Category Archives for "Mental Health / Motivation"

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

 

 

Train Towards Your Goals, but Also Train Towards Happiness

Obviously, if you are a powerlifter, weightlifter,strongman, bodybuilder, or any professional or collegiate athlete, I would presume you would be running a workout program specified for your sport that is geared and designed towards achieving success in your sport and improvement in certain areas of that sport. Programming, practices, routines, and splits are crucial because they help us achieve our goals and get gains in the most efficient fashion and is probably the most educated way an individual can train. Plus it helps structure discipline and helps individuals develop a routine and strong mindset and improves focus once discipline is understood. However, sometimes, from personal experience, I have found myself so stressed out (I do have Anxiety Disorder, though) about certain programs because I would miss a rep or be unable to complete the rep work whether it be hypertrophy and assistance work or compound movement rep work. I developed a fear is disappointment within myself and workouts began to stress me out. However, when your own passion begins to become a stressor, one must take a step back and not abandon that passion, but fight back and figure out what has been stressing you out within your passion. Then you find a way to beat that part of what has been stressing you out and holding you back. You can work towards other goals momentarily until you regain focus, or simply walk in the gym and train whatever you want just to enjoy yourself, because we all started lifting because we loved it, right? So whenever I feel stressed, a relaxed bodybuilding-styled workout to get a pump on always relaxes me because it reminds of of the initial fitness that inspired me to travel towards greater levels and depths within fitness. Sometimes you just need to say, ‘screw all that other stuff,’ and lift how you want so you can enjoy yourself and your workout. – Me almost (I missed, Cool Pic though,) dunking on 9.5 feet when my hops were at their best. Probably can jam it on 9 feet at the moment and 8.5 is a piece of cake. I used to play basketball in high school, I’m 5’7″ and wasn’t too skilled, but I had decent hops due to my leg strength from powerlifting, and I often use basketball as an escape route for enjoyment and additional cardio while I am stressed out.

 

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out n Blackin’ Out
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Perseverance Through It All; Never Give Up

Throughout my life, I have had several incidents that have brought me down. That includes personal problems such as my issues with anxiety disorder and my enzyme disorder leading to depression in addition to excruciating pain that I experienced after my Uncle surprisingly passed away. I experienced personal mistakes in the past that I have decided to not mention, and have also made mistakes in school as my grades have been dropping periodically on and off, and of course, I have been hurt by past relationships with women, though I do not hold any negativity against them as it is my pain to deal with. My gains have suffered throughout difficult times which probably is the most painful things I have dealt with because other world aspects have taken ahold of me and stripped me of improving myself within my passion of lifting. Sometimes, life just happens, and there are periods of time where simply, life blows. However, despite how horrible it may seem at times, whether you suffer from personal issues or you feel a lack of motivation in the gym and your gains have fallen off, do NOT give up. NEVER give up. Because giving up means you’ve thrown in the towel and that there is no sweat blood or tears left to give. Giving up is throwing away your passion, and without a passion, what’s the point of pursuing anything, or more so, what’s the point of living? Never give in. Many people are familiar with the Mark Wahlberg film “Lone Survivor,” which is based on a true story of Navy seal Marcus Luttrell. After falling down that ravine in the movie, Wahlberg was able to walk. However, in real life, once attempting to escape from the outnumbering Taliban, Luttrell was able to find cover, he was actually unable to walk due to his many broken bones from the fall; essentially, he was paralyzed. However, instead of giving up, Luttrell crawled SEVEN miles to find shelter and water. HE would draw a line in the dirt and crawl to it, draw another line and so on and so forth until he crawled SEVEN miles. Whenever I feel like giving up, I think of my Uncles, whom I’ve written about in past articles, and they motivate me. However, secondly I think of this hero, Marcus Luttrell, the Lone Survivor. He crawled seven miles. That to me, is the definition of perseverance. To me, each space needed to be crawled until the next like represents a difficulty in my life, and I must keep crawling and working until I persevere and pass that difficulty until it is onto the next difficulty to crawl past. My Uncles, Marcus Luttrell, and many others have influenced me to continue forward throughout all the hidden internal pain  I have been suffering. No matter what happens, one must always persevere and continue chasing your dreams. As Rocky Balboa said, ” It ain’t about how hard you get hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward.”

Fight through it all and never give up on what you believe in.

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out n Blackin’ Out
  • Linked is Marcus Luttrell’s Speech about Operation Redwing at Alabama.

