Should I Be More Progressive?

[Justin Reagan]

Hey everyone!

I've been bending many, many timber ties and a few Grade2 5" x 1/4" bolts in order to (re)strengthen myself for the IM yellow. Should I try to get something else in between the timber ties and the yellow, or should I just keep trying to bend more and more timber ties at a time? The reason I ask is because today I was feeling strong, so I decided to try some 1/4" x 7" HRS, because it's been said many times that it is harder than a timber tie, but easier than a yellow, which is of course CRS. I couldn't even put the slightest kink in it. (I then got a little disappointed and decided to go have a hard workout with my grippers and my sledgehammer) I've tried HRS from several different places, just to be sure, but I can't kink any of them. Also, is it normal to find a few extra tough timber ties among the normal ones? I've found about 2 or 3 out of the 100 or so I've bent so far that it seemed impossible to bend.

So, should I add something else, or just bend lots of timber ties? Is constantly adding more and more volume going to get me stronger and stronger, or should I find something else to go with the TT's (which I'm still going to bend a lot of...)?

Thanks,

Justin Reagan

[Scott Styles]

You might want to try the zinc plated 1/4" round steel from home depot. I've found that a 6" piece of that is just a little easier than the yellow.

[Left Side]

From the sounds of it you're doing lots of lever work, which is essential to bending. Also, the timber ties you are using sound like they might be too easy for you. Nothing wrong with volume bending, but to get closer to that yellow you might want to try finding a slighty harder nail, (a 5" ardox nail from the hardware store should work), and bending that untill it is easy. At that point you should be better at the yellow.

But most likely, the problem is only time. Keep up that lever work and the nails will come. How long have you been bending? Can't be that long.

[Lyle]

Don't get down on yourself, everything comes in time, I was having a hell of a time starting a hard bend DO and seemed like I was getting worse, I took an extra two days off, that was two weeks ago, now I'm bending 5.5" G5's DO like nothing.

In the end don't get discouraged, keep trucking and one day it'll seem like it all falls into place.

[Justin Reagan]

Forgot to say one thing. After that sledgehammer and gripper workout I mentioned the other day, I decided to do some really easy bending. Since I hurt my wrist trying to bend a yellow about 2 months ago (I've thought about it, and I was putting my hands into some really weird postions...), I haven't been able to do any more than 3/16" steel using DU. Since then I've only used DO. So, back to the other day. I decided to try a few DU bends on the 3/16", because my wrist has gotten back to feeling normal. Easy. I decided to try a timber tie. Easy. In fact, it was easier than when I bend them DO. Well, I just had to try a yellow. I got it almost to the point where I could do the crushdown, but I couldn't quite get it finished. And this was after a tough grip and wrist workout! The best I can do overhand on the yellow is make it to where it rolls funny on a table, so maybe I should start doing DU full time.

Justin Reagan

[Left Side]

Right on man. Bending is all about finding what works best for you and going with it. It sounds lie you're a double underhand man and that's great, stick with what feels right, and that yellow won't stand a chance.