Just Call Me Bendy

[Left Side]

Scott if you could get a shot from the side at the bottom, it would make matters easier. First of all, it looks like your knees are past your toes, a big no no.

[Scott Styles]

I'll see if I can get the next video so my feet are visible. I need to work out consistent, clear video from this direction before trying other angles on for size. I had to triple brighten this one to get the medicore video I did. Another video of me using just the bar that didn't come out at all.

[Clay Edgin]

Some of my favorite moments training in a commercial gym were taking advantage of the yoga classes. I got smart about it and scheduled my workouts to end just as class was beginning so I could go stretch and cool everything down.

[Scott Styles]

01-14-2006 - Workout 4 of 16 - Playing: Nothing

Tonight's workout was good, and I'm responsible for it. About 4pm I was prepared to workout, but really tired. So I took a 3 hour nap. Then I worked out. Pure genius!

Yoga: 12 of 16 chapters

Added in the push ups and back extensors series. No one chapter is killer, but doing them one after another just destroys me. Every time I go through these exercises, I pick up on something I wasn't doing right the time before. Unlike grip, it always makes the workout harder. 4 chapters to go.

Bending, Double Underhand: http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060114DUWO.jpg

FBBC 3/16 Round: 7", 5"

Timber Ties: 6", 6", 6", 6"

FBBC 3/16 Square: Finish the 5" from last workout (PR), 7" (PR)

This was supposed to be a volume workout with nothing but timber ties, learning to use the Ironmind pads. The Iromind pads pissed me off because they are hard to roll tight, so I gave up on them and went back to my wash cloths. Managed to finish that piece of 5" 3/16" square from last workout. And it was ugly.

Then I went back to the Iromind pads. I thought about it. I tried folding the pad over the bar before rolling it up. Success! I can use the bar to pull the material I've folded over it tight. The fold gives me something to hang onto across the entire width of the pad as I roll it up. Not as easy to roll as my wash cloths, but good enough. The material is much more sturdy, definitely puncture resistant. I will be able to get used to this. I did the 7" 3/16" square bend with them.

FBBC 2" Wrist Roller (supported at head height, alternating hands): 1x25, 1x55, 1x55

Made these a little harder by raising the bar. Should make it so I don't have to take down the wrist roller to setup for squats. This was pretty tough on the skin on my hands, I can't imagine what it would be like if there was a knurl on the bar.

Block Weights

Negatives with 35lb blob

Block Weight Curls: 2x25

Finger Press Method: Break 35lb blob off ground

Ahhh!!!! I'm soooo close on the 35lb blob. I was hanging on for a few seconds with the negatives. I got it up with the finger press method. My Block Weight Curls might suffer a little as I get side tracked by this dang blob. I'd love to get it up before Michigan.

Finger Extensions

Green Expand Your Hand Band: 3x12

I got these with my Ironmind order. $1 per rubber band is absurd, but they work great. $1 for something to train the finger extensors is a good deal. I like them.

12 chances left to get stronger

[Scott Styles]

Bending Feedback Needed

Got video of one of my timber tie bends as well as the 5" piece of 3/16" square. I'm bouncing around like a jack rabbit on PCP, but it gives an idea of how I'm bending DU. The square bend has 3 attempts in a row, so it will shift around a bit.

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060114TimberTieDU.wmv (470k)

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060114SquareDU.wmv (4.7m)

These videos also highlight one of my favorite parts of the weekend. I don't have to shave or comb my hair.

[Starkmann]

I can't comment on form, as you know, but you made that tie look easy. I make some hideous faces when I bend, you looked cool, calm and collected. You actually seemed to keep it pretty cool for the square stock, despite the challenge it presented.

Well done.

[Scott Styles]

Attending to Recovery - Workouts 1-4 (Microcycle 1) Results: 93% compliance

A good start to my cycle, I like where this one is heading. Words cannot express how much better working a 40 hour week is than working a 50 hour week. Now I have time to do something fun every day, instead of only on the weekends. That's a huge increase in quality of life for me. It helps to balance the pain from the squats. Astonishingly, my quads are still have a bit of soreness from the 5x95lbs on Thursday. It's going to be a long road.

