Sam Sulek & The TikTok-ification of Fitness

[@zacktelander]

If you’re new to the channel please subscribe! It makes a huge difference!

[@Sushila..]

I watch every video that has cowboy bebop in it! Subscribed years ago. Love your channel.

[@izatt82]

The heart attack and organ failure of fitness. Coming soon near you.

[@rileymagnone5598]

You’re too real Zac. However you occupy a small enough audience (still quite large though), where you can be open and honest and it’s so fucking refreshing. I’m conflicted on wether I want this channel to keep growing or not cause I know you won’t change, but the powers that be will

[@NomadBulldog]

Tbh I wish adult sports were more common at the amateur level. I wish more people were drawn to more than just aesthetics when it comes to fitness. Being an athlete doesn’t have to end once you leave high school or college. Imagine city league track and field, gymnastics coaches who know how to train novice adults, or just weightlifting being more common and accepted in commercial and community gyms.

[@bigkurz]

That’s why people run marathons, train jiu jitsu, do power lifting, etc. the sports just change but athletes don’t just stop being athletes unless they want want to

[@vance9090]

they do all this in NZ. pretty cool to see almost every adult be apart of a club sport

[@faithalone5081]

Real

[@Anduehan97]

i love that jiujitsu and combat sports in general have become more widespread in recent years

[@tehArgento]

The amount of gym's that have all the weightlifting setup, even have the eleiko "silent" platform, and do not let people weightlift is incredible

[@bobbyjr11]

I think a huge part that people leave out is how different he is compared to the young people who rose up just before him. He's not doing burnouts in expensive cars in his intro, having girls in his videos, wearing fitness brands, training in private gyms/expensive home gyms, showing a big ass house he's thinking about renting, shouting a catch phrase etc. He's mostly alone, wearing whatever, training wherever, training hard asf, and he's humble. The no editing and not having the same thumbnail every single youtube video has now adds to it to. A lot of young people are lonely, I think covid lockdown during important developmental years was a big factor, and his videos being more long form, almost like a podcast audio appeal to a lot of kids. Obviously his physique is a huge factor, but there are people around his age as big or bigger than him with not as much traction cause all they have to offer is the cookie cutter reel/tik tok video. People have been "gaming" social media for a minute now so I feel like it makes sense someone could have a huge impact just by being more relatable. But I do agree that steroid abuse especially with younger people is terrible, and your way of talking about it is amazing compared to all of the people leaving hateful comments on his videos. He is just the fastest rising of a fuck ton of successful kids yakked out on roids, and everyone is directing all of that hate towards him. Just like with any other drug problem hate and shaming isn't going to help anyone.

[@VargVikernes1488]

Hating and shaming did help before all these things were normalized.

[@5hydroxyT]

love the steroid society or hate it, it's happening...just a symptom of a greater mental health problem in the modern West. Liked your analysis btw, better than the video

[@__-wm9lu]

Spot on

[@odobasian7664]

Let's see Andrew Eubanks go against the tiktokfication of fitness

[@lkerygma]

Let's see Paul Allen's squat.

[@adamw9248]

Look at that depth, that shin angle. The tasteful thickness of his quads. Oh my god, he even pauses at full depth.

[@karansoam]

Who is he? Why do I keep seeing his name everywhere?

[@kellenscott555]

Thats why people are hating on Eubanks. He is not a genuine person he just cares about what gains him the most views

[@lkerygma]

@@karansoam his name is alex eubanks and i have no idea who he is until i looked him up. he models for YoungLA.

[@gabriellunoch6346]

The natty resurgence consists of Bald Omni man, Alex Leonidas, Geoffrey Verity Schofeild and Natural Hypotrophy

[@brandonkeffer5752]

I'd throw Basement Bodybuilding into that list, too.

[@gabriellunoch6346]

​@@brandonkeffer5752Totally forgot to include him, but you're right!

[@User-b9q2z]

If you think Alex is natural you're fooling yourself

[@austin6996]

​@whiskeyclone9798 during his cut he was around 160 and like 5' 6" how is that not attainable naturally?

[@gabriellunoch6346]

@whiskeyclone9798 I think Alex is a perfect example of what "can" be obtainable naturally. He demonstrates what is possible with intelligent programming, consistency, and effort. His progression makes perfect sense and it's all public so you can see it for yourself. Now could he be lying? Ofcourse, but I highly doubt it.

[@jamesleigh6166]

Sam Sulek is the Bob Ross of bodybuilding. The crazy hair, calm demeanor and soothing voice is very similar. This is the best description I have heard so far.

