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Some Red Nail Progress!


Frank Pizzo

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So I trained grip this morning but I wasn't hitting the numbers I wanted to on the axle or hub so I thought I would switch over to bending to finish off my workout. I warmed up with a couple 1/4" grade 2's then some 1/4" grade 5's and then I decided to try one of those 5/16 grade 2's that kept beating me until a couple of nights ago. The kink on the bolt was pretty easy but the crush was as hard as I remembered from the other night and couldn't finish it off. However I still felt pretty good and thought I would give a Red Nail a try.

I have tried my Red Nails a couple times in the past but not since I took off those 2 months or so from bending. Today was a huge movement in the right direction. The kink wasn't bad and again I was stopped by the crush like with the grade 2 bolt before it, but I managed to get it quite a bit closer than I did that Freak grade 2.

All-in-all I'm pretty dang happy with this. I got the Red Nail down to 3 5/8" so well outside of 2" but this is the first Red I've moved more than a slight wobble! I repeated this bend with another Red after the one on camera and failed at roughly the same point. So next workout I can concentrate on my crushing.

If anyone has any advice they would like to give me regarding my crush technique or training it feel free to jump in as always.

Thanks for taking a look:

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You had that Frank!! I kinda think you waited too long to those leathers off and go straight to the imp's, either way, you'll be finishing it next time!

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Looking good! I find that throwing it up to your neck quickly and then putting all of your force into the bend might help. Don't hesitate, find hand position, get comfortable, throw it up and explode! Aldo when your fingers are interlaced use them fingers to pull the other hand in. I focus on using my right hand's fingers to do most of the work, but those are a couple of things you can play around with.

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Frank my friend you are so close to getting that, I haven't seen any video progress in the last month as ive been away but you've surprised me with your progress, brilliant man! Cert is within reach.

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Almost got it. From looking at that and the bent steel back on your wall, do you mark the center of your bars before you bend? Might try that because looks like you tend to go pretty far off center.

I've never tried crushing with my thumbs in that spot and by looking at it, I can tell it would be much weaker for me to crush like that. I think if you "wrap" your thumbs in a more traditional spot you will find that you are much more steady which in turn will enable you to generate more power.

If those were like the spiral reds I got earlier this year, they are surprising on the crush.

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From looking at that and the bent steel back on your wall, do you mark the center of your bars before you bend? Might try that because looks like you tend to go pretty far off center.

I didn't realize that was something people did! It definitely sounds like a good idea though. I do tend to go off center on bends, and I had wondered if it increased the difficulty because of the unevenness of the steel while it is bending.

I'm also wondering what you mean by "spiral" reds that you referred to buying earlier in the year. Were they literally spiraled like you might buy a 60d?

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From looking at that and the bent steel back on your wall, do you mark the center of your bars before you bend? Might try that because looks like you tend to go pretty far off center.

I didn't realize that was something people did! It definitely sounds like a good idea though. I do tend to go off center on bends, and I had wondered if it increased the difficulty because of the unevenness of the steel while it is bending.

I'm also wondering what you mean by "spiral" reds that you referred to buying earlier in the year. Were they literally spiraled like you might buy a 60d?

It's a little hard to capture on film but they are spiralled like a barber pole.

qwZDKA2.jpg

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Also, there are the reds that have little pit marks all over them and no spirals. I heard they were a little harder than the spirals, but I'm sure that factors into more than just looks.

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I bought the Reds I have at the beginning of June. I took a look at them and they look just like the ones in the picture. So if those are the spiraled Reds then the ones I have are the same. I don't know if they are noticeably harder or easier than any other batches because I have no reference point.

The only thing I can reference is that I have bent multiple triangle Grade 8's and they took about 45 seconds each from start to finish and I couldn't finish crushing either of the Reds that I kinked. Of course they are different lengths so they don't necessarily compare well but I figure the crush doesn't change as much from length to length as the kink and sweep (I might be way off) do.

Either way my crush needs work so that's what I will concentrate on!

Thanks for all the info guys...and especially thanks for the support!

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Just keep working on that crush and that first full bend of a red nail will come!

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