Bending Progression Etc

[PeterSweden]

I have a few questions for all the strong benders.

1: How much volume do you do each session?

2: How do you warm up before bending?

3: How do you progress to the next bar?

4: How do you plan it all out?

Im looking to certify in 2013 and I've planned it like this:

bend once a week .

do a couple of easier bends and then 1-2 heavy bends, depending on how I feel that day.

I will kink the IM RED in cordura and suede and then bend and crush it in only IMP's and then use less and less pre-kink.

When I can get it without pre-kinking it in suede I will cut a centimeter or two off the bar and try to bend it in IMP's only.

I think this might make it easier when I go back to a full length Im Red.

What do you think?

Im kinda new to bending and Im looking for advice/help!

Saturdays will be my primary bending day and I will do lots of core-training, then some grippers before bending.

Maybe I need some specific warmup before bending, more than a couple of easier bends?

Thanks in advance!

[Mike Sharkey]

Well, first off how much do you weigh? Your size and strength level will play a role in shaping your program. Once a week is probably not enough, unless you are titaniclly strong. DO kink is as technical as OLY lifting and after several years, I am just beginning to understand it.

Unless you are enormous, the 'working down' from doubles to singles generally doesn't work. Your best bet is to be almost entirely in IMP's and ONLY 7" stock. Hand conditioning is a must. some say IMPs are hard on the hands but i dont really have that issue.

Bending shorter will not help you bend 7" stock. You want to be able to bend 20# over the Red @ 7", not necessarily a shorter Red, that is simply a different animal.

As for volume I cycle volume bending with pushing my strength and isos. Generally you want to keep you bends around 80%, so find stock you can kink without having a stroke and kink & sweep 3-5 bars on one day, then come back the next and crush them. This will minimize hand soreness and also allow you to understand the different parts of the bend. After a few weeks of this I will work a very hard bar by itself for a week, isos and moving it mm by mm, but I won't do much else. First thing is to determine where you are right now with an IMP bend, then you will know the stock you need to progress. Hope that helps.

[Broly]

I would keep beating the crap out of your hands to get them conditioned first in singles and then start working up but it will all depend on your size. I'm about 150 and 6ft and doubles for me can get me smashing through a Red but that transition to the crush in singles kills the bend for me. Being a smaller guy I don't have the power to really smash down a cooler big nail. Getting the hands very conditioned will allow you to go through the entire bend without switching out for smaller wraps. Heat is your friend. Keep that heat in the nail and it'll go down fast.

[Sean Cashman]

All your questions depend on your current level of experience. It's impossible to tell you what approach to take without knowing where you're at right now. Give us some more background and it will be easier to point you in the right direction. Post a vid so we can offer technique help.

I usually prioritize addressing these issues in order -

1. Technique

2. Volume/ conditioning

3. Intensity

As far as a warm-up goes I would divide my time in to a general and specific component. General is upper body mobility work, push-ups, rows etc, basic dynamic movements. Specific is bending. You want to hit a few warm-up bends progressing in difficulty but that will also depend on your current experience.

What are you bending right now - material, length, diameter? How long have you been bending? What wraps do you use? etc.

Bending is addictive so it's hard to hold back sometime!

[PeterSweden]

Im 98kg 182cm.

Been bending on and off for 2 years but I've had long periods off.

Say 3-4 months total of bending training during these 2 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaijObYGauM

I bend 8mm HRS and 8mm stainless 7'' atm

[Isaiah]

All these guys bring up good points. Many of the ideas that you may have about what you will do to cert a Red can get destroyed by the things you actually do to cert a Red. The bar does not conform to your ideas, you must conform yourself to bend the bar.

First you need to know the technique of DO bending to even begin to think about bending 7" stock. Second you need to train your hands and wrists to withstand the forces needed to bend big bars ( unless you're Tommy ). Third you need to persevere. The Red is a benchmark for short steel and not anyone can just smash it whenever they want (unless you're Tommy) or even plan their exact approach to bending it. Fourth, be ready to fail and determined to keep going anyway.

Lastly, post your vids to get your form critiqued and be encouraged!

[Tex]

If I've learned anything watching Tommy's videos, its that you're supposed to have a few beers before and leading right up to the bend.