[@rosspayne5099]

Yea hes also not gonna make it into his 30's, i can take steroids and be humble and get millions of views to

[@legallyblnd]

@@rosspayne5099 no you cant.

[@VrKx]

@@rosspayne5099you have absolutely no idea what he is taking. He could be taking grams of shit or he could be taking barely anything compared to some people. You havent seen his dna why speculate

[@davidn701]

I think that the "background video before you go to the gym" is why i loved the lifting companion series you did so much and am always hoping it comes back. The later half of the video being essentially that was just so nice to see again. Personally I like these chill vibes alot before I got training and alot of the newer fitness youtubers and tiktokers people like fall into this reletability thing that is a mix of a video and a podcast really. Basically please bring the lifting companion back. it's such a banger of a series mate.

[@tannerharcus8833]

do it please

[@ramonkroes325]

Sam is just relatable. Videos are chill and to me it's almost like a podcast. He just talks about stuff and lifts.

[@Reznor44]

Yup. He's not selling you anything, no "like and subscribe", no click bait, just 2000's era v-logging. Sam makes honest, old-school videos.

[@roryt1985]

Totally agree. Anyone hating on Sam is simply a bitter c**t.

[@ministryofanti-feminism1493]

His physique is only relatable because it's what guys dream about achieving - his personality is relatable because it appears like what most guys are in the 21st century - quiet, unimposing, perhaps timid even.

[@OverG88]

Sam is not trying to sell me bunch of his shit. No cookbooks, no suplements, no energy drinks. Nada. Guy is training and that's it.

[@JohnSmith-zs1bf]

​@@ministryofanti-feminism1493I've never dreamed of looking like a red cloud

[@LucasDimoveo]

There needs to be a push towards adults doing non bodybuilding physical activities. This will only happen if more coaches become willing to train adults. I spent years looking for a triple jump coach. YEARS

[@garak55]

Pick up dancing. Where I live, dancing schools look desperately for adult men to enroll so they can have enough partners for their female clients to dance with. It's a really fun and social way of getting your cardio in and has the added benefit of allowing you to not look stupid at weddings and stuff. A very useful skill I think.

[@ASMCourtney]

I am started an adult disk golf class a couple of months ago, initially to give people something to do and learn with their kids outside. But I get a ton of people who just want to be physical and move. I'm 30 and love being able to use my body... I wanna play adult flag football :(

[@Sad-is-dick]

What kind of dance do u mean? @@garak55

[@VargVikernes1488]

Or just natural bodybuilding

[@LucasDimoveo]

@@VargVikernes1488 bodybuilding isn’t as exciting as kinesthetic activities though. Jumping, running, etc is just a lot of fun

[@dogcatdogable]

I've also been mulling over the consequences of the 'coming out' era of steroid usage in the fitness industry lately. To Chris's point, I think it's better for kids to realise the truth and potentially become despondent (which is not that big of a deal really) than for them to take gear at 16 because it's so normalised among their favourite influencers. I used to think transparency was better than the fake natty era, but I'm not so sure anymore. Some of my favourite content creators these days are actually people that have come off steroids and speak about the realities of that journey.

[@danielbrown001]

Yep. I’d argue the “fake natty era” was a MUCH lesser evil than the “open drug use era.” In the fake natty era, kids were tricked into doing something good for them: lifting, eating healthy, getting good sleep, staying hydrated, etc. and only later found out they were “duped.” However, many just shrug it off and say, “Oh well, I’ve been training for years and I might not look like [insert fake natty] but I’ll just do the best I can. I’ve lost fat, built muscle, and gotten stronger and more confident, so it’s not so bad.” But in the “open drug use era,” there’s kids pinning their delts before doing their first delt raise in the gym. Kids who decide they aren’t going to get into fitness AT ALL and stay overweight/sedentary/poor diet because they think “oh, all those fitness people are on drugs, so I won’t bother.” And kids seeing the open drug use rewarded by the algorithms online, while drug-free lifters have 1/100th the reach (if that). And since kids don’t see long-term consequences, they see drugs as purely positives. And since the Internet makes it very easy to get drugs compared to before, kids can look up their favorite “open drug user” and copy the drugs they take in the dosages they take, thinking they’ll look like them. Then, when they don’t look like them (due to genetics) they’re in the exact same “fake natty” scenario, but WAY worse off because they’ve screwed up their health. So while the “fake natty” problem was an annoying tick in the fitness industry, the “open drug user” problem is a gigantic blood-sucking vampire on the industry.

