Donati's Log Of Steel Bending, Grip And Powerlifting

[Buccos1]

22 hours ago, Donc101 said:

That is tough to get good movement on that bar DU. Nice job!

Thanks Don!  

[Buccos1]

Sun (5/27)

Standing Barbell Press
(1x10)  bar
(1x5)  95
(1x3)  135
(1x3)  155

DO - IMPs
Yellow Nail
1/4 x 7" Grade 5
Red Nail

Braced Snap
Golden Bastard

The 3/8" brass snap was tough.  I used thin World of Grip wraps on one side, and 1" wraps on the drive hand.  The thinner wraps definitely beat my hands up more than the leathers I used for the Red break.  The Golden Bastard was harder than the Red, as there was very little movement between cycles, but snapped quicker.

[Buccos1]

Tue (5/29)

Bench Press - 3 sec. pause
(1x3)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x1)  245
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  295

Barbell Curls
(1x10)  bar
(1x10)  85
(1x10)  95
(1x8)  105

Band Pushdowns
(2x25)

Pull-ups
(2x5)

[Buccos1]

Wed (5/30)

DU - BBW
60d spiral
1/4 x 7" O1
1/4 x 7" Grade 5

DU - 1.25" wraps
19/64 x 7" O1

Reverse - IMPs
60d spiral
1/4 x 7" O1 (25 deg.)

Horseshoe
SCF Lite Rim #1

[Buccos1]

Thur (5/31)

Grippers - MMS
(1x3)  #1
(1x3)  HG200 - 95
(1x3)  #2 - 114
(1x3)  RB 210 - 120
(1x1)  Super Master - 126

Braced - DHWoG Wraps
5/8 x 31.5" HRS
5/8 x 28.5" HRS

Grippers have been feeling pretty weak of-late, but today, they felt pretty good.  Definitely not strong, but I got 3 solid reps with the 120 and my all-time best with this gripper is around 5. 

I made an attempt about a week ago with one of the rated bars from David Horne (5/8 x 30") and couldn't finish it in the time limit.  Hands down, it was the hardest hot-rolled steel I had ever attempted.  To complicate things, it was the first time I had ever bent in the WoG wraps and only with one towel/padding.  Everything was off, including the kink, which took almost 2 minutes to get it to about 20-25 degrees.  Definitely not an ordinary piece of steel!  Today, I bent a few bars under the same conditions and killed both.  I started with the 31.5" bar, thinking it'd be tough, wondering if it was the wraps or lack of padding, but it turned into a speed bend.  The 28.5" bar was nearly the same.  Maybe I will regroup and make another attempt at the World of Grip bar, but if it's the same stock, it'll be tough.  I am also experimenting with kinking on my "good knee," as I think I am losing a lot of potential leverage with the way I've been kinking, at least for the steel in the 25-30" range.

[Donc101]

26 minutes ago, Buccos1 said:

Thur (5/31)

Grippers - MMS
(1x3)  #1
(1x3)  HG200 - 95
(1x3)  #2 - 114
(1x3)  RB 210 - 120
(1x1)  Super Master - 126

Braced - DHWoG Wraps
5/8 x 31.5" HRS
5/8 x 28.5" HRS

Grippers have been feeling pretty weak of-late, but today, they felt pretty good.  Definitely not strong, but I got 3 solid reps with the 120 and my all-time best with this gripper is around 5. 

I made an attempt about a week ago with one of the rated bars from David Horne (5/8 x 30") and couldn't finish it in the time limit.  Hands down, it was the hardest hot-rolled steel I had ever attempted.  To complicate things, it was the first time I had ever bent in the WoG wraps and only with one towel/padding.  Everything was off, including the kink, which took almost 2 minutes to get it to about 20-25 degrees.  Definitely not an ordinary piece of steel!  Today, I bent a few bars under the same conditions and killed both.  I started with the 31.5" bar, thinking it'd be tough, wondering if it was the wraps or lack of padding, but it turned into a speed bend.  The 28.5" bar was nearly the same.  Maybe I will regroup and make another attempt at the World of Grip bar, but if it's the same stock, it'll be tough.  I am also experimenting with kinking on my "good knee," as I think I am losing a lot of potential leverage with the way I've been kinking, at least for the steel in the 25-30" range.

I need to order some of the Braced bars. Did you get any of the long bars? Nice work with the grippers.

[Buccos1]

5 hours ago, Donc101 said:

I need to order some of the Braced bars. Did you get any of the long bars? Nice work with the grippers.

