My Training Log

[Justin Reagan]

Been a while since I posted

Lots of short bending, long bending (coiling/scrolling), tearing, breaking, and sandbag work.

Sandbag work (160 or 170 lbs)

Clean x1 x10

Shoulder (attempts) x1 x2 each side (not quite)

Bearhug walk x3 times until I dropped it

********************

Sandbag work

Clean x 1 x 15 (quick singles--walk around for 10 or 20 second in between)

Shoulder x 1 each side (shouldered it, but not good enough to remove one hand)

DL walk @ arm's length x 4 times until drop (I didn't like this much--didn't tire me out like the bearhug walk)

********************

Bending (DU) 40dx2, 60d x2

hard 60d x2 (first one took two tries)

med. 60dx1

galv. 60dx2

Bent another used horseshoe halfway (what is it with this halfway business?!?!?!)

Coiled 4' x1/2" HRS

Partially bent 10"x5/16" tent spike

Bending (DO @ waist) 40d x5

(slim style) 40d x1 (couldn't get any more with this style)

(Reverse--one way) 40d x4

Broke #14 chain x2

*************************

Sledge levering (8 lb.)

Back: 2 sets of 5

Twist: 2 sets of 10

Front: 2 sets of 5

Coiling

4' x 1/2" HRS

4' x 3/8" HRS

Grippers

Negatives x5 (hard #2 left, #3 right)

Card tearing (Gold Crown cards)

x20 (quartered)

x30

x40

x18 (quartered)

***************************

Block work

Snatch (not too bad after you get the hang of it) 27.5x1x10 each hand

Swing (this is bad--make sure nothing is in front of you) 27.5x5 attempts each hand (only one success with Right hand)

Farmer's walk with 2x27.5

x100 feet (1 drop R, 2 drops L)

x100 feet (1 drop R, 2 drops L)

Sandbag work

Clean x1 x15

Shoulder x1 each side (took other hand off for a couple seconds)

Bearhug walk x200 feet, x100 feet

******************************

Bending (DU)

60d x7

Blue x1

5.5" Blue x1 (first successful attempt with a cut down blue)

*********************************

Tried my best to break a TT (nope)

Put a really good kink in a galv. 12" spike

Did my best to finish one of the half bent horseshoes (nope)

Coiled 4'x1/2" HRS x2 (first bent wrong and kept me from getting another coil)

Sledge levering (8 lb.)

Back: 2 sets of 5

Twist: 2 sets of 10

Front: 2 sets of 5

Broke #14 chain x2

Sandbag

Bearhug walk: x 200 feet, x 100 feet

Grippers

#2 x 7 closes R, 7 attempts L (2 closes)

hard #2 x3 closes R, 3 attempts L (0 closes)

********************************

Bending (DU)

40d x3, 60dx1

hard 60dx2 (almost 3)----------for some reason, I couldn't finish the first one I started not matter what--even with a really good kink. The second two went down in around 20 seconds each.

(slim style) 40d x5

(reverse) 40d x5

Coiled 4'x1/2" HRS

Scrolled 4'x3/8" HRS

Grippers

Negatives x5 (hard #2 L, #3 R)

Card tearing (Gold Crown cards)

x20 (quartered)

x30

x42 (quartered 40 each side--shredded a couple)

************************************

There we go.

Later,

Justin Reagan

[Grh122]

Interesting workout(s) - good mix of bending/horseshoes/cards/grippers.

With the half-bent horseshoes, I can get them farther by pushing rearward with my right hand, while bracing on my right thigh. This is using tricep strength. (I'm right-handed). Have you tried this ... it's a lot stronger position than the way I start them which is pulling upward with my right hand on my left thigh, which uses bicep and forearm strength. I often use pipes to get them started, but I stop using the pipes if it's easy enough.

40Ds DO Slim style - these are great, I bought two pounds just for this style of bend. What is your current goal for Slim style?

[Justin Reagan]

That's basically how I bend horseshoes all the way through, if I understand it right. I do it the way John Brookfield shows in one of his books (GMM, I think). I start it by bracing it against my right thigh with my left hand. I then push "down and out" with my right hand, while pulling towards the left with my left arm. (I don't know how well that explains it.....) It's crazy how much tricep and shoulder power I put into it halfway through, and it won't budge. I can't even get it the rest of the way with pipes. Crazy.