[PeterSweden]

All these guys bring up good points. Many of the ideas that you may have about what you will do to cert a Red can get destroyed by the things you actually do to cert a Red. The bar does not conform to your ideas, you must conform yourself to bend the bar.

First you need to know the technique of DO bending to even begin to think about bending 7" stock. Second you need to train your hands and wrists to withstand the forces needed to bend big bars ( unless you're Tommy ). Third you need to persevere. The Red is a benchmark for short steel and not anyone can just smash it whenever they want (unless you're Tommy) or even plan their exact approach to bending it. Fourth, be ready to fail and determined to keep going anyway.

Lastly, post your vids to get your form critiqued and be encouraged!

Already did.

[Isaiah]

Im 98kg 182cm.

Been bending on and off for 2 years but I've had long periods off.

Say 3-4 months total of bending training during these 2 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaijObYGauM

I bend 8mm HRS and 8mm stainless 7'' atm

Nice bend!

You most likely will not be able to use a pistol grip( the grip you are using, with your hands way out on the ends of the wraps) to cert the Red. IMPs are to thin and don't provide enough leverage to support that grip like doubles do. Start bending in singles (leathers, suede, BB wraps, IMP,s) and changing to a more wrist dominant grip, i.e. with your hands closer to the center of the bar. The wrist dominant grip will train you to place your hands behind the bar instead of using the wraps to pull the bar into the bend. Which you have to be able to do in order to cert the Red. Practicing with lighter bars will help you to dial in your form.

[PeterSweden]

Ok I'll try that on saturday.

I cant bend more than once per week cause I also train grippers and rolling thunder for grip and kettlebelling and other strengthtraining also tax my grip.

[Isaiah]

Cool man. Happy bending!

[Sean Cashman]

Nice bend!

Have you tried a Red nail recently? I think you said you bend 8mm Stainless which will be way harder all around than a Red nail. If you can kill a 7" x 8mm SS then a Red should be no problem. Just need to work on it in singles.

[PeterSweden]

Nice bend!

Have you tried a Red nail recently? I think you said you bend 8mm Stainless which will be way harder all around than a Red nail. If you can kill a 7" x 8mm SS then a Red should be no problem. Just need to work on it in singles.

Its a whole lot harder and I can only bend it in IMPS and suede.

I'll try to take a red down in IMPs on saturday. Have the feeling I wont get it tho.

If Im going to bend in only IMPs I have to bend bars that are lighter than these and I dont know what to bend cause its either way too easy or freaking hard.

I know no bar inbetween

[Isaiah]

Fat Bastard Barbell Co. sells HRS that generally rates a few pounds less than a Red that you can buy. Or just go to your local hardware store, they should have some lengths of HRS and CRS at 5/16" that you can buy and cut down to 7".

[Sean Cashman]

Nice bend!

Have you tried a Red nail recently? I think you said you bend 8mm Stainless which will be way harder all around than a Red nail. If you can kill a 7" x 8mm SS then a Red should be no problem. Just need to work on it in singles.

Its a whole lot harder and I can only bend it in IMPS and suede.

I'll try to take a red down in IMPs on saturday. Have the feeling I wont get it tho.

If Im going to bend in only IMPs I have to bend bars that are lighter than these and I dont know what to bend cause its either way too easy or freaking hard.

I know no bar inbetween

Don't rule out a Red bend before you try it! you might suprise yourself!

What are you bending now that's way too easy in imp's?

Can you bend a 6” x ¼” Grade 8 bolt in ironmind pads?

If you can crush 8mm SS then you will have no problem crushing a Red. So essentially you need to develop the pain tolerance and technique to kink in minimal wraps.

Order some 7” x ¼” square from FBBC and get some 9/32 and 19/64 Drill Rod online and cut it down to 7” lengths. Get some 5/16” HRS and CRS cut it to 7” lengths. Bend a bunch of 6” x ¼ Grade 8’s. Bend these in ironmind pads and rate them for yourself in terms of difficulty.

If I were only bending 1x per week then I would probably do something like this.

