Who Today Can Bend A Red Nail The Old Way?

[Mike Rinderle]

If we are not talking wraps ... dozens of guys can double underhand and reverse a red nail ... short answer

Even an old broken down guy like me.

[RichardBean1]

I think there is some kind of myth going around that before the rules were implemented with the blue IM pads, that people were bending the Red Nails differnetly than the DO style. This is simply not true.

Were you under the assumption that Red Nails were not bent DO-style, Old Guy?

I watched John brookfield bend in person in 2005. He was not bending red nails, he was bending either 40D or 60D nails, and he braced every single one of them down near his hip flexor for the kink. Now, as I point out in my Nail Bending eBook, he was also doing crazy stuff in combination with the bends, such as balancing ladders and other items on his chin, so he could have been doing the brace because of this.

In what videos or DVD's have you guys seen John Brookfield bending red nails. That is something I have never seen, but I have seen lots of great benders over the years bending red, and even seen their cert videos and still shots of the certs and I do not remember ever seeing anybody bend one in a technique other than high DO.

So who was bending like the Holle brothers prior to them. Were they not the first red nail benders after Brookfield?

1995

John Brookfield

2003

Gavin Holle

James Smith

Craig Holle

Jay Holle

And after that a great many red nail benders using the Holle style. All I am asking is can anyone bend a red nail without holding the nail high up under their chin and braced against their chest. You said yourself you have never seen a red nail cert in whcih the high Do was not used, which confirms my suspicion that nobody can bend a red nail any other way.

John,

After you posted those names, I can say for sure that James Shrug Smith certed Double Under and Gerry G also posted the clip of Ostlund certing Double under.

I stand corrected from earlier statement - those guys totall slipped my bind. Sorry about that.

Still curious what you are counting as the "old way" seeing how only one guy bent a red before the Holle's, which was John Brookfield.

Jedd

Chad Rickicki also certed his Red nail Double Underhand. Pretty awesome! Today he can also dominate Reds in "Ostlund: Style. Even more impressive than a traditional DU in my opinion........

[lifesnotfair]

OldGuy: someone told me this in a Private Message a few months ago, since this person does not go around claiming anyhing I really don't want to say who it is. But being who he is and what he's done in front of credible people, I tend to believe anything he tells me. He said this:

I used to bend a red nail with my wrists, not the pec dec type everyone uses now.

I bent blues behind my back too.... I haven't seen anyone do this yet.

I'm not into bending so I don't know how hard the blue behind the back is or not. But I followed this message asking if he bent the red out in front of the body (Heslep style) and he said yes. I admit, since I'm not a bending geek, I did not ask "Did you finish it like that or did you chest crush the last few degrees", so I don't know. But that's what he said. Don't ask me who he is but feel free to guess via PM :P

[climber511]

I have reached the point where I am now confused - what exactly is the "old way" - and whose old way are we talking about?

[Jedd Johnson]

I think there is some kind of myth going around that before the rules were implemented with the blue IM pads, that people were bending the Red Nails differnetly than the DO style. This is simply not true.

Were you under the assumption that Red Nails were not bent DO-style, Old Guy?

I watched John brookfield bend in person in 2005. He was not bending red nails, he was bending either 40D or 60D nails, and he braced every single one of them down near his hip flexor for the kink. Now, as I point out in my Nail Bending eBook, he was also doing crazy stuff in combination with the bends, such as balancing ladders and other items on his chin, so he could have been doing the brace because of this.

In what videos or DVD's have you guys seen John Brookfield bending red nails. That is something I have never seen, but I have seen lots of great benders over the years bending red, and even seen their cert videos and still shots of the certs and I do not remember ever seeing anybody bend one in a technique other than high DO.

So who was bending like the Holle brothers prior to them. Were they not the first red nail benders after Brookfield?

1995

John Brookfield

2003

Gavin Holle

James Smith

Craig Holle

Jay Holle

And after that a great many red nail benders using the Holle style. All I am asking is can anyone bend a red nail without holding the nail high up under their chin and braced against their chest. You said yourself you have never seen a red nail cert in whcih the high Do was not used, which confirms my suspicion that nobody can bend a red nail any other way.

John,

After you posted those names, I can say for sure that James Shrug Smith certed Double Under and Gerry G also posted the clip of Ostlund certing Double under.

I stand corrected from earlier statement - those guys totall slipped my bind. Sorry about that.

Still curious what you are counting as the "old way" seeing how only one guy bent a red before the Holle's, which was John Brookfield.

Jedd

Chad Rickicki also certed his Red nail Double Underhand. Pretty awesome! Today he can also dominate Reds in "Ostlund: Style. Even more impressive than a traditional DU in my opinion........

Chad's a monster. I didn't realize that. There's more than I realized.