[@benh6452]

Thsts just it. You don't ever come off

[@jdh8931]

Sure Sulek and Lean Beef Patty have their audiences because of their aesthetics. But I think those audiences would be much smaller if they provided no value, or if their personalities weren't so likable

[@theodoredavis0]

Sam Sulek is the new Rich Piana. If you look at their content you'll see it's remarkably similar. Their physiques are similar too.

[@dogcatdogable]

right down to the repetitiveness of their content

[@arturohull14161]

Sam Sulek is the Polish Rich Piana.

[@SmokyOle]

Rich was ahead of his time then.

[@666MaRius9991]

@@SmokyOle Right babe?

[@alisic]

great impression there at the beginning haha, spot on. great vid. it's interesting how sulek is like two polar opposites in one. authentic videos that aren't clickbait or super edited and cringe on the one hand, and then the whole tik tok metagame around him on the other the roids are crazy tho wtf are people doing

[@GearsOfCake]

Maybe people like Sam Sulek coz he doesn't whine about other KZbinrs and/or what gets views

[@sergiovasq]

Soo true Does his thing Posts daily Has interesting takes Is hugely relatable, but ultimately does his thing & doesn't seem to care about what others do & say Seen multiple thoughts/views on him & none the other way ... that to me speaks volumes

[@shackelfrdace69]

😂

[@atlaspowershrugged]

Social media has been good for my body image. I learned new things and now I look better.

[@MrAntonioCapone]

Fitness became so appealing and started to make sense to me once I discovered the natural youtubers mentioned a the end: Alex Leonidas and Bald Omni Man (BOM). Others like Natural Hypertrophy (NH), Geoffrey Verity Schofield and Basement Bodybuilding are in the same boat. These guys all provide excellent free advice for bodybuilding, including free programs for NH (which I am following) and BOM. I owe them a lot. Dr Mike is not in the same vein, but his videos are also helping me a lot.

[@derKischda]

The crazy thing about chasing size and pump is that ther is no end goal end people get even unhappier because they become even more critical of their bodies. Fitness for me now is all about feeling strong and good as often and long as possible. You need strength, endurance and flexibility to achieve that. Also the path should be the goal. Larger muscles and a more defined body will come with improved nutrition on its own.

[@Actually-eneru]

I feel like 90% of people just watch him bc he is chill and relatable like zack said. I am just annoyed of other influencer's talking about him all the time his content is plain and straight-forward so just let him be. I promise once the steroids come back to bite influencer's are going to make a bag

[@okankorad57]

i dont watch his content, neither am i drawn to something so un-produced, but he just seems like a genuine dude who loves what he's doing so i have nothing but admiration for him. + it helps that i've never seen him be disrespectful towards anyone which is suprisingly rare in the fitness community

[@scottsherman5262]

I rather agree with this, & it's odd that anyone in Sam's shoes would be disrespectful towards his peers anyhow, as that sort of bad acting typically comes from a place of insecurity. Sam's the IT-boy/man right now...I imagine it's easy for Thomas Cruise to genuinely be nice to some guy on the street, because if Thomas wanted to, he could go to this guy's woman & say "remove your clothing now", & she of course would...confused & in slow motion, she would. Then he'd hook her up to that machine that measures her charge or thetans or something, & then Xenu comes down...I don't know, but Thomas is getting that woman all the way naked & that's all there is to it.

[@okankorad57]

@@scottsherman5262 thank you for sharing this story with us, amen 🙏

[@m4yd0g]

I tire of the fitness influencers selling physique / image as the end goal of fitness. We need more people showing us how real fitness can enhance your life. Show us how to use fitness to do cool things or helping others.

[@simonillouz3295]

There are plenty who do that. Literally use the search bar once instead of whatever your algo feeds you and you’ll find that (hardly niche) content

[@Soccasteve]

What would that look like though? The benefits of being in shape as they relate to day to day tasks aren’t going to translate into an entertaining video.

[@m4yd0g]

@@Soccasteve for example, Zach's content is very good. He's not all about aesthetics. He works out in hands his life, he spends time with his bros, meats interesting people and travels to interesting places.

[@jay-pi5gn]

this is where the zach isnt about aesthetics is not a good take everythign else i agree with, zach is a powerlifter not bodybuilder therefore he lifts for strength and PRs and will have a very different phyiscal look to a bodybuilder. so his fitness goals are different, if he tried bodybuilding out bro would be an absolute unit but would probably lose strength gains and because of that his contetn isnt the same generic (no disrespect to this guy) alex eubanks content everyone trys to copy.@@m4yd0g

[@Kobe005]

I think a majority of Sam's success is through his personality and the fact that he hasn't really "taken advantage" of how hard he hit the algo. His content hasn't really changed that much despite his huge numbers.

