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Much Needed Bending Recovery


JaredWith1R

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Warning: Long winded entry to follow...For help, jump to Step 3.

After a new PR (O1 I x 7") on 1/12/15, I've been feeling very sore in my left pinkie, both thumb pads and both palms during gripping. I tried a week of rest, but that wasn't enough, since my one Gx7" attempt yesterday was much more difficult and painful than it should have been. So here I am trying to determine a good recovery method.

Step 1: Contrast Baths (see photo for scary looking ice bath)

I took Jose's advice and did a contrast bath tonight. 2.5 minutes Ice, 2.5 minutes warm tap water, with no break in between. Still have some minor joint discomfort, but it hasn't been very long. I'll give it another 24 hours and try another one tomorrow night. Maybe everyday, with some extensor work, until I feel up to more bends.

For what it's worth, I spoke with my bro-lo who is a Sophomore swim star/athletic training major at Rowan University about contrast baths for recovery. According to him, and the 30 seconds of research I did on the topic, it seems that straight Ice baths are better. However, it sure feels nice to get your hands into the warm water after that ice bath.

Step 2: REST REST REST

This time I'm taking Jared's advice and taking a break from bending and grippers for probably the next 7-10 days. My last heavy bending day was 1/12/15, the cause of my pain and suffering, so another week should be helpful. This is a good time to send my grippers out to Jedd for rating. This will also ensure I take the time off, since I won't have my Trainer and #1 with me. I will be getting a new #0.5 tomorrow from Cannon, so I might have to give it a few squeezes.

I did, however, get in a monster 43# Hex block from Jared that has yet to see air, so I will spend these next 10 days on some pinch and sledge work.

Step 3: ???

How have any of you recovered from this sort of over training? What active recovery can I do? What results have you seen over time? How long did you have to recover for? All that jazz. A lot of you have been bending, squeezing and pinching for lifetimes longer than I have, and I know I have so very much to learn.

Thanks to everyone who stuck in with this long one. I appreciate any and all advice, and am always willing to give more information.

Cheers.

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When I first got into grip which wasn't that long ago right out the gate I over did it and had to stop for like a month. Obviously I'm new here but I learned my lesson and I won't be over doing it again.

Slow and steady progress, lots of rest, good food, sleep, and little baby steps towards goals..

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A week or two off won't make a difference, lots of rest and eat heavy, up the calories!

Takes a few weeks for strength to drop so don't be afraid to rest.

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Injuries have their own sense of time. They don't know how many days it has been.

I will be getting a new #0.5 tomorrow from Cannon, so I might have to give it a few squeezes.

I did, however, get in a monster 43# Hex block from Jared that has yet to see air, so I will spend these next 10 days on some pinch and sledge work.

This does not sound like rest.

Try any light easy exercise to flush blood through your hands and forearm, think finger extensions, etc.

Give it time.

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Here is what I found to work.

Heat, tiger balm is amazing. I would rub it on my forearms and hands every night and wear tube socks on my arms.

Vitamins and oil, I've always hated fish oil so I take a teaspoon of regular olive oil every other day. Vitamin c promotes healing and muscle regeneration. Vitamin K is good for cleaning out old blood out of joints and muscles.

Food, like JoshW said, up the calories and rest. But don't eat garbage eat things your body needs.

Suck it up, learn the difference between good and bad pain. For my first year or so I bent everyday regardless of how bad I felt. And I was in pain EVERY DAY for 6-8 months. I will never tell anyone to do this, but you have to understand this is very very taxing in the body and you will be in pain. It will hurt and hurt often

Toughen your skin, buy some tuf-foot and apply to problem areas

DMSO, helps relieve deep tissue and bone bruises

I hope some of this helps. I'm a little pressed for time, I'll add more as I remember. But I can elaborate more on these things if you want, just ask.

Ninja edit:

Jared it seems to me you are looking to PR often, which is wrong. I tell all new benders this: volume work to build strong bullet-proof hands. Stop looking to PR and look to build hands. So you had a PR of I drill rod, now you are in pain. So do volume work with G until you notice callouses and toughness forming. Then H then I then try a PR.

Edited by EJ Livesey
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These guys nailed it. If I can add something to the discussion, get those pots of water away from your laptop.

You're welcome.

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I think youre suffering from new bender joint pan. I also beleive you should focus more on one aspect of hand strength at a time especially in the beginning. Build the toughness first, itll carry over to everything else. The hands arent like the biceps vs triceps with training splits, regardless if its grippers, bending or blocks the whole hand is working, youre simply forcing too much too soon.

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When I first got into grip which wasn't that long ago right out the gate I over did it and had to stop for like a month. Obviously I'm new here but I learned my lesson and I won't be over doing it again.

Slow and steady progress, lots of rest, good food, sleep, and little baby steps towards goals..

A week or two off won't make a difference, lots of rest and eat heavy, up the calories!

