"People want the physique but not the process," she said in a 2023 interview. "The process is boring. It’s repetitive. It’s heavy. But that boredom is where the magic happens."
: After a major car accident that required a metal disc in her neck, she successfully navigated a return to her industry. 🎬 Entertainment & Social Media workout squirter valerica steele
This has had a ripple effect on gym culture. Because influencers like Steele have made the gym a space for aesthetic performance, gym floors have changed. There is more equipment dedicated to glute isolation; the attire is more fashion-forward; the atmosphere is less about primal grunting and more about curated self-presentation. She is not just a participant in this culture; she is an architect of it. Her lifestyle promotes the idea that the gym is a place of self-creation, where the body is a malleable art piece. "People want the physique but not the process,"
Steele describes her lifestyle through the lens of hedonism, prioritizing pleasure, travel, and personal freedom. Her aesthetic is defined by her collection of tattoos, including a notably painful full-armpit piece that she has discussed in various interviews. It’s heavy
Steele does not follow the "glute-only" trend that dominates social media. Her regimen is balanced, brutal, and surprisingly traditional. Working with a private strength coach in Los Angeles, her weekly split looks something like this:
Furthermore, she has begun crossing over into . She has been featured on fitness podcasts (e.g., Iron Culture , Mind Pump ) and has hinted at a future unscripted series that follows the backstage life of an "athlete in heels."