Environment

1. Keep the humidifiers at home and work full: 13/14 - 93%

2. Wear gloves to bed: 13/14 - 93%

3. Wear gloves when outside: 14/14 - 100%

4. Get 7.5 hours of sleep: 99/105 - 94%

I shorted myself an average of a half hour of sleep a night. There really isn't a good excuse, I've just been staying up too late. Thinking about it, I've been keeping my computer out in the evenings again. It's obvious how to fix this. The computer shouldn't come out in the evening unless I'm writing up a workout. It needs to be put away once I'm done.

Active Recovery

1. Do finger extensions: 13/14 - 93%

2. Play with dexterity balls: 13/14 - 93%

3. Do contrast baths the 2 days following a grip workout: 3/8 - 38%

Now that I have the expand your band hands from Ironmind, I'm going to change my approach to finger extensions. I'll be doing 3 sets of 12 reps on workout days instead of doing 1 set of 20 reps every day. Currently I'm on the green band.

The contrast baths have been getting pushed out by the computer in the evening. I could get away with it in the beginning of the cycle. Now that I'm working hard and have the additional crush workout on Thursday, I need to do these. Grippers aggravate my knuckles and the contrast baths make them feel better. This is definitely additional support for putting the computer away in the evenings unless I'm writing up my workout.

Diet - Eaten Daily

1. Celery and Carrots: 12/14 - 86%

2. Lettuce: 13/14 - 93%

3. 1 Piece Fruit: 14/14 - 100%

4. 3/4 cup Berries: 14/14 - 100%

5. Seed Mix of Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, and Brazil Nuts: 14/14 - 100%

6. Flax Cereal: 13/14 - 93%

7. Yogurt: 12/14 - 86%

8. Beans: 11/14 - 79%

9. Drink iced tea in place of soda: 14/14 - 100%

10. 8oz Soy Milk: 14/14 - 93%

11. Soy Patty: 12/14 - 86%

12. 12oz cup of milk: 14/14 - 100%

13. 200mg DHA: 12/12 - 100%

I'm very happy with how my nutrition has been going. I enjoy the foods I'm eating. Coupled with the reduced stress of working a normal work week, I feel as though my immune system is as strong as it's ever been. I've had zero negative effects from the DHA supplementation and have learned to get past the fishy taste of the supplement. Two changes for my nutrition for the next cycle:

1. I'm going to add in 1/2 cup of peanuts each day. The peanuts will add a few more quality calories and some protien. They will inhibit my ability to consume chips, but hey, there are sacrifices to be made for greatness

2. I've started taking 500mg of glucosamine 3 times a day. The DHA has had zero issues and grippers aggravate my knuckles, so I'm eager to see if the glucosamine will help. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to manage that 3x a day yet. Either I take it at 7:30am, 6:30pm, and 10:30pm, or I have to bring some to work at take it during the day. Not sure how much it matters to space the intake evenly.

Overall, things are going very well. And I have a top secret weapon for getting the computer away at night! I ordered a wireless keyboard for my PDA that should allow me to write up workouts without getting the computer out. I want it for a variety of reasons, but that will definitely be a benefit.

[Scott Styles]

01-17-2006 - Workout 5 of 16 - Playing: Nothing

Conditions were less than optimal for today's workout. I had a pretty intense day at work where I talked to a lot of people and lead several hours of meetings. Being the intraverted geek that I am, it really drains me. Then when I got home I was hungry but had no time to eat. I finally got around to starting my workout at about 7. I was pleasantly suprised. I think my active recovery and diet are turning me into an easy gainer...

Yoga: 14 of 16 chapters (PR)

It took a LOT out of me to fight through chapters 13 and 14 at the end. Just 2 left, and the last one is stretching. I will probably hold it at 14 for Saturday's workout though. This was pretty tough and don't want to take any more out of myself for bending on Saturday.

Bending, Double Underhand: http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060117DUWO.jpg

FBBC 3/16 Round: 7"

Timber Ties: 6", 6"

FBBC 3/16 Square: 6" (PR), 7" (PR)

1/4" Zinc Plated Round: Kink 7"

Turns out the bend I struggled with last week was 6" square, not 5". Bent my last piece entirely in the workout today, it was tough. I tried jumping up to a piece of 7" zinc plated round. Too much, too soon. I'm not sure what's harder, this or a grade 2 bolt. I will try the grade 2 bolt next workout. I also did all my bends with the ironmind pads. Tried one with the wash cloths, they didn't feel as good! I'm pleased I learned how to use the IM pads, as they provide more protection for the flesh on my hands.