Takes a few weeks for strength to drop so don't be afraid to rest.

Injuries have their own sense of time. They don't know how many days it has been.

I will be getting a new #0.5 tomorrow from Cannon, so I might have to give it a few squeezes.

I did, however, get in a monster 43# Hex block from Jared that has yet to see air, so I will spend these next 10 days on some pinch and sledge work.

This does not sound like rest.

Try any light easy exercise to flush blood through your hands and forearm, think finger extensions, etc.

Give it time.

I see the obvious trend happening here, and it's that my idea of rest is not accurate. I need to modify my thought process and get REAL rest, not just bending/gripper rest, and add it calories.

Just extensor work and cardio?

These guys nailed it. If I can add something to the discussion, get those pots of water away from your laptop.

You're welcome.

Probably the most obvious advice, and also some of the most useful....

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Jared it seems to me you are looking to PR often, which is wrong. I tell all new benders this: volume work to build strong bullet-proof hands. Stop looking to PR and look to build hands. So you had a PR of I drill rod, now you are in pain. So do volume work with G until you notice callouses and toughness forming. Then H then I then try a PR.

I realize that I can't hit a new PR every session, but I still have a hard time grasping the time scale of bending. I figured, oh I can't hit a new PR every week, how about every 2 weeks? I need to run away from these thoughts. They're great for motivation during the bends, but seem to also be a great way to get hurt, possibly forever.

Volume work it is. What sort of volume are we talking? Like 5 per session, or 30 per session?

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I think youre suffering from new bender joint pan. I also beleive you should focus more on one aspect of hand strength at a time especially in the beginning. Build the toughness first, itll carry over to everything else. The hands arent like the biceps vs triceps with training splits, regardless if its grippers, bending or blocks the whole hand is working, youre simply forcing too much too soon.

My problem is that ALL aspects are just so fun! It's hard to keep away from any one aspect, but for the health of my hands, I know now that I must. I guess undertraining never hurt anyone like overtraining does.

How's your hand feeling, bro?

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I feel you, im goin nuts without training lol! I have minor surgery tomorrow to get some pins to hold my finger in place, other than that its ok, thanks dude

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Start small. Like 5-10 per session.

Day 1:

Kink 5-10 bars.

Stop you're done bending.

Day 2:

Sweep those 5-10 bars

Stop you're done bending

Day 3:

Crush those bars

Stop you're done bending.

Days 4&5:

Rest

Day 6:

Start over.

The idea is to get more out of your steel. The steel will slightly work harden and be a tad tougher. You also will work different muscles and ROMs different days. So your whole upper body isn't sore the next day. Your hands will not be beaten too bad, because the different hand and finger positions. So if done right, every 4-5 days you will hit the same groups. That's plenty of time for rest, but it doesn't seem like rest because of the different ROMs. As you gain strength both mentally and physically tweak this as you see fit and always listen to your body. I discovered this technique maybe two years too late. I would have progressed much faster if I thought of this sooner. Trust me it will work, you will see gains. But don't start this until you are fresh and 100% free from pain and injury.

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Start small. Like 5-10 per session.

Day 1:

Kink 5-10 bars.

Stop you're done bending.

Day 2:

Sweep those 5-10 bars

Stop you're done bending

Day 3:

Crush those bars

Stop you're done bending.

Days 4&5:

Rest

Day 6:

Start over.

The idea is to get more out of your steel. The steel will slightly work harden and be a tad tougher. You also will work different muscles and ROMs different days. So your whole upper body isn't sore the next day. Your hands will not be beaten too bad, because the different hand and finger positions. So if done right, every 4-5 days you will hit the same groups. That's plenty of time for rest, but it doesn't seem like rest because of the different ROMs. As you gain strength both mentally and physically tweak this as you see fit and always listen to your body. I discovered this technique maybe two years too late. I would have progressed much faster if I thought of this sooner. Trust me it will work, you will see gains. But don't start this until you are fresh and 100% free from pain and injury.

Genius.

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Start small. Like 5-10 per session.

Day 1:

Kink 5-10 bars.

Stop you're done bending.

Day 2:

Sweep those 5-10 bars

Stop you're done bending

Day 3:

Crush those bars

Stop you're done bending.

Days 4&5:

Rest

Day 6:

Start over.

The idea is to get more out of your steel. The steel will slightly work harden and be a tad tougher. You also will work different muscles and ROMs different days. So your whole upper body isn't sore the next day. Your hands will not be beaten too bad, because the different hand and finger positions. So if done right, every 4-5 days you will hit the same groups. That's plenty of time for rest, but it doesn't seem like rest because of the different ROMs. As you gain strength both mentally and physically tweak this as you see fit and always listen to your body. I discovered this technique maybe two years too late. I would have progressed much faster if I thought of this sooner. Trust me it will work, you will see gains. But don't start this until you are fresh and 100% free from pain and injury.