[@kellenscott555]

He seems to only change things that help him get physically bigger

[@Eustres]

I think that was at the start, after he became popular his content startet to get picked up by the algo, so even though he is not "taking advantage" conciously it happens now. Hence why creators can use Sam Sulek to boost their own content. Maintaining everything, the style, its the brand on itself.

[@Jake-the-author]

Lol, that intro getting into the car and setting up the camera was pretty funny. Also, great video man!

[@Gladiatorat]

Zack, you should check out Allan Trall's new bodybuilding videos with the program that Natural Hypertrophy made for him. I love how Allan has incorporated running and bodybuilding in his program... and is essentially doing whatever he wants to do. I care about looks, but I also care about athletisism as I do judo/wrestling based martial art (САМБО). I think the performance and bodybuilding side of things are not exclusive... though possibly requiring extra effort or compromise.

[@GodOfSore]

Regularly listen to Chris's pod, would love to see more of him on the channel, even if it is just bouncing theories and opinions off each other for a while.

[@adriannunez5209]

honestly i see him as the ivan djuric of bodybuilding. And less life lessons from dad vibe too. But generally i think some young people have gotten tired of the tiktokification and are reverting back to more "natural" media where a dude is just talking and it feels less fake and edited and that. Feels more real in a world of just social media fakery

[@sweepease1290]

Tells you something about YT "fitness" vloggers when the consistent comment about Sam is how relatable he is, how calm and real his videos are. Maybe that, more than his physique, is what makes him popular. Consider how refreshing it is to not hear him try to sound like a cockatoo, to not hear him go on and on about what steroids to take, to not hear him talk about his houses, supplements, cars etc. He talks his workout, gives simple advice...the way YT lifting channels used to be

[@DCJayhawk57]

Yeah, he's old school in that way. But the only reason he's popular compared to the plethora of other channels out there is his physique. Let's not delude ourselves. If he were a natty guy with a relatable physique nobody would care.

[@VargVikernes1488]

There's a ton of channels like that. The guys mentioned in this video, also GVS, Natural Hypertrophy, Basement Bodybuilding. The only reason he's huge in every way possible is roid abuse

[@adhamsalem9121]

I hate how people are brushing off the fact that he abuses steroids and say "oh but he is relatable and honest". That's the problem imagine if he didn't abuse drugs chances he wouldn't get big neither literally nor metaphorically. And then none would care how cool the guy actually is. Now the first thing that would cross a young dude's mind when he gets inspired by Sam is "Sam=good, Drug=big>>Sam+drug=good+big>> me+drug= me big+good"

[@benh6452]

Good point

[@trevdog110]

I think a factor that is appealing to Sam Sulek’s content that you somewhat touch on is that the audience doesn’t feel the need to watch the entire video but rather listen to it in the background while doing chores. Sam Sulek is similar to your content for me because about 50% of the video I just listen to and 50% I’ll sit and watch the video. I think this type of content is the current meta and you guys are just some of the most entertaining ones to do it.

[@PcCAvioN]

Sam just goes hard. Fun to watch him red in the face on the verge of puking doing leg extensions. His body is statuesque and crazy. Coleman size but aesthetic instead of monstrous. Also unlike most lifting youtubers, who act like gurus who are above the viewer (this can be subtle) or circus freaks (hyperbole) a la strongman, sam feels like your buddy lifting there with you. No minutes of encyclopaedic, peer reviewed research, just some tips.

[@Nate-jy4li]

I love how much Sam is making other fitness influencers shit themselves just by being himself

[@princerak8881]

You know him?

[@jijijijijiji44]

​@@princerak8881 Yeah

[@HahaDamn]

They are just making money off his popularity bro, and also “being himself” - ducking himself up with gigantic amounts of PEDs isn’t being himself, it’s disgusting

[@sterlingwhite5464]

@@HahaDamn what exactly about using "PEDs" is disgusting lol do you even know what youre talking about in the first place?

[@juuglord8509]

@@HahaDamnif he wants to use PEDs that his decision. He’s being himself lol.

[@joshbrown384]

The intro music made me realize how bad I miss "Lift Companion" episodes with you and Dillon. Still digging the content but we need more Lift Companion episodes!

[@SchmidtyFilms]

Sam Sulek style videos aren’t new. 10-15 years ago I was all about those long drawn out vloggy videos of what some jacked dude was doing for chest day. Everyone goes through their 16-24 year old phase and I think for the up and coming dedicated lifters, that’s the type of content that’s always gonna be around for them

[@kmb957]

A 21 year old on steroids is not someone that should be influencing anybody.

