SGPT Interviews Bobby Maximus

We got a chance to catch up with Bobby Maximus, one of the driving forces behind the LALO Maximus. He had some awesome stuff to say, from good workouts to mental toughness. Check out what he had to say below. 

SGPT: What’s your background? I know you were LEO, but also what is your athletic background?

Bobby Maximus: In terms of my athletic background I started wrestling when I was in 10th grade. I got my collar bone broken by some bullies and I decided I wanted to try to defend myself. I was terrible at first but with some hard work i got better. I ended up being a very decorated wrestler in Canada and ended up going on to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Now I am Executive Director of Gym Jones which is regarded as one of the best gym’s in the entire world.

SGPT: How’d you get hooked up with LALO?

Bobby Maximus: It all happened very organically. I got a pair of shoes and then had the opportunity to meet with Jay and Shannon [Top people at LALO]. We immediately connected and soon became close friends. They are people who I respect and admire so it made sense to join them in becoming a part of the Lalo team.

SGPT: What were some things that were important to you in designing the Maximus shoe, some items where other athletic shoes fell short?

Bobby Maximus: Three specific areas. First and foremost the quality of people that run the brand. I am more interested in people than I am products. Everyone at Lalo is amazing to work with. Beyond that they are extremely generous to our LEO community and military community which is very important to me. Secondly I wanted something to be a bridge between a workout shoe and a running shoe. It seems lately with other brands you get one or the other. This is a shoe that is stable enough to allow you to deadlift 600 pounds and then light enough to allow you to turn around and run a 5k race. Thirdly it comes down to quality. I buy things once. I don’t like cheap products. This shoe holds up to the abuse I throw at it.

SGPT: Favorite workout?

Bobby Maximus: That is easy. My signature workout: “The Holy Trinity”. It is max pull-ups, push-ups, and dips in 30 minutes.

SGPT: Sounds brutal. Is there a weightlifting couplet you’re a fan of – Like snatches and rows, or deads and cleans?

My favorite is Five Fifty Five. Here is it straight from The Book Of Bobby Maximus (aka Maximus Body)

This is one of my all-time favorite workouts because it mixes heavy lifts and body-weight exercises and hits every muscle you have from head to toe. That gives you a training stimulus that builds real-world strength and muscle. Yes, it looks simple, but it’s not—when you finish, you’ll be “done,” both figuratively and literally. It is adapted from a workout by a strength and conditioning coach I greatly admire, Dan John.

DIRECTIONS

Do the exercises in order, as a circuit. Do 10 reps of the first exercise, 10 reps of the next, and so on, until you’ve completed all of the exercises. Then repeat the circuit, this time doing 9 reps of each. Repeat the circuit again, doing 8 reps of each, then 7 reps of each, and so on until you do only 1 rep of each exercise. Rest as needed throughout, and try to complete the workout as quickly as possible, while maintaining good form. Beginners can use a 95-pound barbell; intermediates can use a 185-pound barbell; and advanced trainees can use a 225-pound barbell.

1. Barbell Bench Press

2. Barbell Deadlift

3. Pushup

4. Pullup

5. Barbell Back Squat

Reps: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of Each

Time: 15 to 25 Minutes

SGPT: Least favorite workout?

Bobby Maximus: Anything easy. The only easy day was yesterday.

SGPT: Tell me more about your methodology at Gym Jones – strength bias, conditioning workouts?

Bobby Maximus: The workouts we do at Gym Jones are varied. We don’t believe in one style of training or one methodology necessarily. We believe in goal directed training therefore we do whatever is needed to get the job done. If a person is an NFL linebacker they need to train different than a military operator who needs to train different than a guy trying to look good.

SGPT: What are your views on rest days?

Bobby Maximus: I prefer not to take them. Now I am not saying that you can go hard every day but you shouldn’t take a day a week and just lay on the couch and eat Doritos and drink beer. Always move and always do something every single day to make yourself better.

SGPT:  What supplements do you think are indispensible (Creatine? BCAA?) 

Bobby Maximus: The big four I take regularly are PreWorkout, BCAAs, Omega 3 Oils, and protein powder. Everything else I could probably do without.  

SGPT: What do you think are gimmicks, supplement wise? .

Bobby Maximus: Anything that promises “earth shattering” results. Like “double your strength in just 2 doses” kind of bullshit. Supplements are supportive but they can’t do the work for you.

SGPT: What are your views on mental toughness in a fitness setting?

Bobby Maximus: A big part of my life is centered around the belief that the mind is primary. If you don’t train the mind to be strong then in my opinion you are wasting your time. By unf*cking your head and building psychological toughness you can transform your body beyond anything you thought possible.

SGPT: What type of exercises or evolutions do you do to prime yourself and instill mental toughness?

Bobby Maximus:  There’s nothing like a good time trial test and the best I know is a 2000m Row for time. It is the ultimate litmus test for who really wants it and who doesn’t. The standard is 7 minutes. If you don’t have a rower you could also do a 1.5 mile run. Standard around here is 9 minutes.

SGPT: Do you do anything with your consciousness, or do you like to hit long workouts and just grind it out?

Bobby Maximus: I always engage in positive self talk before a workout and various parts of the day. The brain is a muscle too and it must be trained. One thing in particular I did when I fought professionally was woke up every day and wrote down five reasons I would be successful. It helped put me in the right state of mind for the day ahead.

SGPT: A quote or mantra you try and live by?

Bobby Maximus: Don’t let your feelings dictate your actions. Let your actions dictate your feelings”. You are in control of your emotions and confidence, So when you are doubtful act confident. When you are scared, act brave. When you are nervous, act like you are a pro. Soon you’ll become this things.

-End-

Big thanks to Bobby Maximus, the awesome people at LALO including Jay and Shannon, and to everyone reading this. If you want to learn more about Bobby Maximus’ training and workouts – rest assured, you can check them out in his new book “Maximus Body” or check out his pre-workout at gognarly.com to get all jacked up before you take on the Holy Trinity or Five Fifty-Five he told us about above. Make sure you follow @LaloAthletic on IG as well.

Train hard. Train smart.

RELATED ARTICLES:
SGPT Interviews Alpinist Steve House
SGPT Interviews John Spezzano