supersqueeze Posted November 2, 2001 Share Posted November 2, 2001 In John McCallum's book, "Keys to Progress", the section titled "Grip and Forearm Development" contains an interview with an arm wrestler named Mac Batchelor. In this section several feats of hand strength are described. The one that I am wondering about is gripping a wine cork tightly with only the index finger of one hand and then breaking it in half by pushing the top of the cork with the thumb of the same gripping hand. Can anyone do this? Has anyone seen it done? Give it a try and please let me know how you do. -Mike M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayton Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 I've tried this several times after first reading about it in KTP. I've never even been able to start "tear" in the cork. Anyone who could break the cork would impress me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solan Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 Did it specify the cork? With an old and brittle cork cork, I think most people could do it. With a new plastic imitation cork, I think we need to tip John Brookfield to list it among the myths in his book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryduty Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 In the March 1998 (Volume 5 - Number 4) issue of Milo is an article by John McCullum titled: "Grip and Forearm Development-Part I" that has a pic of Mac Batchelor pinch gripping an unopened bottle of beer (held horizontally) at the neck using just his index finger and thumb. I think if the corks were old and brittle, then John McCullum wouldn't have felt compelled to mention this feat of strength in his book. Train smart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 In an article by Dave Webster he talks of him lifting two 80 pound plates,one in each hand and walking a distance of 30 feet.He could bend all manner of spikes up to 120 gauge,he once bent 500 bottle caps one after the other between his thumb and forefinger held straight.In 1948 he carried for a distance of 300 feet a telegraph pole,40ft in length and calculated to weigh between 700-800 pounds.He also carried a horse estimated to weigh 650 pounds, 16ft up a ladder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 Woody, On the occasion when Mac bent 500 bottle caps in 25 minutes (one every three seconds), I do not think he used the straight fingers technique, though he was able to do some caps in that manner, for this test he used bent fingers. On a human interest note about Mac: After he died I called his daughter and chatted; she shared the following: Mac spent his last days at the West Torrance California Covalescent Hospital. His bodyweight, once 240, went down to 175. He was blind, but enjoyed sitting outside and feeding the birds, a practice that was halted when so many pigeons gathered that the staff felt the situation was becoming unsanitary. He continued to do pushups off the handrails, and continued sitting in the sun, and enjoyed frequent visits from his daughter, Jan. Mac wrote some interesting pieces for the Weider magazines, by the way, in the late 1940s early 1950s. Regarding the cork: there are many grades of cork, so without knowing the grade, age, etc., this would be difficult to access. Best regards, Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 Joe, Willoughby, gives it has a straight fingered technique,and a half closed hand technique when he was bending three caps between four fingers. He could then bend one or all with just lateral pressure, it also says Mac thought his best feat of grip strength was hanging from a gym rope one handed at 300 pounds body weight. best regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 Woody, If you refer to page 214 in Super Athletes, where Willoughby gives 20 minutes as the time for 500 bottle caps, he says: "In fact, between his thumb and clenched fist, he once bent 500 beer-bottle caps in succession during a period of 20 minutes." I interpret this 'clenched fist' to mean non-straight fingers. If you are referring to another passage, let me know. Muscular Development mag Jan 1973 p 57 says 25 minutes. Frankly, bending 500 bottle caps in 20 or 25 minutes with straight fingers seems beyond belief. Willoughby then says p 214 "Again, he was able to bend simultan- eously a cap in each hand, using the thumb and index finger only and keeping the finger straight." So does this mean the thumb was not straight, just the finger? I think Willoughby changed thoughts here, so he should have changed paragraphs, but did not. It was rare for Willoughby to be vague in his writing; perhaps this was such an occasion. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest woody36 Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 Joe, i think the referance comes from Ironman 36:5 july77 "Feats of finger strength" In a pic i've seen of him bending a cap he's crushing it in a straight fingered pincer movement between thumb and forefinger,or so the pic would have it appear? Joe as i'm only quoting what i've read,i'd have to bow to your superior knowledge. All the best Ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted November 3, 2001 Share Posted November 3, 2001 Ray, No bowing, just comparing notes. Keep in mind there is no photo of Anderson doing his claimed record backlift; that a photo of Inch in S&H identifying the Inch bell was NOT the Inch bell, etc etc. So sometimes we are guided on the wrong road, but by working together, we will solve these matters. One recent publication refers to Anderson as being very strong in the bent press. Anderson never did a bent press in his life. I care when I'm wrong, but I do not care enough to deny being wrong, because that stops progress. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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