[@thicccboyztv]

And yet the whole country is enamoured with college football. Not any different. Idolizing a meathead vs idolizing an athlete is no different. They are both on gear, some just get tested.

[@princerak8881]

​@overlordfemto7523they are no damn athlete

[@champboehm7863]

What a simple minded take.

[@karmasource]

It's not the worst influence to want to achieve a physique like Sam sulek

[@karmasource]

@overlordfemto7523 There are plenty of worse aspirations to have than to want an immaculate physique like his. And how many people do you think are actually going to take test as a direct result of his notoriety? 5%? 1%? What creator/influencer has ever convinced you to take illegal medications?

[@FacnyCatFighter]

I imagine what draws young people to Sulak is - well, obviously his size - but also the format of his videos, and his voice. All his videos are very similar in format, for the most part. There's no dramatic tension, no clickbait, just an exceptionally driven guy talking in a relaxed manner about his training. I think young people enjoy the repetition, the attention to detail, and Sulak's calm demeanour,--all which lend a vaguely hypnotic quality to the video. If there is any discussion under his video, it's less about technique or training, but rather about insignificant minuiae, in-jokes, and irony. I think the average zoomer finds comfort in these videos, as a sort of island away from neurosis.

[@BrianDeCosta]

Sam benefits from the Cbum affect imo. It's first driven by personality--very calm, non-confrontational and disarming. The polar opposite of being offensive or controversial, which is refreshing in the fitness space of big egos. Then you combine his demeanor with how he looks, and it's a combo you rarely see. A well-spoken, chill dude who you'd like to grab a beer with, but also want to look like. I find this image/personality combo is an algo killer.

[@cobysale4990]

Trying to figure out the car cam is gold 😂. Love you bro. I also love Sam

[@_d0ser]

I like that he's chill and does a good job of making people want to work out.

[@colinmilky]

2 of my favourite content creators in one video! Love it lads!

[@taoofstefan]

the algorithm is an interesting thing. Watching plenty of fitness stuff online and have never heard of Sam Sulek until this video.

[@MrMoustache678]

I agree with your assessment. I sometimes feel weird training to actually be fit and strong as opposed to training purely for physical attractiveness, since almost everyone else at the gym seems to have the latter goal.

[@symmetryox7184]

Hey Zack, I gotta say that amongst a bunch of fitness youtubers, you're the only one that I actually relate to. Glad you're here.

[@slightlyprofessional]

I don’t have TikTok so I haven’t watched LeanBeefPatty on that platform, but on KZbin she puts out actual fitness videos. She’s not just posing.

[@scuddryvr8784]

I’m outside your demographic at almost 51. Started watching you during my Oly years, about 2018. I really only care about looks at this point in my life. I was ripped my whole life thru my mid 40s, and great cardio, but now the muscle mass loss was becoming evident, no matter how hard I lift. Just started TRT, low dose. Week 8 and noticeable size increase already. I don’t have tik tok, but obviously I see these guys on YT and IG. But honestly, it’s just the other guys in the gym that made me feel self conscious. Dudes in their 60s are jacked these days.

[@Whitethock]

As Jerry Seinfeld said, Seinfeld was a show, but it was also a "place you'd want to be." I think his videos are very similar, where it's more of a "place" and you're hanging out with him.

[@qwerty-rh6ht]

You're describing parasocial relationships

[@Whitethock]

@@qwerty-rh6ht I don't agree 100% as it's more of the place and less of the person. I don't watch him (only tried to understand the draw), but compared to the KZbinrs who have subconsciously aligned to the algorithm, where their videos are not places I'd like to be, I can see the appeal. Especially in the fitness world.

[@emilioesteban7355]

legend with the beginning of the talk lol smashed it

[@joell21]

The shout of Mike and Jeff together was great. Shit was hilarious

[@DaltonBox116]

For some of us, i think it has less to do with the information and more to do with feeling somewhat alone on this path of fitness and channels like his, yours, Will tennyson's, etc. bring a feeling of having others on the path with you. I do not train or eat exactly the way he does, or you do, or any other influencer for that matter. I do enjoy the content because its motivating to have that kind of access into people's lives that are trying to be fit.

[@scottwagner3694]

C'mon Zack. I'm going to be 58 and enjoy your channel. Keep up the great work!

[@BabiRae]

OMG the car ride was hilarious a IYKYK ting and this is my first time on your channel

[@kodiak9840]

What a deliciously meta video. God I love being in my 30s at the same time as you. Still taking the kids to school.

