MEB Boy Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Hello all, I've been consistently doing grip work for the last few months, but I have only really gotten into bending the last 2 months or so. Nothing special as I can only bend the IM green nail. But what do you all think of the abilities of my friend who has just started doing grip work w/ me and he has only done 3-4 grip workouts EVER. The first time he touched a nail, he fully bent the IM white in seconds, followed by the IM green in 5-10 seconds. I thought that was it, but he took a few minutes rest and then fully bent the IM yellow in about 20-30 seconds. After about 10 minutes rest he fully bent the IM blue (this was the first time he ever touched it). It did take him about 1-2 minutes to bend, and we all thought he was going to bust an aneurysm, but he did it. He bent all 4 nails in the same workout and this was the first time he EVER tried any bending ever. He is now addicted to bending and says he will one day conquer the IM red. I have tried several times and I still can not even kink the IM yellow. My friend used to rock climb back in the day, but he now attributes some of his grip strength to part of his job w/ picking up boxes all day. The first time he tried pinch work was just last week and he deadlifted two 35 lb plates in his right hand and just cleared the floor w/ his left hand. I can only do two 25 lb plates. It's just amazing to see the starting ability of others and how we are all different. Even w/ improving all my grip work over the last few months, he still beats me in everything other than grippers (I can only close the RB160). But I am very excited about his potential and have just ordered the FBB Advanced Benders Bag, as it has varying stock in between the IM stock for both of us to improve. At least now I know what a fully bent IM Blue looks like and I am still awestruck by the power it took to bend it. I am more motivated than ever. I just wanted to share what I think is an amazing story of my friend, thanks all, MEB Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Sounds like your friend has got some potential but don't worry, a few months and you will be melting blues yourself. Now the warning that should be attached to bending. Just because he CAN bend blue nails doesn't mean he SHOULD be doing lots of them to start with. Going too hard too soon may end in injuries and in bending those aren't fun. I went a bit hard when i started and ended up a few nights not being able to sleep because the tendons in my hand were screaming at me. Get you friend to get some medium stock like timberties and have him build up his volume for a few weeks before he starts chasing bolts and reds. His hands will thank you! Since I backed off to two bending sessions a week and added volume bending of easier nails my hands have been happier and my progress is actually better too. It would also be a good idea to do some sledge levering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Thanks for that inspirational story, MEB. That really could be the start of a beautiful bending career. Way better than my first efforts with the steel. By the way, are you stationed there at Ft. Hood? I trained a few jiu jitsu workouts with a guy who used to teach the grappling art there in Killeen. He was blinded by a bullet he took in the head at nightclub, but you would neve know it when he grabbed hold of you and kicked your butt on the mat. He was going for his brown belt under the Machados last I heard. But as usual my memory fails me and I can't recall his name. He's currently teaching jiu jitsu in Austin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEB Boy Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Thanks Octogen. My friend wanted to start chasing the red already, but from what I've learned on this board, I told him he needs to start doing volume work w/ some yellows and add in an occasional blue and build from there. He did have sore hands/wrists for awhile and a slight tweak in one elbow after this first bending session, but that went away. I plan to start doing volume bending work w/ him and hopefully we can both improve. I do like the mild tingling type pain I feel in my fingers and hands after a bending/gripping workout, as it reminds me that I've actually done something. But I am thankful it has not been any real injury, just sore hands/wrists for a few days. Eric, Yep, I'm stationed at Ft Hood. The guy you are referring to is Vandry. I've never met him but I saw him at a grappling tournament 2 yrs ago or so. I heard he is very good and he apparently got his BJJ blackbelt 1-2 yrs ago or so. As an aside, my friend is an awesome grappler and mixed martial artist. We both train out of the Grappler's Lair in Temple, Tx which is 25 mintues from Killeen. We are both trying to increase our grip strength for grappling. Small world isn't it. thanks all for the motivation, MEB Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 A blue on the first try is truely amazing. In my gym there were only two guys who could bend a yellow but both couldn't kink a blue. Which style is he using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEB Boy Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 FrankyBoy, We both use the double underhand grip. I tried the double overhand grip and was frustrated/humbled by my utter lack of bending strength and said forget bending. Then I saw Big Steve's video and watched his instructions on using the double underhand. It lit a fire in me and then I retried bending using that grip. I liked it and I was stronger w/ it. Then my friend watched Big Steves video and it lit a fire in him.......and on his first bending attempt EVER using the double underhand he dominated 4 nails up to the IM Blue. It was truly inspirational. Our wives didn't know what all the fuss was about as I was screaming and excited about the IM Blue nail bend. thanks, MEB Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEB Boy Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 FrankyBoy, We both use the double underhand grip. I tried the double overhand 1-2 times and was frustrated/humbled by my utter lack of bending strength. I gave up bending and started sledge leveraging to strengthen my wrists. Then I saw Big Steve's video and his instructions and demonstrations on bending double underhand style. It lit a fire in me and rekindled my bending interest. I started bending again w/ double underhand just 2 months ago and found out I was a little stronger and it just felt better. My friend just recently also saw Big Steve's video and it lit a fire in him........and in his first bending workout EVER 2 weeks ago, he dominated 4 nails up to the IM Blue nail using the double underhand grip. Our wives couldn't figure out why I was screaming and so excited about the IM Blue nail bend. :-) thanks, MEB Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitty Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Nice Octogen. You beat me too it ... He might be strong enough, but progress very slowly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawrin Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Our wives couldn't figure out why I was screaming and so excited about the IM Blue nail bend. :-)thanks, MEB Boy ← Get your wives to take up bending, then they can get excited about it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeP Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 There is some very hard stock in the FBBC advanced bag so don't be too discouraged when you don't bend it the first time. Good luck and take it slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Yeah Mike is right, I got 50 pieces of the 1/4" round at 5.5" and it is much tougher than the IM stock. I doubt anyone will ever bend the 5/16" square from FBBC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEB Boy Posted October 17, 2004 Author Share Posted October 17, 2004 Hey all, Got some good news. My friend and I just finished a bending workout. Tried to do a little volume bending, but we are still starting out. I bent a few greens in a row. They got harder as I went. But at least my hand and wrist soreness tell me I got a good workout. Then my friend warmed up w/ a quick green. He then did a yellow in 5 seconds flat. Rested a lttle and repeated the yellow in 5 sec flat again. After a total of 3 yellows bent in a total of about 15 seconds, he decided to try the blue nail again. This was his 2nd time EVER touching a blue. Well he demolished it in 8 seconds flat. As we were both suprised w/ the ease of this, he took another blue and took it down in 6 seconds flat. Then he did a white/green combo, but this took about 20 seconds and was "hard". I didn't want my friend to try too much to fast, so he then finished off one more yellow for good measure. Well, how's that for only his 3rd bending workout ever? I'm just glad I took down a lot of greens. Still could not kink a yellow. But we are waiting for the FBBC bender bag to arrive. Later, MEB Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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