I'm still interested in knowing what the old way is.

[David_wigren]

It's not that it's impossible to bend a red nail or equivalent away from the chest. It's just, if you pardon my expression, a very dumb pursuit. Sure you can kink the nail away from your body with a reverse kink, but if you try to crush it out there you are putting your chest and shoulder health in great danger. And since no one really bent any significant steel that way, why should you bother to do so?

Anyhow I did try a 7" x 1/4 FBBC square that way and I'm sure that I could do the same with a red nail. If not right away, I would probably be able to do it with some training. I'm sure a few others would be able to bend a red in similar fashion, Hannes Kainz for sure. But I wouldn't recommend anyone try this.

The bend starts at 2:00 I had to do an audioswap since I had some music playing in the background, and because of that the video got blocked in the US.

BTW I want to comment on what Arturo had heard from an anonymous bender. I've not seen anyone remotely close to Heslep bending a red nail, and since a blue nail behind the back is not a very hard bend, indeed I bent a harder bar the first time I tried bending behind the back a few years ago and I was not reverse bending red nails back then. This leads me to assume that this anonymous person either does not know what a Heslep bend is and has confused it with some other style, or that he is simply lying.

[Isaiah]

Wicked bend Dave.

[bencrush]

Excellent bend David! I have the same opinion of the bending away from the body thing. I kinked Reds pretty easily (not little kinks either) with my hands at pec-level and away from the body. But I can imagine the stress on the shoulders and pecs from trying to crush it down with the hands held away from the body would be absurd and injury-producing.

[David_wigren]

Thanks guys. But like I said earlier it's a stupid bend. Reverse bending is great for building wrist strength, but please for your own sake bring it in to the chest for the crushdown. This video was mostly just to demonstrate that the reason why we don't crush away from the body is not because we can't but because it is MUCH more safer to bring it in to the chest and crush it there.

But if anyone wants to ruin their chest and shoulders to accommodate some arbitary bending standard that never really existed, be my guest.

BTW I want to comment on what Arturo had heard from an anonymous bender. I've not seen anyone remotely close to Heslep bending a red nail, and since a blue nail behind the back is not a very hard bend, indeed I bent a harder bar the first time I tried bending behind the back a few years ago and I was not reverse bending red nails back then. This leads me to assume that this anonymous person either does not know what a Heslep bend is and has confused it with some other style, or that he is simply lying.

Hmm while reading this part again it seems that I might have appeared a bit more obnoxious than I intended. A blue behind the back is obviously a very good bend. That goes without saying. But what I meant was that it is nothing I would consider an elite bend. By the PM it sounded like the anonymous bender seemed to think that just because he hasn't seen anyone else doing this, he drew the conclusion that he must be the king of the mountain. Well by that logic I will put on a pair of iceskates and see if I can load a 70kg atlas stone, haven't seen anyone do that yet. If I'm successful I will dub myself the new king of the stones! lol

What is however an extremely elite bend is to bend a red nail Heslep style. It's not just an elite bend, it far surpasses what I would consider elite. The difficulty difference between the two feats mentioned is large enough to raise my suspicions about the claim. A person who can Heslep bend a red simply wouldn't be bragging about a blue behind the back IMO.

I need to see a video before I'm willing to believe that.

[Six Barrel Shotgun]

Nice to see you back posting here David! Haven't see'n you here for quite some time :- |

Edited March 29, 2012 by Six Barrel Shotgun

[lifesnotfair]

David: I will talk to the guy (in fact I messaged him before typing this) and will try to get back with a proper response. It COULD have been a miscommunication on my end, but I checked our conversation from a few months ago and I specifically asked if it was out in front with the arms raised in front of the body and he replied Yes. This person has never lied to me and every single feat he has told me about, although undocumented in most cases, have had plenty of witnesses to corroborate them. Yes, many of the things he's done sound unbelievable to impossible... since I almost never check the Bending forum or videos I was unaware of that being such an Elite bend, it just came up one day discussing wrist strength and levering. If I say what he told me has front levered with sledgehammers you'd probably say you need video to believe it as well. ;-)

Life's funny, if I had that kind of strength I would show it to the world. I don't know if I'd be humble or cocky about it, but I'd like to believe I'd be humble. I have no idea how some freaks out there are just quietly living life not knowing that thousands of guys would really really appreciate some quick clips of their feats. :-) Perhaps when one is so elite the need to let the world know vanishes? One thing is for sure... I will never know, haha.

EDIT: Ok I got a response, wow that was quick. I showed him a video of Tommy Heslep bending in that style (the Tommy Heslep Unchained video) and asked if he bent it like that. This is what he said:

Not like that....

Imagine holding a beer mug in one hand.... Thumb up knuckles pointed out

The opposite hand comes over... Thumb pointed down and knuckles pointed at face.