Week 1 – 2 Warm-up bends at 50% to 60% and 3-5 bends at ~ 70%

Week 2 – 2 Warm-up bends at 50% to 60% and 2-4 bends at ~ 80%

Week 3 – 2 Warm-up bends at 50% to 60% and 1-3 bends at ~ 80-90%

Week 4 - 2-3 Warm-up bends at 50% to 70% and test out max effort.

- Finish weeks 1,2,3 workouts with a 7” x 8mm SS bend which you kink in doubles to 90deg and crush it under 2” in ironmind pads.

Then you can repeat the above cycle. The SS bends will keep your crush way above a Red level and the other bends will develop pain tolerance and technique for the imp's.

Check out http://www.az-grip.com/calibration.php for steel progression.

Good luck.

Edited February 5, 2013 by SeanC

[PeterSweden]

Nice bend!

Have you tried a Red nail recently? I think you said you bend 8mm Stainless which will be way harder all around than a Red nail. If you can kill a 7" x 8mm SS then a Red should be no problem. Just need to work on it in singles.

Its a whole lot harder and I can only bend it in IMPS and suede.

I'll try to take a red down in IMPs on saturday. Have the feeling I wont get it tho.

If Im going to bend in only IMPs I have to bend bars that are lighter than these and I dont know what to bend cause its either way too easy or freaking hard.

I know no bar inbetween

Don't rule out a Red bend before you try it! you might suprise yourself!

What are you bending now that's way too easy in imp's?

Can you bend a 6” x ¼” Grade 8 bolt in ironmind pads?

If you can crush 8mm SS then you will have no problem crushing a Red. So essentially you need to develop the pain tolerance and technique to kink in minimal wraps.

Order some 7” x ¼” square from FBBC and get some 9/32 and 19/64 Drill Rod online and cut it down to 7” lengths. Get some 5/16” HRS and CRS cut it to 7” lengths. Bend a bunch of 6” x ¼ Grade 8’s. Bend these in ironmind pads and rate them for yourself in terms of difficulty.

If I were only bending 1x per week then I would probably do something like this.

Week 1 – 2 Warm-up bends at 50% to 60% and 3-5 bends at ~ 70%

Week 2 – 2 Warm-up bends at 50% to 60% and 2-4 bends at ~ 80%

Week 3 – 2 Warm-up bends at 50% to 60% and 1-3 bends at ~ 80-90%

Week 4 - 2-3 Warm-up bends at 50% to 70% and test out max effort.

- Finish weeks 1,2,3 workouts with a 7” x 8mm SS bend which you kink in doubles to 90deg and crush it under 2” in ironmind pads.

Then you can repeat the above cycle. The SS bends will keep your crush way above a Red level and the other bends will develop pain tolerance and technique for the imp's.

Check out http://www.az-grip.com/calibration.php for steel progression.

Good luck.

Dude! Best suggestion so far I'll try it I have no problem crushing the Red atm neither, its the kinkingpart that stops med from killing the reds cert-stye.

[Isaiah]

All these guys bring up good points. Many of the ideas that you may have about what you will do to cert a Red can get destroyed by the things you actually do to cert a Red. The bar does not conform to your ideas, you must conform yourself to bend the bar.

First you need to know the technique of DO bending to even begin to think about bending 7" stock. Second you need to train your hands and wrists to withstand the forces needed to bend big bars ( unless you're Tommy ). Third you need to persevere. The Red is a benchmark for short steel and not anyone can just smash it whenever they want (unless you're Tommy) or even plan their exact approach to bending it. Fourth, be ready to fail and determined to keep going anyway.

Lastly, post your vids to get your form critiqued and be encouraged!

your mistaken. i do train wrists. but all i do is timed sledge holds with my hands at my sides. mostly to the front, but to the rear as well to keep things balanced.

the only strength in the wrist your gonna need to bend DO will be static. you need to be able to lock em' down tight in 1 spot and hang on tight for a dominant DO bend. so while some may kick and scream about DO bending being all upper body and no hand and wrist strength, you will not see guys (just because they are strong in the upper body) DO bending an 80D in imps unless his wrists and hands are strong enough to take the insane abuse as well.

but no, ive never had to condition my hands for bending. they have been conditioned enough in the shop over the last 10 years.

Wordage.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Idiedintothe