Sam Sulek: My HUGE Concern

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 up-and-coming 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.

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.

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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).

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[sagegoldeni]

People need to make sure they don’t take this as Jeff and Jessie hating. They are talking real stuff.

[IvanDjuric]

This is the conversation that needs to be had more often. I’m worried about him too and others walking the same path. We can’t normalise drug use.

[imoivez]

I believe some 70 years from now, people are gonna read and watch documentaries about how social media companies just ruined billions of lives in our time, and they are gonna be perplexed about how we just let it happen.
Thanks for not just letting it happen, Jeff! And thanks for showing kids the bright side of the force!

[mrb]

It's funny, its not until you hit mid 30s that you realise none of this matters other than training for health and longevity. Health is wealth.

[GodOfDetailing]

I totally agree with the comment that Jeff made about "If I was Sam's father, I would be concerned." I never used any performance enhancers or steroids, and I was always very careful to perform lifts correctly. As I told my own boys when they wanted to start lifting, "there are some injuries that surgery cannot always correct."

[davidk]

As a father of a 12-year old boy, I have great empathy for what Jeff is saying. The thought of my own son being influenced to take PED's in order to chase the dream of being ultra-jacked is terrifying because of the long-term health consequences.

[infinitebrave]

I’m 24 years old, came across Jeff about 10 years ago. I’m so grateful he was one of the first fitness influencers I started following and quickly became the only one. Because of him, I’ve been injury free and make gains yearly, all while protecting my body.

[MegaTeeruk]

I am 47 now but ego lifted a lot when I was young. I have always been completely clean but was putting up serious numbers, 425 bench, 640 on squat, etc. It was all fine and good until I started to move into my 30s. Now, I have had two neck surgeries, left shoulder surgery, three elbow surgeries, five knee surgeries, and am now pending a right shoulder surgery and right foot surgery. I don't remember the last time I was not in some pain and I am constantly working around injuries now. Even though I am 47 my joints probably have 100 years of wear and tear on them. I am still in good shape and when I warn the younger guys at my gym about being smart now so they don't end up like me later they say things like "you're still jacked that doesn't seem like a bad way to come out." Its like all they see is how I look. The fact that my joints are wrecked doesn't register with them. If you are a young lifter please stay out of the ego lifting, or else you can look back 20 to 30 years from now wishing you could take it all back.

[edbutzwiggle]

Jeff and Jesse are just being caring and honest!!! Thanks guys. You’re a rarity.🤗

[Darks]

This was a lovely video Jeff. Great to see so much respect for the kid while also making the necessary points that need to be made.

[limitisillusion]

The body dysmorpia is real. Sam is a really well-spoken guy. But wisdom is the alignment of knowledge and behaviors that use that knowledge. We all struggle with something, so I'm not saying I'm perfect either. The point is that we should focus on longevity-minded behaviors over short-term results and fast rewards from a cultural standpoint. Social media is a hell of a drug. Thanks for the wisdom Jeff.

[snakepond]

Keep it natural guys. It’s not worth the risk.

[OGslays]

People need to understand that these 2 guys just expressed more care and concern for these bodybuilder kids than 99 percent of their own fans. These bodybuilder kids are gonna die soon. Rich piana was the heisenburg of bodybuilding and even he knew the end was coming. He didn't even make it to retirement age

[SpennieLence]

This is real talk... genuinely speaking from the heart here.

[SWISS-]

I think that's a really really fair assessment of Sam. My son is 10, and I am definitely not the biggest guy, but I am trying to introduce him into natural only gym work now, so that he never wants to go that route. I have hit plateaus and been so tempted, even looked up how to buy them, but snap myself out of it, re-adjust my workout, push even harder and get through slowly. Especially after a left arm injury, it's only just catching up after 2 years but it's been even more tempting to cheat, but I never will give in.

[LJ-dvmx]

Thank you so much for stating " i blame the influencers". It needs to be said. Its gotten so toxic for a variety of reasons and its a damn shame.

[-lumqua-]

Lads we need more people like Jeff who genuinely care about fitness and the correct path towards achieving it

[timl.b.]

I like this calm, reasonable conversation.

[Iesous]

Channels like this are absolutely priceless... Putting an emphasis on actual fitness rather than being Arnold in his prime jacked is what is truly important. I'm 34 and I never really took care of myself, but I was never really "fat"... I mean, I'm 6ft almost 200lbs, but I have 2 little kids that I want to be active for and be in their lives for as long as I can... and I won't be able to do that if I keep eating like this and not exercising and giving my body the care and attention it deserves. Thus, I've committed to eating healthier and exercising more. Not only so I can feel better about myself, but also the longevity aspect... Guys who are looking to get as jacked as Sam I don't think are going to last as long in life. Arnold might be a freak miracle tho... dude is almost 80 years old and still exercises like a beast, he must have freakish genes.