Category Archives for "Maxin Out"

Lunatic

Lunatic

People say I’m crazy, that I’m nuts. And you know what? They’re right. I’m crazy, I’m nuts, I’m a god damn fuckin lunatic. And i wouldn’t rather it be any other way. I would never want to be anything other than what i am because that would make me normal. And fuck that. 

Perfection is a scheme, because perfection robs you of your ability to improve yourself. If you’re perfect there’s no room to get better. And I’m always trying to improve myself.

Time moves as we perceive it.

You don’t need to be book smart to understand human nature. All you need is a good heart and an odd curiosity that causes you to obtain a desire to better the world around you. That’s what will help. you understand things. That curiosity will help you understand life. 

Kurt Cobain once said “They laugh at me because I’m different. I laugh at them because they are all the same.” 

Conventional Deadlift Advice: Spreading the Floor

Deadlifting is one of the most important compound movements around, despite what type of athlete you are. It my personal favorite out of the three main lifts (squat, the bench, and deadlifts). Deadlifting is typically viewed by an average gym-goer as a back exercise. However, your trapezius, erector spinea, biceps, forearms, and quads are all engaged in the deadlift.

How so?

Well obviously your back muscles, biceps, and forearms contribute and develop muscle easier than other muscles involved because these are the primary agonist’s. However, other body parts and form must be used.

Back: Form and Contribution;

Back, Bis, Chest, forearms, biceps, and form,

1)During the deadlift one must NEVER let their back band in a motion where your spine can bend. This can cause serious injury or pain.

2. You need to work on the form, no matter whether conventional or sumo. Keep your back straight and chest up to keep the proper range of motion so that your back doesn’t bend too much, whilst keeping your chest up a little helps with proper form and injury prevent injury. You need strong biceps and triceps for your grip especially regarding what stance you use. If necessary for a 1RM, you should use straps to prevent further injury to calluses or open wounds. Also, I like to roll the barbell forward a bit then roll it back to me. This engages my Latissimus Dorsi muscle activated before you start your deadlift. Then, I launch my knew (like typical deadlifting) and as soo as. I grab the bar I squeeze it as hard as I can and pull it close and tight amongst my calves because with a bent-over back and improper form you can easily hurt your back, cause muscle sprains, all of which can be a result of bad form and bent over deadlifting. If bending over too much, too much gravity will pull the weight down and you’ll lose the rep/ Now rep work: Personally, I perform rep work with both however I would max out or compete with conventional. This way your overall deadlift form increases and lowers risk of injury.

Lower Body

3, Quadriceps: Always slightly squat down. NOT a full squatting motion, just low enough to get down to the bar. engage your quads on the lower portion of the movement and stretch beforehand.

4. SPREAD THE FLOOR: Newton’s third law is “for every action force there is an opposite reaction force.” Now spreading the floor means to keep your feel slightly bend inward in which when pulling the barbell, you try to rip the ground with your feet. This applies pressure, allowing Newtons third law to have its equal opposite reaction force. This generates more force all around and strengthens the compound movements.

Anxiety and The Gym

Anxiety and the Gym

 

 

This topic is both maxinoutnblackinout related and mental health related. It is about anxiety and the gym, and specifically when your anxiety can prevent you from going to the gym. Lets get into it.

 

  • Now, usually, going to the gym is a huge cure for anxiety, stress, and other issues such as a hangover or possibly depression. However, as a powerlifter, powerlifting sometimes becomes so rigid within the programming that going to the gym, performing exercises and doing prescribed sets that you cannot choose every single workout of the week; it starts to become stressful on your body and mind.
  • You feel like you can’t enjoy the simplistic love you have for the gym because you cannot do what exercises you want.
  • This builds anxiety, and I’m not talking about the type of anxiety that somebody can get from taking an anatomy and physiology test. I’m talking about the kind of anxiety that can truly cripple you and fuck you up, like it has to me. It makes it hard to get out of bed, you develop social anxiety and don’t want to leave the house. It’s horrible and you feel so guilty for being afraid to get to the place you’re supposed to love, but, the anxiety is just too crippling that you can’t find the energy within you to do a single thing. Its difficult.