FBBC 2" Wrist Roller (supported at head height, alternating hands): 1x25, 1x60 (PR), 1x60 (PR)

Going up! I love that joke. Anyway, doable but tough. Will stick with this weight on Saturday. Need to be careful not to pull the wrist roller into the safety bar now that it is at head height.

Block Weights

Negatives with 35lb blob

Finger Press Lifts with 35lb blob

Break 35lb blob off bench like 1/4" righty (PR)

Hey, where'd my block weight curls go??? I am so freaking close to getting this thing. Very soon now, definitely before Michigan. Wonder if I'll be able to hit one in a block weight medley?

Finger Extensions

Green Expand Your Hand Band: 3x12

These were significantly easier today. It will be interesting to see what effect a progressive approach to training my finger extensors has.

I am very pleased with how my training is going right now. I've got my diet squared away. I'm resting. I have a trip to Gamidon's planned for next Saturday. The Michigan Grip Contest on Feb 11th. Sheer inertia should carry me to some big PRs.

Also, I determined what to do with the glucosamine. I'm taking it before I go to work, when I get home, and right before bed. In between the two evening doses I'm doing contrast baths, daily. I dropped dexterity balls from my recovery factors. I don't feel they are of value if I'm doing buckets and wearing gloves to bed at night. These workouts are beating the snot out of my hands, so this should allow me to keep recovering at least through the Michigan Grip Champs. Not sure what happens after that, but I may reduce the volume a bit as my intensity peaks.

11 chances left to get stronger

[tmmicklabs]

Scott,

Here is my advice to you.

Bending :

DO is the way to go buy if you insist on using DU then try this.

Use DU to get the initial kink. You only need to kink the nail 30 degrees.

At this point flip the nail over and use DO to get it do the crushdown point.

You have to do this quickly so that the steel does not have time to cool down.

Let me know how it goes.

Also feel free to email me anytime at tmmicklabs@gmail.com

Squats :

I want you to do 1 set of 20 reps without the bar or any weight. This will help you get the balance and form perfected. If you can hit 20 and have some energy left then go for another set but this time use the olympic bar but with no weight attached. If you hit 20 then I want you to add a 2 1/2 plate on each side but don't put any clamps on. Now do your next set. It the weights stay on and don't slide around then you will know that you are making progress and keeping the bar level.

Let me know if this advice helps.

[Scott Styles]

I know, DO will give me bigger bends. I'm going to be working for months to match the 6" piece of 1/4" round I bent DO at the BBB with almost no practice. But DO makes my shoulders hurt big time. I'm concerned I will seriously injure them doing DO consistently. Thus the DU. Also, after seeing Big Steve win the BBB with his huge double underhand bend, I really want to do a 60d that way.

If you can tell me how to DU better, I'm all over it.

With the squats, I gotta do what Wannagrip tells me for sets and reps until at least June. He's agreed to invest his time and expertise to guide me towards a better squat. That means I'm going to follow what he says to the letter. I've got several aborted attempts at 20 rep squats already laughing at me from my past.

I will keep them in the queue though.

[Scott Styles]

01-19-2006 - Workout X of 16 - Playing: Nothing

Another gripper and squat form workout. Again, owned by the squats, love the grippers.

Let's Just Call these Half Squats

5x45lbs

5x95lbs

5x95lbs

5x95lbs

3x95lbs

Man, I was so pleased with how easy it was to bang out all these sets. Then I went to the video. Turns out if I don't think about depth, I'm way too shallow. I was focusing on breathing deep before the descent and not making faces in these vids:

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060119SquatSet1.wmv

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060119SquatSet2.wmv

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060119SquatSet3.wmv

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060119SquatSet4.wmv

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060119SquatSet5.wmv

It's good I'm going to Gamidon's next weekend. I feel like I got worse! I'm going to need the immediate feedback of someone who knows what they are doing correcting me as I go through the motions. I'm also going to spend some quality time with the Insider's Guide once I finish this write up. Sucking this bad at something and doing it anyway has got to be good for me as a person.

I'm going to take the PVC sleeve I put on my longer barbell off, so I can use it for squatting. The barbell I'm currently using keeps banging into the power rack and supports as I'm taking it in and out of position.