Thanks!  I bought a 30, 28 and 27 (5/8") and one long bar.  I hadn't touched 3/4"/20mm stock in years, up until a few days ago, when I tried a 3/4 x 34.5" bar (unrated).  Got it about 30 degrees, but am not conditioned for that bar at all and it was pretty rough.  I might make an attempt soon at the 28" bar, but seeing how that 30" mutant was, I don't know.  LOL

 

[Buccos1]

The old Bender's Battlefield rankings double-overhand (IMPs) are pinned in the Bending section.  These were the most contested rankings on the site, and toughest to break into (Top 10).  

https://www.gripboard.com/index.php?/topic/42445-benders-battlefield-double-overhand-rankings/

[Buccos1]

Fri (6/1)

Braced 
3/4 x 34" HRS (30 deg.)

Braced Snap - WoG Wraps
3/8 x 12" HRS 

I had an old 3/4" bar from 5-6 years ago and finally decided to put some movement in it.  I can't remember what my best bend with 3/4" stock was (before going up to 20mm), but I think it was right around here, maybe 35, and remember how tough it was.  I was happy to get 30 deg, and my legs were definitely not conditioned for the longer stock, and different starting position.  I'm not going to get anywhere where I was before with the 20mm but might buy some 3/4" stuff in the 40-range, and see what I can do.  

The 3/8 x 12" snap was a PR and took about 8-9 minutes.  The thinner wraps seem to be helping with the snapping.  I think this was the first time I got a 3/8" bar under 9-10 minutes.  Amazing how Don and Kevin snapped this in ~ 2 minutes at the comp!

[Buccos1]

Sat (6/2)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  345
(1x1)  375

[Buccos1]

Mon (6/4)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x3)  255
(1x3)  295

Standing Barbell Press
(1x3)  95
(1x3)  135
(1x3)  155
(1x1)  175

Pull-ups
(3x5)

[Buccos1]

Wed (6/6)

Deadlift
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  405
(1x1)  425
(1x1)  455

 

[Buccos1]

Thur (6/7)

5/8 x 24.75" HRS

This is the shortest 5/8 bar I've bent in probably 5-6 years.  Truly never thought I'd ever get back to (or want to get back to) this point.  When I started the braced long bar up again ~ 6 months ago, it was strictly for the Bay State Bending Bash.  But, old habits seem to die hard, and for some reason, I keep attempting to cut these shorter.  This was a brutal session, and the bar was about 1" off center, which caused me a lot of issues on the crush down, as I couldn't get a good wrist/hand position.  Turned into an almost-10-minute bend, most of which was constant effort.  I really don't know how much more is possible at this point.  I have no illusions of surpassing my all-time best (5/8 x 21.8") but that sits in the back of my mind, a little.

[Buccos1]

Fri (6/8)

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
60d spiral
1/4 x 7" Grade 5

DU - BBW
1/4 x 7" Grade 8

Reverse - IMPs
Yellow Nail
60d spiral (2)

Barbell Curls
(1x10)  bar
(1x10)  65
(1x10)  85
(1x10)  100

Band Pushdowns
(2x20)

[Buccos1]

Sat (6/9)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  340
(1x1)  385

Pretty good session today.  I have not been using my SBD sleeves, instead sticking with the old Rehbands, which give me very little support, but just enough compression to help ease some of the knee creakiness.  I really want to start working in the SBDs and light wraps with squats, but it seems I have gotten lazy during this recent RAW kick.  Not really missing the pains and time component associated with single-ply competition, at least for now.  And the best thing is, even after a full year of training raw almost exclusively, I haven't fallen apart yet!  

[Buccos1]

Mon (6/11)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x3)  260
(1x3)  300

Grippers - MMS
(1x10)  Trainer
(1x10)  GHP4 - 94
(1x8)  #2 - 108
(1x3)  RB 240N - 117
(1x2)  RB 240N - 120

Negatives
(2x1)  #3

Pull-ups
(2x5)

Band Pushdowns
(2x25)

Bench felt pretty good today ... 3 solid reps with 300 on the top set.  Fell a few reps short on grippers though, hoping to get 10 with the 108 #2 and sets of 3 with both the 117 and 120.  Just lost all power toward the end.  