So are you saying the bars I have around 90deg and the ones you sent will be harder then when they were straight? Oh yippy lol

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I feel you, im goin nuts without training lol! I have minor surgery tomorrow to get some pins to hold my finger in place, other than that its ok, thanks dude

Best wishes, man. Time to train your mental edge!

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Start small. Like 5-10 per session.

Day 1:

Kink 5-10 bars.

Stop you're done bending.

Day 2:

Sweep those 5-10 bars

Stop you're done bending

Day 3:

Crush those bars

Stop you're done bending.

Days 4&5:

Rest

Day 6:

Start over.

The idea is to get more out of your steel. The steel will slightly work harden and be a tad tougher. You also will work different muscles and ROMs different days. So your whole upper body isn't sore the next day. Your hands will not be beaten too bad, because the different hand and finger positions. So if done right, every 4-5 days you will hit the same groups. That's plenty of time for rest, but it doesn't seem like rest because of the different ROMs. As you gain strength both mentally and physically tweak this as you see fit and always listen to your body. I discovered this technique maybe two years too late. I would have progressed much faster if I thought of this sooner. Trust me it will work, you will see gains. But don't start this until you are fresh and 100% free from pain and injury.

Exactly what I was looking for, fantastic. As Anthony said, Genius. You have a lot of wisdom to bestow.

Your entire post will go into my training log under and appendix section so I'm ready to go after my break.

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So do volume work with G until you notice callouses and toughness forming. Then H then I then try a PR.

So obviously I know everyone is different, but in your experience, how much volume does it take before you see callouses? Again, this is sort of a lack of understanding of the scale of bending. As far as I know, it could be around 25-30 bars, or in the hundreds.

Again, thanks for looking out for us rookie benders.

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Start small. Like 5-10 per session.

Day 1:

Kink 5-10 bars.

Stop you're done bending.

Day 2:

Sweep those 5-10 bars

Stop you're done bending

Day 3:

Crush those bars

Stop you're done bending.

Days 4&5:

Rest

Day 6:

Start over.

The idea is to get more out of your steel. The steel will slightly work harden and be a tad tougher. You also will work different muscles and ROMs different days. So your whole upper body isn't sore the next day. Your hands will not be beaten too bad, because the different hand and finger positions. So if done right, every 4-5 days you will hit the same groups. That's plenty of time for rest, but it doesn't seem like rest because of the different ROMs. As you gain strength both mentally and physically tweak this as you see fit and always listen to your body. I discovered this technique maybe two years too late. I would have progressed much faster if I thought of this sooner. Trust me it will work, you will see gains. But don't start this until you are fresh and 100% free from pain and injury.

That is beautiful.

I can see that working for so many different reasons.

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When my hands get sore from bending I give them a good rest. When the palms are really sore from crushing for example you can consentrate more on your pulling exercises like pull ups and rows, and don't forget your legs. You can squat and pull with straps untill your palms get tougher and pain subsides to good pain.

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This has been a great thread for me, and I hope it can be used to help anyone else who is having trouble with progression and healthy recovery.

So to add to that, I've learned I'm learning how to take a break and rest up. My next question is, what else CAN I do? I know that "rest rest rest" doesn't mean "lay on the couch and watch TV everyday for the next 4 weeks", so what am I allowed to do? No bending, no grippers, no pinch work (as Jose pointed out, this is basically all the same). But where does sledge work fall? I'm sure cardio won't hurt, and I know extensor work will only add to recovery efforts. What about wrist curls?

I'm thinking it's most important to avoid the pinching/squeezing motion, and any stress on my hands. What active recovery exercises to do guys do?

I'm astounded by the volume of responses and cannot thank the community enough for keeping me healthy.


When my hands get sore from bending I give them a good rest. When the palms are really sore from crushing for example you can consentrate more on your pulling exercises like pull ups and rows, and don't forget your legs. You can squat and pull with straps untill your palms get tougher and pain subsides to good pain.

Just what I was looking for! Thanks much for the information.

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For myself if I'm resting the grip I will only bench, squat, and do accessory dumbbell work without fatgripz. No grip, deadlifts, or kettlebells.

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For myself if I'm resting the grip I will only bench, squat, and do accessory dumbbell work without fatgripz. No grip, deadlifts, or kettlebells.

That sounds like a good plan, but I'll have to alter it for bodyweight exercise only. Still saving up for the weights.

Once I'm back into the grip world, I think I'll start piecing it out little by little. A few 10s for pinch, then once I get a loading pin, start adding the 25s.

Also might check out these PlayItAgainSports stores around here. Never been, not sure what their prices are like. Not too much luck with CL from what I've found.

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Close grip pushups will stretch your forearms real nice, pullups, one leg squats, hollow body holds and leg raises. Sledge is bendings close cousin. If you want a nice challenge try one arm knuckle pushups. They gave me the umph to bend my first red last year.

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