At the moment, I really want to get a 60d with slim style. That would be something that not many people can do. Of course that's not my ultimate goal (which is to get as strong as possible with it). The hands out in front slim style may not be my strongest style, but I think it is just about the most impressive if you can bend big steel this way. Right now I'm trying to find something just a little tougher than a 40d, for when I need to move up. I love bending timber ties this way, but the store that sold them here in town doesn't have them anymore. I'm thinking about buying some 6" G2s (I need more for DU warmups, anyway), as I haven't tried them with this style yet. The G2s are pretty close to a IM yellow, so I doubt I can get them at the moment, but we'll see.

Justin Reagan

[Grh122]

That's basically how I bend horseshoes all the way through, if I understand it right. I do it the way John Brookfield shows in one of his books (GMM, I think). I start it by bracing it against my right thigh with my left hand. I then push "down and out" with my right hand, while pulling towards the left with my left arm. (I don't know how well that explains it.....) It's crazy how much tricep and shoulder power I put into it halfway through, and it won't budge. I can't even get it the rest of the way with pipes. Crazy.

Justin Reagan

I tried this with an easy shoe that I hadn't finished, I was able to bend it all the way, here's the key:

- the bottom of the "U" of the horseshoe rests on your right thigh

- the tines point away from you to the right

- right hand is on the lower tine, pushing away and rearward

- left hand is on the upper tine, pulling forward and upward

I have a few partly bent shoes that had been started the opposite way and I think they would be hard to bend more than halfway. With a shoe that is started this way, you can reverse hands (left thigh) and probably get them though.

The picture of Brookfield in Gripmaster's Manual shows this positioning exactly (turn the picture upside down), you probably have your hands reversed upper/lower.

[Justin Reagan]

My hands are in the position you described. Against right thigh, right hand on bottom, left hand on top. I can't seem to put any force into it the other way around. I'm being complicated, huh?

Justin

[Justin Reagan]

I guess I haven't posted in this for a while....January 26??? Well, it's hard to keep EVERYTHING I do updated in both my paper log and this one. I think maybe I'll just post my regular bending workouts, and leave everything else to my paper log.

Three in the past couple weeks.

First:

(DU)

6" G2 x2, 60dx1

6" G5 x0 (kinked two of them)

12" spike x1

already kinked 12" spike x1

Second:

(DU)

40dx2, 6" G2x2, 60dx1

6" G5 x2

The second one took me a couple tries, but I got it. The first went down in about 45 seconds.

7" x 3/8" aluminum

hard TT x1 (one of my last ones...)

blue x1 (ALMOST easy)

Third:

(DU)

6" G2x2, 40dx2, 60dx2

6" G5x2 (kinked a third)

5" blue x1

12" spike x1 (kinked another)

Well, in there somewhere was a workout in which I bent with regular DO. I bent a 4" G2 but couldn't get a 6" G2. Strange, huh? 5" and below is where my best DO form kicks in. 6" and more, my elbows fall down and my wrists start bending at weird angles.

Later,

Justin

Edited May 2, 2006 by Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

A few more:

First:

(Slim style)

40dx9

4.5" 40d x1 (must have been an accident--the thickness of a regular 40d, but 4.5" long)

Second:

(DO)

40d x3

hard 40d x1

Bent 12" spike

Third:

(DU)

40dx2, 60dx2

Couldn't quite get a G5

60dx12

5.5" 60dx1

kinked a 5" 60d

Fourth:

(DU)

40dx2, 6" G2 x4

6" G5 x1 (took several tries)

60dx9

7" x 1/4" CRS x1

6" x 1/4" CRS x8

Later,

Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

I went and bought 80' of 1/2" steel today, cut into 3' lengths (with a few 2' leftover pieces). I'm going to be starting a new job soon, working until 5 or 6 in the afternoon, M-F. The steel place is only open until 3 or 3:30, M-F. I wanted to stock up.

Today:

Bending:

(DU) 6" G2 x3, 60d x2, galv. 60d x1

(DO) 40dx2, hard 40dx1

Kinked several 12" spikes

Bent 3' x 1/2" HRS behind neck and into fish shape. (never did this length before)

Bent 2' x 1/2" HRS across shin--like a spike.

Today wasn't the day for bending steel, I guess.

Later,

Justin

[Justin Reagan]

It's been about a month since I posted....

I'm going to TRY to post everything except my regular lifting (mostly squats at the moment), unless of course I get a big squat PR.

Not much today

Bending (DO--I want to get good at this style, too)

6" G2 x 4

TT x 2 (I found two of these left at the bottom of my bucket o' steel..)

a few 6" and 7" practice bends with some easy steel (I cut up a small wire rack from Lowe's)--I had to double and even triple it up to even feel what I was doing. If I used one piece at a time, I can cut it down to 2.5" and still get it...