[Buccos1]

Tue (6/12)

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
60d spiral
1/4 x 7" Grade 5

DU - doubles
19/64 x 7" O1
Stainless Bastard

Horseshoe
SCF Lite Rim #1

Axle Curls
(1x10)  bar
(1x10)  55
(1x10)  75
(1x10)  95

Lying KB Extensions
(2x12)  20

I wasn't expecting to do the Stainless Bastard DU today, but decided to take down the 19/64 x 7" bar with my new leathers (and IMPs) and was shocked how quickly it fell.  So, I made another attempt at the Stainless and destroyed it.  I wrote a little about it in the bending section (and my thoughts), but was a little disappointed afterward, as I had been attempting this with singles for the past few months.  (With singles, my best bend to-date had been about 30 degrees.)  I will continue to attempt to take this down in singles throughout the year, as that remains a huge goal of mine.  Next up is going to be the Big Bastard Double Underhand.  I am going to continue to experiment with slightly thicker wraps on bigger bars like this, as this is past my max with singles, I would think.  But, possibly IMPs and half leathers?

 

[Buccos1]

Wed (6/13)

Reverse - IMPs
60d spiral (2)
Yellow Nail (6")
1/4 x 7" O1

Standing Axle Press
(1x8)  bar
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  125
(1x3)  145
(1x1)  175

Pull-ups
(2x6)

[Buccos1]

Thur (6/14)

Sumo Deadlift
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
add briefs
(1x1)  405
(1x1)  425
(1x1)  455

[Buccos1]

Fri (6/15)

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
18/64 x 7" CRS
1/4 x 6.75" Grade 5

DU - doubles
Big Bastard (30 deg.)

Horseshoe
Diamond Classic 00

Braced Snap
1/4 x 6" Grade 8

I thought the Big was going to go down today, but I ran out of steam after the first 2 intense hits.  The bigger wraps definitely help but hand positioning is kinda weird and makes it a totally different bend.  I want to take this down soon and will likely be upping the frequency of my DU sessions until it does.  (Probably not letting myself get to 100%, but it's been hard to wait.)  The Grade 8 snap was brutal!  It turned into about a .5-.75" off-center bend and was very difficult to get a grip throughout.  Night-and-day between this bolt and the 1/4 x 7" Grade 8.  

[Buccos1]

Sat (6/16)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  345
(1x1)  365

Grippers - 20mm 
(1x3)  Trainer
(1x3)  #1
(1x1)  GHP4 - 94
(1x1)  GHP5 - 111
(1x1)  RB 240N - 117

Negatives
(2x1)  Grand Master - 154

[Buccos1]

Sun (6/17)

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
60d spiral
1/4 x 7" Grade 5

DU - doubles
19/64 x 7" O1
Big Bastard - 27 deg.

Not as good an attempt on the Big Bastard today.  Not totally unexpected, but I was hoping for more.  My hands are a still beat-up from the Grade 8 snap, which I think I underestimated my recovery a little.   

[Buccos1]

Mon (6/18)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x5)  185
(1x5)  225
(1x5)  255

Barbell Shrugs
(1x8)  135
(1x8)  225
(1x8)  315
(1x8)  405

Pull-ups
(2x6)

I started a double-overhand session, working up to my weekly Red attempt, and ended up taking a finger/fingernail in the eye pretty good, after starting in a weak position (flexibility) and slipping with my drive hand.  Seems OK, but I have a scratch and bruise in-and-around the eye.  This incident is making me further reassess my continuation of double-overhand style bending.  As the years pass, I am having more-and-more difficulty getting into proper position.  I will continue to work on flexibility-type exercises, but never really had to do too much in this regard in past years (2008-16).  It seems with advancing age and wear-and-tear, I don't have much of a choice anymore.

[Buccos1]

Wed (6/20)

DO - IMPs
Yellow Nail
1/4 x 7" Grade 5
Red Nail

Reverse - IMPs
Yellow Nail
60d spiral

Braced
5/8 x 26" HRS

Grippers - MMS
(1x20)  Trainer
(1x20)  #1
(1x20)  GHP4 - 94

Pull-ups
(2x6)

I was a little leery of bending another Red so soon after taking a finger in the eye, but put on some safety googles (a first) and took it down pretty good.   

[Buccos1]

Fri (6/22)

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
1/4 x 7" Grade 5

DU - doubles
5/16 x 6" HRS
Big Bastard (20 deg.)

Standing Barbell Press
(1x5)  95
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  155
(1x1)  175

Axle Curls
(1x10)  bar
(1x10)  55
(1x10)  75
(1x10)  95

Band Pushdowns
(1x25)
(1x15)

My cert. attempt on the Big Bastard was another weak attempt, mainly due to not giving myself enough time to fully recover between DU sessions.  My hands and fingers are pretty beat-up and I probably should've waited a few more days.