 

Be Yourself No Matter What and Screw What People Say

This article I am about to delve into is relatable to lifting, but it is primarily to provide my insight and advice on helping you find happiness both inside and outside the gym. Happiness begins with self-acceptance and a self understanding. People must realize that they are born with what they have; you are what you are. Yes, there are always strives for self improvement as individuals such as myself endlessly pursue education and gains in order to improve our physique, strength, and cognitive abilities. However, there are certain features of our bodies, and certain aspects of our brain that we are born with that we cannot change. For example, for the last few years I have been struggling with anxiety disorder and an enzyme deficiency in my brain of MTFRH, which breaks down folic acid, which allows our brains to uptake serotonin and dopamine, the two primary chemicals that make us emotionally balanced and happy. These caused me to experience widespread and heavy depression for a long time until i found the right meds. The point is, what kept me going through the entire struggle was the fact that I knew there was nothing truly wrong with me because I was simply born this way and that I could not change it. Since I was born that way, the only way to find that happiness is to accept yourself for who you are and for what you are. Self-acceptance is the key to happiness, because once you accept yourself for who you truly are, you can move on with your life and become the best version of yourself that you possibly can. Additionally, if you do not want to, do not try to fit in with others or join social groups just because it seems like the cool thing to do, or because it seems like you’ll be respected or have something to gain from being in the group. Because FUCK that. Trying to change who you are for others is pointless, because if they can’t accept you and like you for whom you truly are, then they don’t deserve your time or presence. Be yourself no matter what. Don’t let others influence your goals or dreams or decisions, don’t try to be something you’re not. If people don’t like you for you, then straight up, they can go fuck themselves. Be you and only you, and do your own thing. In my experience so far in life, throughout all of the phases of depression, I have found that being myself and understanding that I must accept myself for who I am is the best way to find happiness. Sure, I wish I could change some things about myself, but I simply can’t. Rather than fret over what you can’t change, work hard to change what you can, such as your gains in the gym. Otherwise, be yourself no matter what and understand that whoever and whatever you are, you are a human being and are just as equal as anyone else on this planet. You are you, and you are amazing because just like me, you are a human, and no matter what kind of human you are, as long as you are yourself no matter what, you are ok.

” Don’t Let em say you ain’t beautiful, they can all get fucked just stay true to you,” – Eminem

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out’ n Blackin’ Out

The Gym Is more than Just a Place to Train

The gym, no matter which gym I attend out of the various gyms I go to or have been to, i get the same relief and same feeling every time I walk in. Thats because to me, the gym is more than just a place to workout. Its more than a place to train for powerlifting. Obviously I work as hard as I physically can in the gym to get the best gains I can, however, attending the gym to improve my gains is not the only reason I go. The gym for me, is an atmosphere where I can relax. Every workout, despite the difficulty, provides a physical and mental relief and release for me, especially after a stressful day often times filled with Anxiety. It relieves my stress and is a medicine for me whenever I go through difficult times. Not only that, it is physically healthy for me as it helps me stay in the best shape I can.  Additionally, it is a place where I get to meet many gym friends whom I have bonded with over the years and can shoot the shit with throughout periods of rest in-between sets. We get to know each other better, exchange lifting advice, and talk about many other things in life. I get to know some individuals so well that some gym friends end up becoming some of my best friends. It is a place where I can chase my passion and get my gains while I relieve stress and anxiety whilst meeting some of my best friends as well. The gym represents an entire chunk of my life and means so much more than fitness to me. It means health, fitness, friendship, knowledge, and is even a second home to me. Don’t Just go to the gym to lift, go to the gym to find many other of the benefits that a great gym can provide.

  • Tommy Roel
  • Maxin’ Out
  • By the way, the featured image as a header is Me back in about 2014 when I met Kai Greene at Bev’s Francis Powerhouse Gym in Syosset, NY.

Siege Athletic’s Wall – Civilize the Mind But Make Savage The Body

“Civilize the Mind, But Make Savage The Body”

  • This quote encourages the idea I have behind Maxin Out n Blackin Out because it supports the concept that one must be civil and eager to learn and obtain education and being responsible while simultaneously making “savage” through your body through endless training and lifting by Maxin’ Out and also through partying by Blackin’ Out. Balance the Two.

This painting is located is former Optimum Nutrition Rep Noah Segel’s Gym.

  • Maxin Out N Blackin Out
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