[@WantedArgonianMale]

Sam Sulek put the entire youtube fitness community on suicide watch

[@thechairman74]

Prioritizing the visual or superficial markers of fitness is of course the easiest and possibly only method that influencers can use to sell themselves. We all know that visually appearing fit is only one small part of it, but how do you prove that you "feel" fit or in fact are truly "fit"? We use metrics in specific forms of training for sports performance, but again those numbers by and of themselves do not actually indicate or prove fitness.

[@gangsterninja100]

Dying at you replicating Sam 😂

[@francescaselvaggio1337]

*Poses* "Ah man I probably look so shitty dude" 😂 I'm dead

[@spartakos3178]

Embrace the Power Panda. Ultimate Strength, no drugs, no cuts!

[@ItsPandatory]

I forgot about Grizzly screaming in the outro and he got me again

[@MrHyjac]

Socrates - “It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength which his body is capable.”

[@User-b9q2z]

The human body is ugly and weak lmao. Dudes think they're philosophers after doing 5 bicep curls

[@somguy5035]

Its a process of distillation We aren't trying to 'add context' or 'gain' something It is the opposite Context is stripped and content is reduced What is left is an essence, a vibe, a meme; a truth

[@timmyllymaki8164]

If I train only for BB my mental health betrays me after 4 week. And now when I’m older u find it sooo boring.

[@traviss9059]

I always kick myself for not getting really into fitness when I was in college and had a world class gym to utilize. But then I think that had I gotten into fitness at 19, instead of 26 when I did, that I might have wanted to take the steroid route (like so many kids these days). It certainly was not as openly accepted as it is today but my young mind probably would've gravitated to the concept more than it would've in my late 20s. Now I'm 33 and I look the best I've ever looked without that kind of help so no point in it now.

[@tannerharcus8833]

i wanna see more of this kinds of videos boss. love it keep it up.

[@jsem94]

Spot on Zack. We had Zyzz before, then Jeff Seid and others... This is just another iteration of the same stuff.

[@LindormAce]

Bald omni man and Alex leonidas been mentioned made my day lol

[@realcastironstrength]

Sam seems chill, don't watch his stuff but could deffo all of the shorts I've seen of him are cool he has good takes and his competence is clear. The people using his name as click bait tho....

[@jacksondickery509]

Stellar video. Spot on

[@s4n714g000]

I get no value from Sam's content other than simple entertainment. I have 0 desire to do roids, the value that he provides is almost useless because we're so different, he's not educated and his opinions are mostly all bro science. There's so many more content creators that give actual science backed knowledge, although overall I've stopped listening to advice because keeping shit simple and being consistent is the best thing for me. I watch his videos because I find the routine of a PED user interesting, mostly because I would never do PEDs. Also he's a calm genuine guy and I find that to be an innately likeable quality, and he seems really determined to do stuff like workout and study for a hard degree, it shows a level of discipline I strive for and constantly look to emulate in my own life. I do think people being open about their steroid use is better than the other way around, MPMD convinced me to never do steroids. It's better to educate and let people make choices instead of hiding it, in turn making it taboo and desirable out of morbid curiosity. At the end of the day dumb people can't be saved from themselves and they'll do dumb things no matter how much good sensible content is out there. Overall I watch Sam because he's genuine, doesnt try to sell you anything (not directly anyway) and seems to show what works for him. I immediately recognize how his training method doesnt work for me, and how his diet is not good.

[@TwoForFlinchin1]

When it comes to Sam's personality I get that he's a cool dude but a lot of the people defending him don't really seem to mention any other relatable people that aren't him. In fitness spaces people's bodies are their resume and it's cool that he's down to earth but the culture seems to care about aesthetics way more than health. Especially when there are so many biases against people who don't look like what bodybuilders thing is a healthy person looks like

[@datnip79]

I was going to comment that 1grm total isn’t actually that much. 500test 500eq or whatever. But then I remembered I’m 45 and my literal only regret was starting too young. Touché

[@mikemikemikemikemikemeup]

I think that Sam’s success absolutely comes from his size. But I really think what made him even more popular is his personality. His size and personality combination is weird to a lot of people and I think that’s what attracts people to him. When most people think of bodybuilders, especially guys that are as big as Sam they expect a cocky person. The majority of people see bodybuilders as douche bags and monsters. Sam flips that misconception on its head. He’s extremely relatable and a very chill guy. Match his personality traits to a gigantic bodybuilder and you have a very interesting person that a lot of people are going to be attracted to watching. I think the idea that it’s just his size is kind of silly. There are a lot of very big, bodybuilders and strong men out there and most of them are not as popular as Sam. The combination of all the things that he brings to his KZbin channel is what attracts people not just one aspect of him. But I will agree that his size is one of the most important parts of why he is as popular as he is.