 

 

How do we deal with this?

  • Coming from someone who deals with this type of anxiety on a regular basis and has been throughout what I have described above, I can tell you that even though the anxiety is so crippling, it is simple to conquer, you just need courage.
  • You need courage to not be afraid to express yourself and get back into the gym. Who cares if you lost or gained weight or strength. You’ll get it back. Do not let yourself get in a rut. Get up, breath, be calm and know you’re the shit, and get your ass to the gym.
  • That’s what I do, I tell myself to breathe, to move, and I think about the pump I am about to get and think about how at peace I feel at the gym, and I am able to move forward.
  • Have the strength inside of you to be you and get back to the gym if crippling anxiety or depression has held you back.
  • Because it’s held me back, but I cut the rope and got back to where I belong.
  • The Gym

 

 

Tommy Roel

MaxinoutNBlackinout LLC

Women’s Program for Getting Toned and Fit – Not ‘Jacked’

Women’s Program for Getting Toned and Fit – Not ‘Jacked’

 

Specified goals in this program:

Gluteus Maximus and Medius work, quadriceps, hamstrings, abdominal muscle (abs) growth, fat loss + toning up your arms, and what type of cardio to do.

 

Day one: Legs

Squats: 5 sets 5 reps@ a comfortable weight, RPE 5-7 (rate of perceived exertion) (gets your booty strong and developed)

 

Straight leg deadlifts 3 sets of ten

 

Hip thrusters: 3 sets of twenty (for hips booty, squeeze your ass at top of rep, pause and control the eccentric/ negative portion of movement

 

Leg extensions 3 sets fifteen reps’ light weight

Hamstring curls:  3 sets of ten reps

———————————————

Day two: Arms

Shoulders: seated dumbbell press RPE6 5 sets ten

Bicep curls w dumbbells RPE 5 3 sets ten

Shoulder sider laterals light weight 3 sets of ten

Tricep rope cable pushdowns 3 sets 10 RPE 7 lightweight

Bicep hammer curls 3×10

 

———————————————-

 

Day 3: Cardio

Walk on an incline treadmill on an incline of 5-10 with lower mph for 10-20 mins (slow time pace if needed)

Then jogging on the treadmill for 20 minutes or the Elliptical

Rowing machine: 3 sets of 1 full minute

 

Day 4: Back

Lat pulldowns 3×10

Pullups 3×8

Chin-ups 3×10

Seated Cable Row 3×10

Two hand rotational Lat pulldowns 3×10 (Hits your lover lats and the supination hits your biceps’)

Trapezius Shrugs 3×10

SBD Bodybuilding Split

This is just a simple sample split I made for fun that I felt like posting for free. Here it is:

 

Legs

Squats 5×5 @ a comfortable weight,  each week add five lbs.

Hamstring curls 3×10

Straight leg deadlifts 3×10

Quad extensions 3×10

Abs 5×10

 

Chest

Flat Bench 5×5 @ comfortable weight each week add five lbs.

Incline flys 5×10 superset w Dips 5×10

Cable crossovers 3×10

Tricep rope pushdowns 3×10

Tricep overhead rope extensions 3×10

 

 

Back

Deadlifts 3×10

Lat Pulldowns 3×10

Pullups 3×10

Chin ups 3×10

Underhand lat pulldowns 3×10

Biceps 6×10, 2×5 for strength, 2×15 for endurance, 2×12 for hypertrophy

 

Shoulders

Standing OHP (Over head barbell press) 3×10

Seated dumbbell press 3×10

Side lateral raises 3×10 superset

Front lateral raises 3×8

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out n Blackin Out

Why You Should Compete

For me,  powerlifting has always been a passion in which I have been able to recreationally enjoy, however, when the time is right and I feel comfortable, I will always choose to compete again. I do not compete when I am not ready, and have bot competed in over a year, however, I fully intend to continue competing; I have just not been able to as life the last year has been difficult for me. However, soon again  I will compete, and I am going to delve into the reasons as to why I think everybody should compete at least once, no matter whether its a powerlifting meet, a bodybuilding or physique show, or a weightlifting competition. Competing is an incredible positive experience, and here’s why:

  1. Knowledge: Competing around people, often advanced lifters or strong individuals, is a great way to obtain a vast variety of knowledge about training, meet prep, advice on form, motivational advice, and more. When I competed, I was able to learn how others water-loaded properly in order to make their weight class. I also learned how to fast prior to a meet and learned how to fuel myself throughout the day as the meet progressed. I was able to learn some techniques to crack individuals’ back in case of a cramp, and I learned how to properly spot individuals whilst squatting, which has been a knowledge that I have been able to pass onto individuals in the gym who are spotting their friends squatting.
  2. Experience: Competing allows every athlete to gain experience in their field, making them a stronger athlete overall. It enables us to gain a larger amount of respect for us amongst our fellow athletes. Respect goes a  long way in this world, especially in lifting because the respect that individuals have for you regarding your accomplishments in powerlifting can help present opportunities such as sponsorships or new clients to train.
  3. Motivation: Competing is very nerve wracking, but it is also extremely motivating. Prepping for a meet keeps you motivated and organized with your lifting and diet as you strive to make your weight class. However, the most motivating and awe-inspiring part of competing is that when you get up on the stage or the platform, EVERYONE cheers for you, especially if you are grinding the rep out. The weight doesn’t matter, the type lift doesn’t matter. All that matters is you, and the barbell. And even when the entire crowd does not know who you are, while watching you perform your lift, they always cheer. Its such an incredible surprising feeling as people you don’t even know are cheering for you to succeed. They are cheering for you hoping for success, and often times are ecstatic when you succeed in a lift. This has been the most humble and awe-inspiring thing I have seen in powerlifting as it made me realize that it’s not strictly about competition, and that it is more-so about bettering yourself within the sport and supporting each other as athletes as we cheer for everyone’s success, and not just our owns. This is the most important part as to why I think people should compete. The feeling you get from moments like what I have just described are so surreal and feel so incredible that I think everyone should sign up  for a meet and compete one day, because if you don’t, frankly, you’re missing out.
  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out

 

How I got Into Powerlifting

I got into powerlifting in high school, but I had been serious about working out since about 8th grade when I worked out alone and saw a personal trainer. 9th grade it intensified to multiple times a week and the bodybuilding phase sailed in Tenth grade and  I became a full on meathead and bulked to 180, used every supplement you can think of, you name it.I ate tons of food and even kept whey, shaker bottles, and water bottles in the trunk of my car so at lunch I could make whey shakes. But it was always about being big AND strong, and mostly strong. I remember thinking even on Lat pulldowns at 120 lbs saying to myself, “Ok, you did this for 12 reps this week. Next week it’s 15 reps). I was always obsessed with squatting benching and deadlifting and never skipped leg day and squatted even with bad form. I always wanted a strong deadlift and big back. Back days were my favorite and I loved chest hypertrophy and chasing a stronger bench towards 225 when I was stuck at 200. (I’m at 275 now). But it was always about strength. Then my twin brother Jimmy in 12th grade got me into powerlifting, and there that ship sailed and he bodybuilding phase came to an end.We still have hypertrophy/bodybuilding days but those are necessary for growth and we do not ever intend on competing, however I will recreationally bodybuilding for enjoyment for the rest of my life and am an an active IFBB fan, as I have met Kai Greene and seen Maxx Charles. I ended up competing in 2015 for the first time. The drive for strength drove me towards powerlifting, Here are videos and pictures from my first competition, a day I’ll never forget because it showed me what the platform (reference my other article : What It’s Like to be on the platform) and powerlifting is all about.

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out
  • 500.5lb fail 3rd attempt, grip slip. Second meet I nailed 500 on rd attempt and got my redemption.
  • 363 lbs Squat with my Twin Jimmy, follow him on instagram at @jimmy_roel
  • Last Picture is the Picture with my boys Mikey, @bergalicious_74kg, Jimmy, and my boy Ben, who lifts recreationally.
  • My first meet I actually competed on the platform with Krissey Mae Cagney,the founder of Donuts and deadlifts and got the opportunity to get spotted by Sean Noriega, a USAPl Powerlifter who’s monster, @Kissmyarch. At my second meet I spotted Matt Sohmer, a young heavyweight 275+ Class lifter who attempted 826 while I was one of the spotters (he failed unfortunately).
  • At my Second Meet I won 2nd place in the 183 class, though I competed under at 175) while my brother won 1st his heavier 295 (I think) class.

