Found A New Way To Recover From Bending

[Grh122]

As I do most weeks, I did a lot of bending during the work week (Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs.) (I rest on Sunday). I also did some very intense gripper workouts on a couple of successive days. One evening I bent two hard 60d nails using double overhand, and crushed down a third that had been at a 90 degree angle. This was my toughest bending workout ever, and I figured on needing at least a week's rest from DO bending.

Friday is usually my "easy/recovery" day ... I woke up Friday having missed some hours of sleep due to some loud barking dogs during the night. So, I thought I would be in no shape to do my usual a.m. exercising. But, I pushed ahead and tried the following:

- some situps for warmups, a few breathing exercises

- then I started with some moderate attempts at bending/isometrics using reverse grip (alternating hands for bracing).

- this didn't feel too bad, so I did a few double underhand attempts, again, continuing a warmup

- I moved on to some alternating grip attempts / isometrics on longer steel (I have a variety of stock, e.g. 5/16" square stock in the 8" to 10" range that I can't bend)

- finally I was starting to feel good, I tried some braced bending over the leg, both sides, again with steel that was slightly too hard. I think I moved the square stock a bit.

- I finished with a number of isometrics with a 3/8" x 15" piece of zinc-plated steel that is bent at around a 65 degree angle (looks like a bow). I used some heavy pieces of leather on each end - one hand is braced at the point between the chest and shoulder, and the steel points outward, the other hand is face down on the opposite end.

The alternating grip isometrics with the 3/8 steel had an astonishing effect. When I was done, I had no soreness anywhere, and had exactly the same feeling of being refreshed that I usually do after a workout. I had started with no expectation of being able to bend at all, and with a considerable amount of mental fatigue from the lost sleep. At the end of my workout, I not only felt strong, but mentally refreshed as well.

My theory is that this type of recovery-day workout has the benefit of using the same muscles and tendons in a somewhat-different way. This stimulates circulation to the muscles and to the areas that nourish the tendons. It also provides an ongoing outlet for the mental energy that is involved with bending. I find that it is easier to continue bodily activity at a moderate level after intense exertion, than it is to stop entirely and rest. It also forms a transition from hands/wrists to arms and upper body. The body has an amazing capacity for strength-training exercises with regard to volume, provided that one keeps switching exercises. I think of this as "opportunistic training". When fatigued from grippers, try bending; when tired of bending; try sledge hammer levering; after this, barbell wrist curls, etc. (not necessarily in the same workout, usually after several hours of rest, or overnight rest).

For someone like myself whose goals are to bend 6" to 7" bars (my current goal is the Grade 5 bolt, someday maybe the Red nail), using DU or DO technique, training with the reverse grip and alternating grip styles has a huge benefit - for wrist strengthening, for building arm and upper body strength, and for active recovery.

Does anyone know if this alternating grip was the style that the Mighty Atom used? From a picture in the book (The Spiritual Journey of Joseph L. Greenstein, pg. 109), it appears that his right hand would have been palm up at the start of the bend (rather than palm down, as it would be if he was using the reverse grip style that is popular today). This has a much different feel to me than reverse grip. It allows for a greater intensity during a max effort because the force is more evenly distributed (hands/wrists/arms/body). With reverse grip, the force is very great on the wrists and hands alone. I'm still dumbfounded by the type of steel that he bent this way - 9" x 1/2" square stock. Was this technique part of the secret to his success?

[Oldtime]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/bla...LY/orly_owl.jpg Edited October 3, 2005 by Oldtime

[Oldtime]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/bla...LY/orly_owl.jpg]

O RLY?

Edited October 3, 2005 by Oldtime

[Mr.Moose]

If I add some pinching and grippers AFTER my bending I recouperate a lot faster even though the volume is higher!!

Contrast baths work wonders aswell but you all knew that already, didn't you?

Claes

[Grh122]

If I add some pinching and grippers AFTER my bending I recouperate a lot faster even though the volume is higher!!

Contrast baths work wonders aswell but you all knew that already, didn't you?

Claes

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I have used contrast baths a few times - after grippers though. I haven't tried them after bending, yet ...

I rarely need a full days rest from bending as long as I keep switching styles. And I do mix in grippers, pinching, wrist curls, and a lot of other exercises.

Double underhand is the exception. I have never gotten injured with it, but it takes days, even weeks for me to get strong at it after a day or two of heavy DU workouts.

[TennisDude]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/bla...LY/orly_owl.jpg]

O RLY?

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Let's keep BB.com MISC section out of this. Gripboard is too useful to be mistreated in such a manner.

Thanks,

TennisDude

[Oldtime]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/bla...LY/orly_owl.jpg]

O RLY?

←

Let's keep BB.com MISC section out of this. Gripboard is too useful to be mistreated in such a manner.

Thanks,

TennisDude

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ahahahhaahaha nice 1.

Just having fun, was kind of bumping the thread for him

[Grh122]

This is easy to try if you have bolt cutters -- just get a 3' by 3/8" piece of HRS or zinc-plated steel and cut it in half. Take one 18" piece, use some heavy padding, and bend it by pulling it upwards, braced under your shin. Then you will have a piece that is bent like a bow. Now - use some heavy leather on both ends and try to bend it further using the alternating grip (one or the other hand braced against your chest/shoulder).

I don't know exactly why but it feels great, maybe because it is using so much of the upper body all at once. It's a good way to finish a workout, switching back and forth between bracing with the left hand and bracing with the right.

I cut a piece like this the other day (a bit shorter actually) and gave it to my brother who has recently bent a Grade 5 bolt. He couldn't budge it ... it makes a good "challenge" bar.