[@str3ngthinallf0rms23]

modern day rich piana

[@DeadliftEnthusiast]

I'm 26 years old. I guess a little out of Sam's target demographic but I semi-regularly watch his content. What draws me is he's just a real ass dude. He's not chasing views. He's not clickbaity. Before his Hosstile sponsorship, he wasn't doing it for money. What drew me to his content wasn't how he looked but that he's a genuine person who does bodybuilding because he enjoys it.

[@Garrlick417Slacker]

Sam Sulek is (to me) the Zyzz of this generation. I don't get the appeal of either content creator, but it seems to be something that a ton of young kids engage with to learn how to hit the gym... on one hand, getting kids off the couch and getting big and strong, net positive. The drugs... definitely a negative

[@Reznor44]

I'm 40, have been lifting for 25 years, and have enjoyed Sam's youtube vids. For me it scratches an itch from before the explosion of social media, the early 2000's when not everything was commercialized to sell you something. Not a lot of creators make plain v-logs; no "like and subscribe", no "buy my version of the same powders everyone sells". Just here's what I'm going to lift today and what I think about it, here's me doing the lift, and that's it. Piana's Bigger by the Day I think was huge for many of the same reasons. No clickbait, just musings on lifting and food.

[@mosesacevedo]

Wouldn't compare him to Zyzz. Zyzz 180'd his life. He wasn't the best role model, but he gave hope to a lot of people. Sam on the other hand, is just passionate about lifting and is a relateable socially awkward college kid.

[@johnkrstyen]

Forgot about zyzz and agreed.

[@benrushing4083]

I do feel like there is more transparency with gear usage. Natty or not guy, people like Mark Bell, the discussion of TRT and that there’s a massive difference between enhanced training vs natty.

[@Kirbylover489]

Damn son, Sam really did shrink on his cut, really digging the haircut and the 'stache though!

[@krisjooste]

Things haven't changed much since the Golden era of bodybuilding.

[@hwithap]

Zach and Chris have entered boomer status yusss

[@mcfarvo]

I like him because he seems down-to-earth and adorably goofy. I'm not going to blast PEDs or slam dextrose post-workout or avoid full RoM or hyper-focus on "the squeeze" and "the pump" or whatever works well enough for him given his genetics+PEDs, I'm not going to emulate Sam, but I will "vibe out" to his chill attitude in the car combined with his "hard and heavy" efforts in the gym 🏋️‍♂️ and he does sometimes give generally decent advice on basic principles of lifting or diet for Bodybuilding mixed in with the bro science and mythology 💪so many of the beginners/normies listening to him may pick up some tips that help them

[@reformedzoomer]

I'm a "kid" so to speak (18) and I suppose I've only ever seen the fitness world through the eyes of a kid, but I have to say I find folks such as Sam & Lean Beef Patty objectionable. Can't quite articulate what it is about them (kind of, with Sam it's mostly just the steroid use and his being the poster child of a world of influencers where you're famous for a minute, and then you die at 40, or you're left recovering from the aftereffects of steroid abuse, and people say it's sad and move on to the next gearhead). Maybe it's just ego but I'm a big fan of the natty lifting circle. Bald Omni Man, Alex Leonidas, GVS and the like are some of my most watched channels by far. I really like Alex's approach of slow but consistent gains, not being reckless and out of commission for a while because you hurt yourself, and more than anything wholistic training (i.e. not neglecting micronutrients or the importance of cardio, the genuine commitment to a cut). Nobody is more inspirational to me than the guys who have been doing it for a long time and reached impressive heights without negligent shortcuts like PED abuse. I realize this mindset is unfortunately not super common among the young-uns, and guys like Sam aren't going to come out and tell people not to do what they're doing, so I guess this is more of a lamentation than anything, that people can't just be patient and responsible. I would say my biggest issue is that it's kind of impossible to say anything bad about Sam Sulek because he's a great dude, and the defense is easy: "I just think he's relatable, I like that he's chill and just talks about stuff." People say that and completely ignore that Sam's meteoric rise is almost unprecedented (he's been averaging 20k+ new subs and 1 million+ views every day) and there's simply no way that would have happened if he was the same chill guy but natty and with a natural physique. He has a unique appeal, and he's certainly far from the vile garbage we're used to seeing from obviously juicing influencers (stupid, commercial, disgustingly exaggerated), but the steroid abuse is inevitably a big part of that appeal.