At one time, I didn't even believe I could get a 6" G2. Of course, it was form problems. When I got the form down, 6" G2's were easy. Of course, after 4 of them, the form sort of "left me". I wasn't tired or anything, it's just I couldn't seem to put anything in it. Oh well.

It seems I can do this style of bending while I'm recovering from a hard DU workout, and it doesn't bother me.

Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

Good one today

6" G2 x 2

60d x 1

6" G5 x 0

6" G5 x 1

5.75" G5 x almost (would've got it if I wouldn't put so much into that first missed bend)

Just for kicks, I tried a 6" G8. Put a pretty good kink in it, even with tired hands and wrists.

Not bad at all. Had some stuff to do after this little bit of bending, so I had to cut it short. May do a little hammer work, long bending, etc. later.

Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

(a little while after previous workout)

A few oh levers w/ 8 lb. hammer (both hands)

A few oh levers w/ 12 lb. hammer (right)

A few oh lever attempts w/ 12 lb. hammer (left--one success)

Kinked a couple 12 "spikes over my thigh (my kneecap had started to feel funny, so I'm going to learn how to do it over the thigh)

Bent 2' x 1/2" HRS (part of the way over the thigh, rest across the shin)

Bent St. Croix #2 Ultra-lite shoe

Grippers

Worked up to a few no-set singles with my regular #2, couple of singles with hard #2

A few sets of chest crushes with #3

---------------------------------------------------------

Sledge levering

2 sets of 5 in front and back levering

2 sets of 8 in twisting

---------------------------------------------------------

Bent St. Croix #2 Ultra-lite shoe

---------------------------------------------------------

Bending

(DO) 40d x2, 6" G2 x2, hard 40d x2

***Still feeling quite strange

(Rev)

6" G2 x2, hard 40d x1

6.5" x 1/4" zinc plated steel

Yellow x2 (actually, one had a bit of a kink)

Blue xkinked

6" x 3/16" square zinc plated

***Surprisingly strong!!! Finally got my form figured out with this

-----------------------------------------------------------

Bending

(DU)

6" G2 x2, 60d x2, blue x2

5.75" G5 x000000000!!!

6" G5 x0000000000!!!

7" x 1/4" FBBC hex x 00000000000!!! (I got closer than with the G5's, at least)

6" x 5/16" Carriage bolt (fully threaded)

Yikes...I thought I felt great. Guess not. Just a couple more wasted G5's.

I figured after a week of no DU bending (and no hard bending with other styles), I would be able to do something decent. I guess not. Yuck.

Justin Reagan

[gazza]

Justin

Nice work on the horseshoes

Keep at the bending because oneday when you get your technique dialled in and all that other strength your gaining from the shoes etc will make a big difference then there will be no stoppin ya

[Justin Reagan]

New horseshoes are a little expensive, but I've got to use them, at least until I can actually bend some of my used ones. Even the thinner used ones that I have are, so far, impossible. Not for long, though!

[bencrush]

Good workouts Justin. I had asked you a question in another thread about your bending. Found the answer here man. The DO will feel strange for quite a while since you're a DU guy. I was too, but it finally clicked one day and now the DO is as comfortable as the DU or maybe a little bit more now.

[Justin Reagan]

Bending (DO)

40dx5

6" G2 x2 (couldn't get another even if I wanted to---???)

I kinked (actually, more like "wobbled") several more things--including more 6" G2's and a couple 6" x 5/16" C. bolts (fully threaded, of course)

Decided to try something 7" and easy. All I had were some 7"x1/4" fully threaded C. bolts. Not such a good idea. It bent before I even started pushing--as soon as I flexed my wrists to prepare for the bend...I then decided to bend one of those into an "S" shape, just for fun.

My goodness, I'm weak at this!

Justin

[Justin Reagan]

Hands and wrists felt good today. I thought that made for some good bending. Guess not!

Bending (DU)

6" G2 x2, 60d x2

G5 x kinked three of them??

6"x5/16" fully threaded C. bolt x1

7" x1/4" FBBC hex (not really as tough as I expected--but it is 7", after all)

Blue x1

Kinked a spike, didn't budge one of my usual horseshoes

I then soaked my hands in hot water. If my hands and wrists are going to hurt, then I wish it would have been after a good workout. Not a bad one. Oh well.

Justin

[don chi]

Hang in Justin, you're doing pretty damn good from what I see.

