If you have been watching fitness on any form of social media lately, you probably have head of Sam Sulek. In this edition of “AX Jeff,” I am going to dive into my thoughts and feelings about the upandcoming social media fitness influencer Sam Sulek. I am going to cover not just his training but I am going to dive into what I think is a bigger issue surround Sam and how it relates to today’s gym culture.
Unlock Your Gains http://athleanx.com/x/unlockyourgains
Subscribe to this channel here http://bit.ly/2b0coMW
Sam Sulek is known for an unorthodox training approach that might come off as random exercise selection but I think what he is doing is a bit of advanced approach. Sam seems to know immediately whether or not an exercise is going to work for him based on how he feel performing his sets. If he doesn’t feel that the exercise is working the muscles the way he wants them to, he switches it up. You might even find that he uses a machine opposite of what its purpose is.
For example, you might see him performing partial reps of a hamstring curl using a leg extension machine, Now, you might say that what he’s doing has no merit at all, but it is in fact working for him. He is finding what works best for him and running with it.
Now, before you go and think that “if it works for Sam Sulek then it will work for me” I would like to remind you that Sam is doing what works in response to his own body and his own genetics. Just because it works for him, doesn’t mean that you should go out and train exactly the same way as him. If I had to bet, you wouldn’t achieve the same results and physique that Sam has.
Sam's diet is also something of question as he does not appear to adopt a strict nutrition plan in order to build muscle, but instead eats whatever he wants. As he gets older, this approach won't work as well for him and I can say from experience that you can't eat the same way forever. As you get older and your metabolism slows down, the foods you ate in your teens will be less forgiving in your 30's and beyond.
But this is where I feel I need to delve into his influence and today’s gym culture.
It is clear that Sam didn’t achieve this physique through hard work and discipline alone, he has gained assistance through other means and it is clear that he is not just dabbling, but instead is abusing. This raises concern for me because he is at the age where he could be my son. If he was, I would spend every single day worrying about his health and future.
In the world of social media influencers, especially in the realm of fitness, it is easy to see someone that we aspire to be like and want to take all the necessary steps to be just like them. I have no doubt that there are young, impressionable followers that are going to take a look at Sam and want to build muscle just like he does. That inherently means that there are people who will want to try to take the same things that Sam does in order to look like he does.
I think that the discussion around steroids and PEDs has become so normalized these days that younger and younger kids are starting to jump on the bandwagon. People are learning from their favorite influencers what they take, how much they take, and how often they take it which gives their audience a roadmap to do it themselves. This can be extremely dangerous and I have seen young men dropping dead at an alarming rate like I’ve never seen before.
When I was growing up and started training, there were obviously people in my gym that were clearly on something, but you didn't hear of them dying, especially in their younger years. Jesse even relayed a story about an acquaintance that had been using and passed away in his 20's. This is not normal and nor should it ever become normal.
Instead, I think that we should be more aware of the side effects and dangerous that comes with abusing steroids and PEDs. I don't want to see today's gym culture become entranced with the use of drugs, but instead take a healthy and natural approach to building muscle. The desensitization to the use of steroids and PEDs has led to younger and younger audiences trying their hand and leading to many untimely deaths.
If you are looking for a workout program to help you achieve the body you have always wanted, you can find them at athleanx.com using the link above and be sure to use the program selector to help you find the program that best matches your goals.
For more videos on training and nutrition, be sure to subscribe to this channel here on YouTube and remember to turn on your notifications.
Jeff Cavaliere MSPT, CSCS served as both the head physical therapist and assistant strength coach for the New York Mets. Jeff earned his Masters of Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s of Physioneurobiology from the College of Health Sciences University of Connecticut Storrs. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).