Exploring Life & Business with Mike Dee of The True Mdsm and The Heavy Breathing Foundation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Dee. 

Hi Mike, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Michael Delgado, I’m 36 years old, I live in San Diego Ca, and I’m probably the best strength and conditioning specialist you never heard of. I’m a dad to a wonderful 6-year-old boy, and I’m getting married in October of this year to my best friend and partner Amber. I run a coaching business called “The True MDSM” and I am the founder of “The Heavy Breathing Foundation” which is my NPO 501c3. I been clean off hard drugs since September 9, 2015. I struggled with crystal meth and heroin for about 14 years. 

In my free time, I focus on my family, study physical and mental disciplines in and out of the gym; and immerse myself in the culture that is San Diego California. 

I was raised by the punk and metal scene in San Diego. I started playing shows at 15 years old and didn’t stop until I was about 25. I have played with bands like From Ashes Rise, Toxic Narcotic, Bread and Water, Caustic Christ, PC Death Squad, Hirax, and Municipal Waste. I spent almost every Friday drunk in the woods at the Che Café during my high school career. I also was a part of the SD Pyrate Punx Chapter and was down in the sewer tunnels playing shows daring the cops to try to stop us. It was Fun. 

I started getting in trouble at a young age, caught a few felonies, multiple DUIs, a few rehab stays, arrested more times than I could to count, missed birthdays, holidays, lost time, and unfortunately lost some people in my life due to my actions. At my worst, I was weighing 167lbs; and I would get dope sick within 8 hours. My life revolved around a clock, based on chasing a drug by doing whatever I had to do to obtain it in order to feel “well”. Life was miserable, and I hated myself for how comfortable I was doing very uncomfortable things. 

I took my recovery like a baby learning to walk, the first year I had to keep checking my steps and kept myself occupied with meetings to find support. Nowadays I am very comfortable with my recovery and don’t have to keep such a close eye on myself because I rediscovered who I once was or had the potential to be all along. Today you can find me keeping myself clean by being a service to the community by teaching confidence through the barbell with The Heavy Breathing Foundation at our home gym “Iron Mongers” in Vista Ca, where I train various people from all walks of life. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Having a criminal record that features a few felonies made standing on my own two feet a challenge, but through my formula of “Honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, consistency, and patience” I was able to rebuild and rediscover my true self. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The True MDSM is my coaching platform. I believe that physical and mental strength go hand in hand. They are built with commitment and consistency, one day, and one pound at a time. I found the iron at a time in my life when I needed that structure. I want to be able to give that to the people I work with. 

I first became obsessed with learning, improving, and experimenting for myself and my own technique. This slowly led me to want to work with other lifters to reach their personal goals. I specialize in many forms of coaching; powerlifting, bodybuilding, tactical conditioning, strong man, and general fitness. I can confidently say my resume speaks for itself and I have built some of the strongest lifters here in Southern California and the rest of the United States. 

The Heavy Breathing Foundation provides a space for mental and physical conditioning by building a structure that empowers at-risk individuals to rediscover themselves. We seek to give back to communities once taken for granted by providing creative coaching through strength training and education. With this organization we help build the total value in the individual. 

What matters most to you?
Time and People. 

You can’t replace either. So, choose who you spend your time with wisely. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/mikemdsm
• Instagram: MikeMDSM

Image Credits
Karl Goodtrip
Tina Dominguez