailed, no-nonsense programming advice.