John's Grip Journal

[Vice]

Thanks Ben, it feel so good to finally almost be able to say I can bend a red. Congrats to you as well on putting up some big numbers in the recent USAWA event, looks like that was a lot of fun! I don't even know what USAWA stands for but I know you guys did some cool lifts!

[bencrush]

Thanks Ben, it feel so good to finally almost be able to say I can bend a red. Congrats to you as well on putting up some big numbers in the recent USAWA event, looks like that was a lot of fun! I don't even know what USAWA stands for but I know you guys did some cool lifts!

Thanks man! USAWA is the United States All-Round Weightlifting Association. The contests are a ton of fun!

[Vice]

Awesome, I might have to start working some of those lifts! The Vbar has always looked fun but I've never tried it.

Week 2 Day 1

1/4" x 8" crs x 8

I was going to rest one more day as I had some serious DOMS in my right shoulder after going crazy with pr's last workout. I couldn't wait any longer but maybe I needed an extra day. I started off slow, I was having trouble getting the kink started but after struggling with a couple of pieces and taking a break I got some momentum going and finished off the rest of them much quicker. I think my problem was a very minimal warmup, and flexibility still lacks at this length. I need to work this area harder than I am. Still got 2 more pieces than last time through, could have kept going but I was starting to slow down and my shoulder needs to rest up. Next week I'm hoping to get somewhere in the 10-15 range. I think I'm going to go up to 1/4" stainless when on my day 2's at 7.5".

Finished off with some crush work. (easy spr 6,8,10 x8)

Edited November 29, 2009 by Vice

[bencrush]

Very nice! The 8" and 7.5" bends will really, really pay off big time for you. And it's one of those bending-specific types of flexibility that will allow you to demonstrate every bit of bending strength that you've built up.

[Vice]

I agree, working the longer lengths seems to be helping my 7" bending. If anything it definitely makes it feel much more comfortable after being used to the longer lengths. I can't wait until my max day this week I want to take down a red bad.

[Vice]

12/5/09*

Worked some max bends today even though its supposed to be day 1 of week 3, just felt like going after some steel.

Didn't get the red yet, but I did bend my first official 5/16" x 7", but it was 12L14 so a little easier than most other crs. Also hit some more pr's today.

.281" x 6" O1 - cals at 465 under 2"

.297" x 6.81" O1 under 2"

both of these are pr's!

finished off with some easy crush work. crush= 6,8,9,10 + green3 all for 5 reps. Also did a couple other workouts last week. Did day 2 and day 3 of week 2. 9 pieces of 1/4" x 7.5" 304ss, and then on day 3 i got a 12 degree kink in a red after doing a 19/64" x 7" O1 and 5/16" x 7" 12L14 both under 2".

[Vice]

Week 3 day 1

I've been busy the past 4 or 5 days so haven't done any bending or working out in the gym.

Today was the start of week 3 of the kink, and tonights workout was great.

Started off with 1/4" x 8" crs x 2, then stepped it up to 1/4" x 8" 304ss x7 for a total of 9 pieces. I would have kept going but my wraps are basically destroyed and I dont need any bar ends puncturing my hands again. I ordered a couple pair of suedes from FBBC which should be here tomorrow or Friday, just in time. Nice improvement from my last 8" session. The stainless went down pretty easy until the last one. Next time I'll go for 15.

Finished off with some levering. It'd been about a week since I levered but I finally levered my 10lb sledge overhead and did it with either hand! Felt great and I had even more with my right hand but I'll save that for the next workout. crush= 6,8,9,10 + green3 all for 5 reps then stretching.

[bencrush]

Dang! You're making really solid progress on the supramaximal length bars John! Keep at it man! GREAT job on the 9/32" and .297" bars too! That .297"X6.81" bar is very, very close to a Red Nail!

[bencrush]

Checked some PMs and a month ago you weren't even able to KINK the 1/4"X8" CRS and now you're mowing through them and Stainless-304 too. Good work man!

[madknight]

I agree with Ben. You've made some great progress over the time I've talked to you and your still doing it. Keep it up!