 

The Many Gym’s and Many Influence’s I Have Gained From Visiting Them

Gyms have a special impact on a person, at least for me, they provide a relaxing or motivation or competitive or stress relieving environment where I can just be me and chase my dream.

  • My first gym was with a trainer named John Romaniello (Instagram: johnromaniello , check his  site romanfitnesssystems.com/ and his book) at a Planet Fitness. John, whom later moved and wrote a book, he trained me hard and introduced me to the concept of hard work and inspired me to to go to a personal training studio called Core Fitness with my trainer Loucas Lianos, whom I  did a senior project on in high school on what it takes to open up a personal training studio. This is something I learned from Loucas. This gym taught me discipline, made me enjoy fitness and physical improvement and strove me to train at another commercial gym in 9th grade called The Training Station Athletic Clubs, where I still train at today, I trained at core fitness 2 times a week usually and once or twice alone at the Training station. I was hooked. Everywhere I went on vacation or college visits or nearby gyms I had to go. I had day passes for Equinox and a ten day pass for Bev Francis Powerhouse in Long Island, a student member Ship at Lifetime Athletic Clubs. I also had a short term gym membership with Noah Siegal’s Siege Athletics in Long Island and I compete for Elite Strength and Conditioning in Tampa, where I also used to go to an La Fitness. I visited a golds gym in Orlando and Spartansburg, an La fitness in hamden Connecticut, a gym called Old Time Fitness in the Keys, Bev Francis Powerhouse in Syosset, New York,  (Where I Met Kai Greene which was awesome and also got a glimpse of Bev Francis Herself, Maxx Charles IFBB Pro and Sadic Hadzivic), a gym in Narragansett Rhode Island Where Brandon Cambell used to train at (I saw him there), and Browns Gym, a gym in Clark Summit, PA thats is owned by famous powerlifters Jim and Janice Brown, and their gym actually sponsored the USAPl national a few years back.
  • All these gyms, all these places have had impact on me. Motivation, excitement, rejuvenation, pain, struggle, anger, perseverance, strength, pushed limits, honorable meet-ups, happiness and even more. Gyms affect us a lot more than we think.
  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out
  • Funny pic of me in the background of Sadik Hadzoviz’s youtube video in the white shirt.

Lucas Lianos’s sight: http://www.corefitnessstudiosny.com/pages/home

 Me pushing a 550 some tire at Old Time Fitness back in lie 2014 o5 15′.

 

Pride Cometh Before the Fall, but Pride is What Makes us Rise to to Get it All

Everybody knows the quote “the pride cometh before the fall,” however, I have a very different insight on this quote. Pride is being proud of every piece of who you are and being unashamed of your being. It is what drives you through your passion and shows off as gloating but is it is gloating for self success because one should be proud of what one does, and even if they slip or fall and their passion suffers, their pride should fuel them to continue towards their goal and should give them the energy they need to rise from their fall and continue to be proud and be themselves. This second 405 video is my 4o5 fail and fall, but my pride and passion kept me using and I stood back up and hit 405 finally, which is the second video.

 

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out

 

 

What It Feels Like to Hit a PR

A Personal record, or PR (sometimes in Australia or the UK they use the term PB, personal best), is when you hit a certain weight you have never performed before in a certain movement like squat, bench, deadlift, clean and jerk, and the snatch.This included many other albums as well. Or you can hit rep PR’s, and hi a same weight for more reps than you previously have performed on those reps before. Hitting PR’s is an almost indescribable feeling, as the goal you care about and are working towards is self improvement. And Hitting a PR,, hitting a weight you have never done before, that allows you to literally watch your self-improvement and track yourself becoming a better a stronger individual. It is a feeling of euphoria and success and in that moment you know you just became a better person, even if it is in the slightest.

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out’ n Blackin’
  • Below is an example of some rep work.

1 2