Derek's Mass Gain Manifesto and Milestone Log

[Derek Simonds]

19 June 2012 Tuesday 13th Wedding Anniversary!!!

D W/U
Foam Roll

Press up to 105 X 5 X 3
P/U 6 X 4

BS up to 155 X 5, 175 X 3, 195 X 1

20 June 2012 Wednesday

Super short on time and a little tired from last evening. OLAD!!!

DL up to 275 X 5 DO, 305 X 1 Mixed Grip

Feels really nice to at least be back in the 200'ish squat and 300'ish DL range again. Lots of meetings first thing this morning and I am hoping to catch the lunch advanced class. Hopefully.

[Derek Simonds]

21 June 2012 Thursday AM

Foam Roll
D W/U

FS up to 155 X 5, 175 X 3, 200 X 1
DB Incline up to 75 X 3 X 3
Chin Up 3, 10,6,6,6

Banded GM's 15 X 2 really stretched out. After the first set I realized I almost choked myself out with the band around my neck. The second set I held the bands away from the side of my neck better. Much Better
DB Flyes 30 LB's X 15 X 2
DB Concentration Curlz 30 LB's X 10 X 2

I didn't have a spot this morning. I think I could have gone for 5 on the first and maybe the second set but no spot no going for it. Still super pleased with how strong I am getting in my upper body.

[Derek Simonds]

21 June 2012 Thursday PM

BJJ No Gi: Great class today and it is official Prof Gutty is now teaching at the downtown location full time. I like his style a ton and it is nice to be able to fully converse in English. I am going to miss Prof Simpson a ton he is moving to MN to teach at a school in Minneapolis. He is a great instructor and I look forward to training with him the next time I am in the twin cities.

Today we worked a great takedown with the underhook and an inside foot trip, passing open guard / butterfly guard and some key details on different parts of my game. I grappled 3 4 minute rounds and had to get back to work.

Good stuff man, good stuff.

[Yael Grauer]

Which school in MN? I'm just curious, because the head instructor at the GB gym here in Minneapolis (St. Louis Park actually) moved to Florida and I guess people are still trying to figure out who will be teaching...or they were, last i checked.

[Derek Simonds]

I just text Simpson and he said that it is GB Minneapolis.

[Derek Simonds]

22 June 2012 Friday AM

Really burning the candle at both ends right now. Friends are in from out of town. I am still working out at 6:00 AM but staying up way late and drinking with them since they are on vacation... and to top it off work is insane. Yeah me.

D W/U
Foam Roll
B W/U

Power Snatch up to 100 X 3, 95 X 7 on the minute
Push Ups unto box X 5 X 4
Box Jumps up to 35" X 5

Nice and quick and I was out of there to work.

[Allen Yeh]

To combat this, I tried to do what I always did when life got stressful – I trained.

Normal types might scoff at the notion of hitting the gym with so much shit going on, but they aren't seeing the big picture – or at least my big picture. I don't punish myself with drop-sets and high-rep squats to build muscle. I do it to kill my demons.

We all have demons inside of us. Some have more than others, and some guys can deal with them better than the next. That 40-something stressed-out businessman who suddenly snaps and bludgeons the Walmart greeter with a plunger is an example of someone who can't handle his demons. I'm not saying I'm always inches away from committing manslaughter, but I can be a real dick when I let stress get the better of me.

So I smash my demons. I crush them under PR's. And if I'm too fucked up to train heavy, I torch them with extended sets, rip them apart with rest pauses and drop sets, and then chase them away with whatever fucked up finishing exercise I can think of. The demons always come back, mind you, but as long as I have a key to my gym I can stay one step ahead.

From the latest Dave Tate article on T-mag

[Arien Malec]

Originally Posted by Derek Simonds

19 June 2012 Tuesday 13th Wedding Anniversary

Missed this -- congrats!

[Derek Simonds]

I am alive. Just been a crazy 11 days. Lots of fun. More work than I thought was possible and a couple of good training sessions. I will get back to a regular schedule here this week. I already have trained 3 times and I will get them added into my log.