[Vice]

Thanks guys, I have definitely seen my biggest improvements in the 6.5-8" range. I have definitely become more flexible and more comfortable with the longer steel, even last week it took some serious focus to bend anything more than a few pieces of 8" x 1/4" crs, and the other day they were going down fast and easy and the stainless wasn't much different. I don't have anything good to progress to after the stainless. The next step up that I have is 9/32" drill rod, so I'll probably just try to increase my volume on the 1/4" stainless for a few weeks. Maybe by the end of the program I'll be taking down some 9/32" drill rod at 8" without a problem.

I'm gonna work up to a max on the 7.5" stuff tonight so we'll see if I can get a 9/32" stainless at that length. I'm still much stronger on the kink when the steel is 7" as opposed to 7.5" although the gap is closing. I can't wait to see if I can officially take down an equiva-red on Sunday. Like you said Ben, the .297" x 6.81" O1 has to be so close to a red. I would bet that it calibrates almost identical to the average 7" red, but I think the red might have a psychological edge on me at this point. I'll get over that soon.

I also got some new crush pads from FBBC and from Jason Payne, and I got some bastards, bigs, and huges in the mail today from FBBC. I think the current ones are cal'ing high but they will be great to cert on in another month or two.

[Vice]

So the 7.5" workout didn't go so well. My leather wraps were basically useless because of holes in them so I tried out some new suedes that I got from FBBC but forgot how stiff they are when brand new. I couldnt wrap them tightly around the steel and they have a different feel to them then the leathers so I only got a few bends in.

Last night I was still fighting off a hangover but did a couple of bends.

Took down the following:

.297" x 6.75" O1 (1/16" shorter then previous best)

Then I took a couple of hits on a red nail that has been stuck at 12 degrees. Got it moving and took it to 16 degrees.

Then I pre-kinked a bastard to 20 degrees and after a 3-4 minute battle I got it down to 2" exactly. I really hope these are as hard as all the other current bastards that are cal'ing in the 480-500 range. This is the first official bastard that I've ever tried and it was tough but consistent throughout. Hopefully I can take this down without any pre-kinks in another few weeks. Still need to get the red taken down before I try the bastard again but it was fun to see what it felt like.

Time for Week 3 day 3... goal length focus

Let the destruction begin

Edited December 15, 2009 by Vice

[Vice]

I'm weak.

[bencrush]

You're not weak man! Taking down a Bastard from only a 20-degree kink is great work! I would've killed for that just a month before I bent my first Bastard I was taking 2 or 3 entire workouts sometimes to move a Red Nail from about 40 degrees to 2".

[Vice]

Thanks for the kind words but we both know the truth. I need to step up my game.

[madknight]

Thanks for the kind words but we both know the truth. I need to step up my game.

There's nothing wrong with stepping up your game, but your not weak by any means.

[Vice]

Alright after a couple of worthless workouts I finally put a solid one together.

Actually yesterday I took a bastard down to 2" exactly after pre-kinking it to 18 degrees. Then with crush pads took it down even further. After that I took a bastard kinked to 14 degrees down to about 2.5". This one looked a little darker than most of the others and felt tougher throughout the bend especially getting it moving after 90 degrees. I have a few of the lighter colored bastards left, I think I could bend one pre-kinked only 10-12 degrees. I'll save a couple to hopefully cer on in another few weeks.

Ok so thats been the only good news lately.

Tonight was week 4 day 1.

1/4" x 8" 304ss x 13 - used thin leathers for all of these - about 15/16" when wrapped around the steel. This made the kink a little tougher and I increased my volume from last time so I feel like this gave me a great workout. Even my last few went down basically as fast as the first ones, I just got sick of filing down the ends after cutting them with my bolt cutters. No more sharp ends for me, I've already had one go through my wraps and into my hand.

