06/05/2026
⭐️ Meet Derick!
This one is a little different because I can't take any credit for his training…he coaches himself!
Derick joined Koa in 2024 and has been a staple ever since. If you've ever been in the gym in the morning, you know exactly who I'm talking about. He rarely misses a training day, always puts in the work, and mornings at Koa just wouldn't be the same without him.
He's also the definition of a team player. Even though he'd probably rather be lifting than talking, he stepped out of his comfort zone and helped coach at one of our annual community workouts last year. That's just the kind of guy he is.
Now for the impressive stuff...
At 45 years old, Derick recently competed at the Appalachian Regional Championship and put up the best total of his career:
⚪️ 672 lb squat
⚪️ 452 lb bench
⚪️ 598 lb deadlift
🏋️♂️ 1,722 lb total
What's crazy is that this didn't happen overnight. He's been competing for over a decade and has steadily built his total from 1,155 lbs in 2015 to 1,722 lbs today.
People see the big lifts, but what I see is years of consistency.
Showing up.
Doing the work.
Repeating that process over and over again.
That's how you get stronger. That's how you get better at anything.
And because no Derick post would be complete without a few fun facts:
⚔️ He will gladly explain why 1 rep is the superior way to train.
😇 He somehow has the face of an angel despite moving weights that could crush small vehicles.
🍻 He firmly believes Viking Fridays should be recognized as a national weekly holiday.
Derick, we're proud to have you at Koa. Congratulations on a huge meet, a lifetime PR total, and for being the kind of person who makes our gym community better just by showing up.