[@jolothefighter]

roid usage an proliferation is not something we can turn back from as a society. its best now to work with it if that makes sense. 24.8.13

[@tottenhamtalk6735]

Love you ZT, keep up the great content

[@scottessery100]

I always thought Zack was on gear ⚙️ with his huge lifts and physique

[@jeremiahpearce2328]

Zack has an underrated channel

[@Epitome_of_john]

I think the reason Sam is popular amongst the gym bros is because they don’t know what real workouts look like. When they see Sam go hard they copy that. When you are just starting out it’s hard to know how to actually push yourself.

[@tannerharcus8833]

im a young dumb 21 year old. i will never do gear its nice to see these kinds of videos

[@allstrongfitness]

Nothing wrong with chasing a better looking body. Chasing a better body while not being grateful for the body you have is where body dysmorphia quickly creeps in.

[@MrEverisforever]

I've only just found his channel in the last week. I would have to disagree about him being successful mainly because of his looks. I like his videos but not because of the way he looks but because I find him entertaining and he has a calm way of going about things. If he was half his size I would still like his videos.

[@ciaosonoAlbertoG]

Wake up babe new Zak Telander video dropped.

[@Anon.G]

Listening to that podcast at 2.5 x while watching this video at 2x speed was intence

[@scottessery100]

Who were young peoples idols 10 yrs ago or 20 yrs ago 30 yrs ago and it’s currently very very different

[@theKashConnoisseur]

For me it was Arnold and Hulk Hogan. Fools really had me thinking that my flinstones vitamins and a set of daily pushups would have me looking like a mass monster as a kid, lol.

[@omarkennedy7056]

Thats whybive never been one to even entertain the idea that my body is not enough. The moment I start to think i need to be shredded and have huge muscles to have worth is the moment I lose

[@octavio5051]

Why are you against people watching sam sulek because of the unrealistic body standards he sets but you yourself watch, idolise and are personally friends with olympic Weightlifters who blast just as much steroids and arent even open about it?

[@thejuansshow6410]

The problem with bodybuilding in general is that it promotes ballon size muscles but don’t promote good quality of life in the everyday which leads to question bodybuilding as whole. Bodybuilding is great when mixed with functional everyday use but when Is promoted to be this obsessive thing and all the foods and drugs and etc is a recipe to depress you and confuse you.

[@baronmeduse]

'The in thing is to say: I'm on gear...' Nail on the head. And also to add: 'but I'm honest about it!'

[@yangl123]

Never heard of this fellow until this video!

[@marcobecerra1977]

The impersonation was hilarious lmao

[@K4R3N]

I actually didn't know Chris was on Love Island. Just found him on YT recently

[@moochinarayan7146]

"The new in thing is saying I am on gear" lmao that is so disturbingly true. How and why did this get normalised?

[@omsimityxd]

Definitely some time when/after fitness youtube was flooded with “Natty or not” content

[@leebrandonlawrence829]

His video are more like podcast to put on the background when you are doing other things so you dont feel alone👀

[@deficitstifflegzercherdeadlift]

I’m not a Sam-stan by any means; I haven’t really watched any of his content, but KZbin pushes shorts from clip channels that have stolen his footage and reposted it, and I’ve seen those. So with that preface in mind, what I find incredibly refreshing about Sam (aside from the obvious stuff like being relatable, being kind, not shilling a discount code for Gymshark, etc.) is his gym maturity. I just saw a short where he was talking about why he prefers machines to free weights for specific movements - and of course the channel that uploaded it framed it as “Sam says why free weights are STUPID 😱” to generate controversy while he literally was just explaining his training preference - and what struck me was that he wasn’t shilling a workout routine or even providing advice for what others should do; he simply stated why he preferred machines, why they worked for him and were conducive to his goals, and why he enjoyed doing them. That’s the apex of lifting knowledge: recognizing that the best thing you can do in the gym is doing what is comfortable, enjoyable, and sustainable for you, rather than some cookie cutter BS some “science-based” lifter told you to do. It took me about 8 years of lifting to reach that point of enlightenment. Most lifters will NEVER reach that point. Sam reached it at, what, 20-21 y/o? I have no idea how, but he has somehow managed to circumvent the dogma-regurgitation phase that most lifters go through (and get stuck in) during their youth.

[@reamartin6458]

Your intro to the rec center L M A O You said what everyone’s thinking thanks for that

[@eriknorman8160]

KZbin used to be a platform where either you wanted to watch it or you didn’t , I think should go back to those days , no hate , no shaming , just freaking watch what you wanna watch , who cares ?

[@babayaga20000]

A chris zack teamup is always appreciated