[Justin Reagan]

Bending (DU)

6" G2 x3, 60d x2

6" G5x1

5.5" G5 x1 (PR--took me 3 or 4 minutes)

7" x1/4" FBBC

7" x1/4" FBBC hex

5" x1/4" FBBC (easier than expected!)

Also kinked the following:2 more G5's (what can I say--tired hands...), G8, 4.75" 60d (so close!), 7" x1/4" FBBC square

Tried, but miserably failed, to kink 6" x 5/16" G2. No wobble at all. Doesn't make me disappointed with myself, though.

(DO)

I think I finally got something going here

6" G2 x2

7" x1/4" FBBC (PR)

6" x1/4" FBBC (PR)

7" x1/4" FBBC

Kinked: 60d (so close on this!!!), 5.5" x 1/4" FBBC, IM blue

Was going to try some spike bending, horseshoe bending, or something. Way too tired. Just finished off with some levering and some pulls with my cables.

Justin

[bencrush]

Great bending Justin! Sounds like your form is very close to being figured out man. Those are some good bends buddy. A few more workouts and you'll get the 60D DO.

[Justin Reagan]

Couple workouts:

Bending (DU)

6" G2 x2, 60d x2

6" G5 x1

5.5" G5 x1

6" G5 x2

hard TT x1 (wanted to see how my new 5 lb. box was--it was surprisingly hard...)

5 7/8" x 1/4" FBBC hex x1

5" 60d x1

Put a kink in a 6" x 5/16" G2

(DO)

6" G2 x5 (these are going down quick now)

7" x 1/4" FBBC x2

6" x1/4" FBBC x1

(Arms straight out--Tommy H. style)

7" x 1/4" fully threaded carriage bolt (just to see how it feels)

6" G2 x6

kinked 7" x1/4" FBBC

Did some pulls with my cables

**********************

BB wrist curl 45x8, 95x8x4

BB wrist ext 45x8x4

Rolling thunder hold (doesn't spin as well as it used too)

120 x5 sec, 5 sec, 4 sec (right)

120 x5 sec, 5 sec, 5 sec (left)

Did some block deadlifts with 2 fingers + thumb

27.5 x 1 x 2 L, R (ring, pinkie)

27.5 x 1 x 5 L, R (index, middle)

Ballistic front levers with 8 lb. hammer

Plate curl (2 x 10's) x 5 L,R

2 hand pinch (2 x 45's) x 3 x 3 L, R

Wrist roller work to finish off

don't know if I'll keep on doing all this--I just want to have a day of basic grip and wrist work--other than all the bending--so just trying stuff out. The wrist curls and extensions felt great, so I'll definitely keep them. I've never trained for any serious length of time on any of these.

[Justin Reagan]

Yesterday:

Sledge OH lever:

8 x 1 x 3 L, R

12 x 1 x 4, 10 x 1 x 2 R

10 x 1 x 4, 8 x 1 x 2 L

Tried a horseshoe (not this time...), kinked a spike over thigh (want to get much better at these!)

Bending (DO)

6" G2 x 4 (these are going down with little effort now)

pre kinked G5 (done a while back w/ DU) x1

60d x1

Card tearing (I don't practice this enough, I can't do what I used to do)

Gold Crown cards x20, x35, x40

Bent (first bend on each piece was behind the neck)

3' x 1/2" HRS

4' x 1/2" HRS

Ab work with ab wheel

Justin

[Justin Reagan]

Bad one today

Bending

(DU)

6" G2 x 2, 60d x 2

kinked 6" G5

(DO)

6" G2 x 6 (all slow)

kinked 60d

I felt pretty good about this one at first, but this is all I could manage.

The worst thing is that I feel like I've caused my hands and wrists to have to recover longer, all for no good reason. My hands are aching like crazy after this.

I keep trying to tell myself "it happens", but I just can't help but be disappointed that I made myself ache like this with nothing to show for it.

oh well

Justin

[Justin Reagan]

A couple workouts over the past few days:

Grippers:

No set singles with both hands: T, #1, #2

Shallow set single, both hands: hard #2

2 attempts, each hand: BB SM (came so close first single w/ R hand)

3 OC's R hand, #2

2 OC's L hand, #2 (was going for 3 OC's, but couldn't close it last time...)

OC's are shutting it and squeezing it as hard as possible until it starts to open

**********************

Sledgehammer stuff

OH lever

8 x 1, 10 x 1 both hands

10 x 1 x 3 L, 12 x 1 x 3 R

8 x 1 x 3 L, 10 x 1 x 3 R (these lighter singles were done with hand held higher)

Front lever, off of floor (slim style, no pad under hand, small pillow under hammer head)

8 lbs:

8 x 1 x 7 attempts R (no successes)

8 x 1 x 4 L , 3 attempts L

(stronger with L hand on this)

(the following are done with hand choked up certain amounts on 8 lb hammer)

Front lever: 3 sets of 5, 1 set of 8

Back lever: 3 sets of 5, 1 set of 8 (last set of 5 ALMOST at end of hammer)

Twist: 1 set of 20

Justin

Edited August 10, 2006 by Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

Many, many workouts to post.

