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Don Larkin Bending Vid


Bob Lipinski

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First is a braced 80d spike bend. Didn't show it quite right cause he forgot to set up for the camera. Using a towel and small leather hand pads. This is the last one he ever bent, and he was not proud of it because he had to brace to finish it.

http://media.putfile.com/80d-1

Next is a 60d, he tried really hard on this one cause it was a demonstration video for a strongman contest. He really does psyche up like that.

http://media.putfile.com/60d-1

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Thanks, Bob! It's great to see an older video for a change of pace. Do you know Don personally?

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Yeah, I visit him every now and then. It's a 3-4 hour drive for me, but it is a great place to train and he just has so much knowledge of all this old stuff.

I met him through a powerlifting contest- I brought some COC grippers because I always like to try them after a meet when I am all psyched up, and someone I know said "Let me introduce you to somebody who is really into this grip stuff".

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Nice Bob.

Don Larkin is a great guy. His gym is old, beat up, and full of all sorts of memoribilia and homemade training tools.

I liked our contest there that occured during deer season, when he had deer carcasses lying out all over ready to be butchered.

Jesse Rieman and I tried out some hip lifts there with his apparatus, and we both got some big weight up.

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I watched one of the videos and it looked like he was really concentrating on using his legs (adductors) mostly for the bending.

That personally does not sit well with my personal bending technique but it is not my goals and performance in the video. He worked hard and I can respect that.

What did he bend though guys, anyone know? He wrapped "it" up and had his back to the camera, then turned around the bend something.

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It was an 80d spike, shows the bent one at the end of the second video.

Like I wrote above, he wasn't proud of the fact that he had to brace that one, but he had recently bought the camera and wanted to get the bend on tape before he couldn't do it anymore. He was just originally wanted to show me the 60d video, he actually fastforwarded through the first one when he first showed me the tape.

I know many people will say it looks fishy because he didn't wrap it up in full view. I believe Don, and he wasn't going for full "I can do this" proof and scrutiny, so I understand any skepticism.

But, an 80d spike braced is still a halfway decent bend, isn't it?

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The videos could be better, but I'm pretty much blown away by the 80d bend.

Nobody here has posted a video of themselves or someone else kinking an 80d unbraced before. I'm not saying Pat, Greg, Dave, or other great benders here can't do it, but we haven't seen video of it being done. As far as I know this is a gripboard first.

He might have braced to finish it off, but he started the bend with just raw hand and wrist strength. That's really impressive to me.

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If everything Don tells me is true (and I believe it is), he is one of the best short steel benders ever.

He said his best feat was breaking an 80d spike unbraced in about 30 seconds.

I have seen pictures of interesting things when he was younger- the 3 25's +15 pounds and 2 45's, which are pretty good for about 7" hands (slightly under I believe).

I believe he would have also been capable of no set closing a #3 back in his prime, by how he says he did on his Ironman Super Duty gripper.

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The only way to know is to put a #3 in his hand. Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.

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The only way to know is to put a #3 in his hand.  Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.

I have to be honest sometimes requiring proof of everything can make you look like an ass. This guy was obviously strong and into grip when he was younger. Still bending things at his age is impressive, and the fact he is a little embarrassed he has to brace only shows what type of guy he really is. I am very impressed with his bending vids, his intensity and determination. Shoving a #3 at him to prove he used to be strong just to satisfy your curiosity seems silly. Even Slim is not as strong as he used to be, so if you told him to repeat his previous bests or you wouldn't believe them makes it somewhat your problem not his.

I hope the intent of your posts was not to call into question a person who is not even claiming on the board what Bob is claiming on his behalf. Bob is a straight up guy, and specifically mentioned what he knew for fact vs what he was told.

Edited a spelling error

Edited by gamidon
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I have been watching those videos repeatedly (Thanks Bob) the 80D bend knocks my socks off. Mr Larkin's intensity is amazing.

:bow

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Recent years haven't been kind to Don- He is 62, and a hard life coupled with a few injuries have left him in poor shape.

You are right Dave, I have no proof, just something I could speculate. I know for a fact he cannot close a #3 right now.

He was in his prime before there was a #3 gripper.

The gripper he got down to 1/4" is tougher than a typical elite. Probably close to a super elite.

I like to give Don some credit because he was doing this way before any of it was popular or even considered "cool". I expect some shit based on the proof based nature of this board, and don't take it personally.

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After the last Michigan Contest, Don and I worked out on his homemade Secret Weapon doing holds. I had closed an easy and a hard #3 at the Contest and I could not touch what Don was doing on the machine. Don still has a high degree of hand strength left, but arthritis holds him back in the sweep portion of closes.

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Recent years haven't been kind to Don- He is 62, and a hard life coupled with a few injuries have left him in poor shape.

You are right Dave, I have no proof, just something I could speculate. I know for a fact he cannot close a #3 right now.

He was in his prime before there was a #3 gripper.

The gripper he got down to 1/4" is tougher than a typical elite. Probably close to a super elite.

I like to give Don some credit because he was doing this way before any of it was popular or even considered "cool". I expect some shit based on the proof based nature of this board, and don't take it personally.

THat old iron man gripper he had there was a beast. It is harder than any 3 I ever touched. You are right BOB it may be as hard as a SE.

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I believe don was and is a truly strong man.Just to talk to him and see his memoralbile is worth the trip to MI.He is a cool old school guy it was very nice meeting him and that gripper he has is a beast.

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Take a step back Greg. :)

Bob - I am right with you. The fact that he was grip training before any of the heavy duty grippers were in existance gives me an understanding of your C.O.C. assumption. It's fair in my eyes given the information. I also have a lot of respct for the men who have trained before me (Don) and the ones that will train after me.

I am proud of hard work and honest men. Hopefully someday Don can log on and tell us about his training back in the day. I would be interested in reading and listening to all of it.

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Don,

Is an old boy, who was doing all this stuff ages ago. He subscribed to Iron Grip mag from the beginning and loved it all, and would send pics and stuff.

There are a few of these 'old school' guys around, and Ronnie Tait from Scotland is another one to name a few.

If grip comps had been around then, it would be their records we would be beating now. Just as someone in the future will be beating my records.

David

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