After finishing off all of those I chest crushed my narrow elite for 5 reps. This isn't impressive for a chest crush, but still the first time I've been able to do it since returning to bending. I remember being able to do it a few years back as well, but I hadn't tried in about 6 weeks and I got it for 5 reps tonight. Tried to get my rb 330 but I couldn't quite get it. Maybe with a little padding on the handles I could, it hurt like crazy trying to chest crush the 330, my hands were done with. Also did 6,8,9,10+green 6 x 5 reps

Then some levers: Overhead - 135x4/165x4/195x4/235x4

[bencrush]

Looks like a solid workout man!!! It's the accumulation of solid workouts (and sometimes the "bad" ones that you fight through anyway) that yield the ultimate results.

[Vice]

Thanks Ben, I'm getting sick of these reds and bastards still kicking my ass.

Week 4 day 2

Didn't feel like maxing on 7.5" but didnt feel like going crazy with volume so I just warmed up then did some tough bends for me.

.25" x 7.5" ss x 2

.281 x 7.5" O1 x 3

Then pre-kinked some 5/16" O1 to about 30 degrees and hit it hard a few times but only moved it about 10 degrees.

RB 300 chest crushed pr!

Then did some sledge levers.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Vice

[Vice]

Week 4 Day 3

1/4" x 7" 304ss

9/32" x 7" O1 x2

9/32" x 7" 303ss

5/16" x 7" 12L14 x 3

Then moved a piece of 5/16" O1 from about 60 degrees down to 90. Couldn't move it from there. Didn't try the red nail today, just wanted to some near max bends that I knew I could get, and thats what I got with the 12L14 5/16". Used my crush pads to do some damage on the 5/16" and got them all down to about 1" even. My crush is definitely getting stronger. Set a new PR with 3 full range reps with my RB300, probably could have gotten 5 in a row, I'll go for that next time, but it was killing my hands.

Tried some DU and reverse after but I was done with. After I cert on the red and bastard I'll start hitting DU and reverse harder because they are lagging behind. Worked more crush 6/8/9/10 + green/1 3 below all levels, then did some levering using 12/19 torques.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vJzoJyTgwc

[djukac]

Week 4 Day 3

1/4" x 7" 304ss

9/32" x 7" O1 x2

9/32" x 7" 303ss

5/16" x 7" 12L14 x 3

Then moved a piece of 5/16" O1 from about 60 degrees down to 90. Couldn't move it from there. Didn't try the red nail today, just wanted to some near max bends that I knew I could get, and thats what I got with the 12L14 5/16". Used my crush pads to do some damage on the 5/16" and got them all down to about 1" even. My crush is definitely getting stronger. Set a new PR with 3 full range reps with my RB300, probably could have gotten 5 in a row, I'll go for that next time, but it was killing my hands.

Tried some DU and reverse after but I was done with. After I cert on the red and bastard I'll start hitting DU and reverse harder because they are lagging behind. Worked more crush 6/8/9/10 + green/1 3 below all levels, then did some levering using 12/19 torques.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vJzoJyTgwc

Great job man :D

[Vice]

Thanks! Now I need to take down the red nail and bastard.

[bencrush]

NICE!!! You're moving some hard steel now John!!!

[Vice]

Thanks bro, it feels good to be taking down 5/16" crs but I still gotta get the 1018 down. I've gotta be crazy close. Next max day I'm gonna go for a bastard with a 10 degree pre-kink. If I get that then I'll go for a straight one and I know I'll get it.

Today I felt like going after some shorter 12L14 so I warmed up with a 1/4" stainless, then took down a 7" piece of 5/16", then I took down a 6.5" piece of 5/16" 12L14. Didn't feel too much different, the gap has closed significantly in my ability to kink 6" steel vs. 7" steel. I know feel basically just as comfortable and strong at the 7" length as I do the 6" length. I'd say 6-6.5" still allows me to bend higher cal'd steel but not by much. Hands hurt today so I'll stick with DU/reverse next workout.

[Vice]

Messed around with some sledge levers today and attempted a 6"x5/16" 12L14 but couldn't quite get it. I'll take this down next weekend and get it on video for the steel slayers list.

Also tried grippers for the first time in probably 2 months. I actually think I was stronger than last time around even though bending usually zaps my crush strength. I'm going to try to start training it again along with bending which could be tough but I'll do what I can.