Bending (DU)

6" G2x2

60dx4

6" G5 x 2

hard TT x 1 (feel about as hard as a normal 60d)

(DO)

G2 x 4

60d x 1

(arms straight out DO) 6" G2 x 5

********************

Bending

(DU) 6" G2 x4

(DO) 6" G2 x4

*********************

Bending (DU)

6" G2x2, 60dx2

6" G5 x 2

galv. 60d x 1

(DO)

6" G2 x 3

7" x 1/4" FBBC x 2

finished off pre-kinked galv. 60d, 7" x 1/4" FBBC hex

(arms straight out DO) 6" G2 x 3

****************************

Sledge levering (8 lb.--marked off in increments)

Front: 3 sets of 5, 1 set of 10

Back: 3 sets of 5, 1 set of 10

Various other lifts, etc.

*****************************

Sledge levering

Front (off floor, pillow under head to protect floor)

8 x 1 x 10 attempts each hand (finished: 1 L, 6 R)

Overhead

8 x 1 x 2 L, R

10 x 1 x 3 L

12 x 1 x 3 R

8 x 1 x 10 L, 10 x 1 x 10 R

12 x 1 R, 10 x 1 L

***************************

Bending (DU)

6" G2 x 3, 60d x 3

6" G5 x 1 (used double wraps for some reason--just to see)

6" G5 x 1 (back to regular)

(DO) 6" G2 x 5

(arms out DO) 6" G2 x 3

*************************

Bending (DU)

6" G2 x 2, 60d x 1

galv. 60d x 1

(DO)

6" G2 x 3

6" x 3/16" square zinc plated x 1

6" x 5/16" carriage bolt x 2

finished pre-kinked hard 60d (almost out of these--almost to G5 level)

***************************

Bent a 12" spike

Kinked a 10" spike, kinked another 12" spike

(all this done after KB swings, etc.)

*****************************

Bending (DU)

6" G2 x 3, hard TT x 2, 60d x 3

galv. 60d x 22

(worked on some pre-kinked stuff, as I have a hard time finishing something off if I kink it and have to finish it later)

pre-kinked to various degrees: TT x 1, hard TT x 4, 6" G2 x 3, yellow x 2, galv 60d x 1

(back to straight, but with small leather pads) 6" G2 x 4

Sledge levering

Front (off of floor) 8 x 1 x 7 L, R (actually made all attempts this time)

**********************************

Grippers

singles and attempts (shallow set, but probably not to "credit card" level): several (don't really remember--I forgot to write down details) with each hand with the following: R: hard #2 (get it just about every time), BBSM (closed it first day I tried it, but haven't had any success since)

L: #2 (again, this one closes almost every time), hard #2 (actually, I close this one most of the time, also)

**********************************

Bending(DO)

6" G2 x 3

6" x 5/16" Carriage bolt x 1

6" x 3/16" square zinc plated x 1

7" x 1/4" FBBC x 3

**************************

Bending(DU)

6" x 1/4" FBBC x 1

7" x 1/4" FBBC hex x 2

5" x 1/4" FBBC x 3

60d x 4

galv. 60d x 30

(DO)

6" x 1/4" FBBC x 3

5.5" x 1/4" FBBC x 1

60d x 3

**********************

Bending (DO)

TT x 1

6" G2 x 1

60d x 4

5.5" x 1/4" FBBC x 2

5/16" x 6" C. bolt x 1

***********************

Whew!

That's it

Except for all the KB work and cable work I also do.

During some of the bending workouts, I do some isometric pulling on horseshoes. I've finished off everything that I currently have the ability to do, so now I'm back to no movement.

Thanks,

Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

A couple:

Sledge levering:

Front (from floor)8x1x3 L,R (on most of these, I actually lowered it back until it almost touched the pillow (but not quite), and back again--this is tough)

OH lever 8x1,10x1x4 L

8x1, 10x1, 12x1x3 R

**************************

Bending

(DU)

TTx2, 60dx1

failed miserably on 6" G5

galv. 60d x 35

(Rev)

60d x 1

Justin