It takes a lot of front and rear weaver static wrist strength...

I have cut down reds like this.

I have bent like the video.... Did a blue...

Edited March 29, 2012 by Arturo

[David_wigren]

EDIT: Ok I got a response, wow that was quick. I showed him a video of Tommy Heslep bending in that style (the Tommy Heslep Unchained video) and asked if he bent it like that. This is what he said:

Not like that....

Imagine holding a beer mug in one hand.... Thumb up knuckles pointed out

The opposite hand comes over... Thumb pointed down and knuckles pointed at face.

It takes a lot of front and rear weaver static wrist strength...

I have cut down reds like this.

I have bent like the video.... Did a blue...

Cool. So it was more like a reverse bend then? That I can believe. He seems like a strong guy and reverse bending cut down red nails put him in a small crowd for sure. I would love to see some videos, but I recognize that not everyone is in to posting videos and such, and I can respect that. However when the claims are much higher than what anyone else can do, that's when I become sceptical, for obvious reasons.

Nice to see you back posting here David! Haven't see'n you here for quite some time :- |

Yeah good to see you too. Unfortunately I've been a bit elusive. My computer is over 10 years old now and has accumilated all sorts of weird malfunctions. One of those odd malfunctions is that I can only view about half of all internet pages, no matter what browser, internet card or connection I use. I've tried everything to solve it, but nothing seems to work. The problem is now so severe that I just end up borrowing my GF's computer, and when I do I try to catch up on all the sites I've been missing. I guess I should just stop being such a cheap bastard and go and buy a new computer. lol

[tselegala]

I can bend red DU in loose imps, actually i'm past that now working on something quite bigger.

Bending is no longer just a feat of strength to show off in a public square or in front of friends…it’s actual training now, you know like with a program, different level bars, wraps styles etc..most serious benders all do at least one wrist style and are serious about it. My personal preference is DU, then reverse and vertical. Also, the days of big fat wraps only are past, I know of no one who bend with those only anymore.

As it is now, there are no longer any “cliques” like there used to be. We all are wiser now and see the benefits in using all the styles…imagine a deadlift only guy that sneers at the squat only guy…it’s just silly. This is why your question seems so odd to me…somewhat nostalgic in a way from a period long gone.

[Chez]

That was super impressive. Great bend Alexis. Are you certified on it?

[tselegala]

That was super impressive. Great bend Alexis. Are you certified on it?

Thanks Chez, and no i'm not certified on it and probably never will be....to much of a hassle...i may put up a FBBC cert one day though...so far i have only certed on the BB lists.

[Mike Rinderle]

That was super impressive. Great bend Alexis. Are you certified on it?

Thanks Chez, and no i'm not certified on it and probably never will be....to much of a hassle...i may put up a FBBC cert one day though...so far i have only certed on the BB lists.

I was... then I wasn't.

Nice bend, but you should put up something that at least makes you work ya big Canadian goof. A red DU is like a pipe cleaner for you.

[David_wigren]

I can bend red DU in loose imps, actually i'm past that now working on something quite bigger.

Bending is no longer just a feat of strength to show off in a public square or in front of friends…it’s actual training now, you know like with a program, different level bars, wraps styles etc..most serious benders all do at least one wrist style and are serious about it. My personal preference is DU, then reverse and vertical. Also, the days of big fat wraps only are past, I know of no one who bend with those only anymore.

As it is now, there are no longer any “cliques” like there used to be. We all are wiser now and see the benefits in using all the styles…imagine a deadlift only guy that sneers at the squat only guy…it’s just silly. This is why your question seems so odd to me…somewhat nostalgic in a way from a period long gone.

That's what I call retard strength! BTW have you got any red nails at the moment? Seeing you destroy the 7" 21/64 455 bar DU with Ironmind pads makes me think that a red would go down almost effortlessly for you today.

[tselegala]

thanks rindo and swedo. I have a couple of reds still all rusty...we might be steering away from the subject so In order to answer the question in the title, you should post your best reverse imp bend Wiggs. CErtainly bigger than a red

[Tim71]

Don Larkin from what I'm told had a crazy strict unbraced style that he bent 80ds with. I think he moves it some that way in the 80d video but he was way past it at that time. Had he been at his peak, I believe he would've owned the red nail in his style.

Just my 2 cents.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Don Larkin from what I'm told had a crazy strict unbraced style that he bent 80ds with. I think he moves it some that way in the 80d video but he was way past it at that time. Had he been at his peak, I believe he would've owned the red nail in his style.

Just my 2 cents.

Just to add, Larkin didn't just do 80d's reverse, they were stiff 80d's all bent in the same shop towel, no leather/suede/cordura/kevlar/denim/etc.