Derek's Mass Gain Manifesto and Milestone Log

[Leon Robotham]

Originally Posted by Derek Simonds

I don't realize sometimes how much leverage (meaning ultimately smothering) you can apply when you get a high mount and then lean out over their head and work to attack an arm. Which is what I was doing his face just happened to be buried in my stomach and I was controlling the body by controlling the head...

I need to give that a try soon! It's basically where Roger hangs out all the time in matches before getting the collar choke. Im suprised i've not seen him tap somebody out like that really.

[Leon Robotham]

Originally Posted by Derek Simonds

3 Sept 2010 Friday Lunch = Competition Class / Open Mat

Literally 25+ Purple belts and higher on the mat today. Grappled 2 times with a friend that ended up being about 25 minutes total time. Wow!!! I was focused on moving and not using strength unless I needed it. I am really focused on moving into a sub hitting it and moving on. Finished with a quick grapple with my buddy Chili who joined the forum yesterday. He is super strong and I had to go get back to work so unfortunately had to bow out.

This type of stuff is exactly what I need. With lots of experienced guys on the mat you can't do anything but improve.

[Derek Simonds]

7 September 2010 Tuesday

Man I have been thinking it is Monday since last night. I put the trash out to be picked up but they run on Monday...

D W/U
Band Work
Foam Roll

DeLoad Week

Press 45 X 5,5, 75 X 5, 100 X 5
BS 45 X 5,5, 95 X 5, 135 X 5, 165 X 3, 195 X 5

DL 45 X 10, 135 X 5, 185 X 4, 225 X 3, 275 X 2, 305 X 1

I did my deload a little differently this time. In the past after my deload week I have not felt good with the heavy weights. So this time I worked up to a heavy set but no where near the same volume. I didn't feel taxed at all so I will see how this works.

Man we had a great time at the lake. I got some great pictures of the kids I will post later. We got a new ski rope that is super thin and doesn't stretch at all. When you cut it transfers all the energy directly to you. I was able to launch like never before. I practiced some flat water switching of feet forward and did a couple of deep water starts regular footed (which is backwards for me). I figured it was time to start working on some new tricks to stay ahead of Jr.

We also surfed behind the boat. We put 4 guys in the left rear corner of the boat , and kept the RPM's about 1900 and turned slightly left the entire time. This created a huge wake and we were able to get up with a rope then slide into the wake and surf it. I never could go for more then 15 -20 seconds without the rope and then I would have to pull back on the rope to stay with the wake. Lots of fun.

[Derek Simonds]

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids from this weekend.

Jr hitting a pretty big tail grab.



Laney outside the wake with some of Florida's finest water lilies in the back.



Laney in the middle of one of the multitude of 360's she did this weekend.

[Derek Simonds]

Jr landing a wake to wake on the kneeboard.



Laney with her first ever jump on a wakeboard. Not a whole lot of air under that board but she did jump and she landed it! She is wearing gloves which was funny because as she jumped in the water she looked over at me and said dad I am still wearing Bubba's gloves. I said baby that is what they are for and that made her happy that she got to use them.



Really had a great weekend and we spent most of the time turning dollars into exhaust fumes pulling kids around the lake. As far as I am concerned it doesn't get much better than that!

[Allen Yeh]

Check this out:
http://rosstraining.com/blog/2010/09...on-with-bands/

[Derek Simonds]

I need to get some different sized bands and take them with me on the road. That was a cool video.

8 September 2010 PM

Long, long day yesterday up at 04:30 out the door to the airport by 05:00 and in meetings in Chicago at 10:00. Got finished drove an hour to Gracie Barra Chicago and trained no-gi. Good school, good vibe and a couple of cool technique variations for when someone tries to roll out of side control.

Grappled two times 1 with a purple and 1 with a 4 stripe blue. Both had great defense and I just flowed. Oh and the smallest guy there was probably 185 with most of them over 200. It was nice having a lot of guys about the same size to work with. I don't like going into another academy and seeming like I am head hunting so I would set up a sub and move on. I was able to dominate positionally with both guys without using a ton of strength so I represented well.

I must have been smoked I slept in till 08:00 this morning and now am out the door for day 2 of meetings.

[Derek Simonds]

10 September 2010

Finished up my meetings and caught the late flight home. I walked in at 12:15 and got up with the kids at 6:00. It is so nice to be able to be home with the kids before they go to school. I truly enjoy that time.

D W/U
Foam Roll

BS 45 X 5,5, 95 X 5, 135 X 5, 165 X 5, 195 X 5
Bench 45 X 10, 5, 95 X 5, 135 X 5, 165 X 5, 190 X 5

Nice and quick and out the door to work.

[Derek Simonds]

11 September 2010

BJJ All Levels:

I met up with a buddy and trained for 20 minutes before class. Had two very good rolls. Class was all about the same stuff we worked in Chicago... That was weird how it all fell together. So more stuff when your opponent tries to roll to their knees from side control. Finished with positional grappling top and bottom.

Great class today. Chili you missed out brother.

I am off to do my charity auctioneering duties at the 8th annual Wild Wild West. Should be lots of fun.

[Derek Simonds]

13 September 2010 Monday

I have decided there just isn't enough time between 5:30 and 6:30 to do everything I want. Gonna have to figure this out.

K-Star Running MWOD
D W/U
Dog Walk
Foam Roll

BS 45 X 5,5, 95 X 5, 135 X 5, 175 X 3, 200 X 5,5,5
Bench 45 X 10,5, 95 X 5, 135 X 5, 165 X 3, 195 X 5,5,5
P/U 5,5,6,6,5,5,5

I was pretty much done at 6:15 but that isn't enough time to get DL's in before I need to be helping with the kids for school. I did the K-Star stuff @ 5:20 and then started the rest of my stuff @ 5:30.

It was kind of interesting this morning. My partner no-called no-showed, I split my shorts on the first work set of BS's and I had to get my wife to spot me on the bench. I did the first set sans spot and was not comfortable. Having her spot me allowed me to really get after it the last set. I am going to 200 on Friday and then increasing by only 5 lb's per 2 workouts from there out.

The auction this weekend went really well. We raised 3000 more dollars in the live auction then in each of the last 3 years. I have a couple of action photos of me auctioneering that are pretty funny I will post later.