Grippers

Squeezes / Attempts on: T, #1, #2, #2, M, M, SA, SA, #1, T

Righty did better than lefty, as always. Managed to get a clear vid of a #2 close righty. Next goal is to get back to and video the close lefty. Somehow, I feel like this slightly redeems my piss poor squatting:

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060119TwoClose.wmv

Finger Extensions

Green Band: 3x12 - These are getting easier by the workout.

I will do this workout again next week. Gonna make for a painful time at Gamidon's on Saturday, I reckon.

[chrisof4]

Hi, Scott. I think you did great with the squats. Your thighs are coming close parallel, and that is probably a good goal to shoot for. Really deep squats are kind of an extreme lift that can be hard on your joints, especially if you don't know what you are doing. The flexibility to go lower will come. Heck, I was doing squats tonight, and went so low on my first rep I fell over backward! . Thank God for the pins in my cage. Now, that is what I call crappy form.

Stick with Wanna and his advice. I doubt you can go wrong there. He will be an excellent coach, and you will progress quickly.

[Starkmann]

believe it or not your squats look better. No they aren't deep enough but everything else looks much better. It goes back to the one law of accounting I actually believe in, "You get what you measure". If you are focused on keeping your back upright and not making faces, chances are your back will stay upright and you won't make faces but at the cost of something else. If you focus on depth, you may make faces and round your back. The only way around it is to keep training it and keep getting feedback and altering your focus.

You will get there.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to reading your encyclopedia and help guide on squats that you will write in '08. ;-)

[honk]

Keep up the good work!

And always remember that there is no dishonor is squating light weights.

Squating with an empty bar was hard for me after I smashed my knees, flying a hangglider.

[Scott Styles]

Thanks guys. It's going to be a long process. I'm probably one of the least coordinated people on this board. My mental checklist for next week will be:

1. Lift my chest up and get the lungs full of air. As much as I can hold.

2. Focus on pushing through my heels, both going up and down

3. Focus on keeping the decent even.

4. No grimacing

I looked through Insider's Guide last night, and it seems obvious why I did so poorly learning form from it before. There is so much information, without guidance I have no idea what to focus on to correct my problems. It was quite overwhelming. I'll carry the book around with me and keep reviewing it. I've got McRobert's new book in the mail and will be interested to see how he treats the need to break the form down into learnable chunks.

[tmmicklabs]

The form is looking much better Bro.

You just need to go deeper.

Don't be afriad.

You do have a rack to catch the bar if you fall over or get stuck.

I would also recommend praticing by only using your body weight.

[honk]

OK, overheadsquats do require some coordination but your yoga background will help you on these cause overheadsquats are actually a strength-flexibility feat.

I don't know any weightexercise that would help you more with bringing your sternum up while squating.

Even weightlifters start with a broomstick, so don't trade from for plates.

[Starkmann]

Unless wannagrip knows something I don't, screw the no grimacing. Don't waste focus and energy on not grimacing. If you're working hard your gonna look like crap.

Focus on the other things you listed.

I don't think your lady is gonna leave you after all this time just cause you make faces when you lift.

I'll bet she's seen you make funnier faces before.....

[Starkmann]

I'm with Honk on the broomstick thing. It took me several weeks of training witha broomstick to be able to overhead squat the bar. I still do them more often with a broomstick.

My dad likes to tell me that when he got to work with the olympic lifting team in Seol(sp?) South Korea they used broomsticks all the time, even the day before actual competition. I have no idea if it's true or not, but it's what he says.

[Scott Styles]

Heh, you guys are getting ahead of me here. I've only squatted twice so far this year. I think I need to just practice doing it some more before I worry about overhead squats.

Here's a question about the unweighted squat practice - What if I find it much harder to have good form with no weight? Look at the difference between my first set with the empty bar and my second set with 95lbs. I feel like having a small amount of weight makes it easier for me to stay upright. My limiting factor in making videos of the sets was that my camera ran out of room.

I think the advice on the faces is a mental thing. If I act like the weight is hard, I'm going to think it's heavy and fail. I mean, this is only 95lbs we are talking about here. Once I get my form dialed down and believe I am capable of more, it will be easy.

And yes, there have been many jokes by Rachel about the faces I make while training. She loves to watch me do the yoga, especially when I'm pounding on the mat with my hands and cussing at the woman on the DVD for making it so hard.

[Starkmann]

I can have the same trouble with squats. When I warm up, just using the bar makes it look like I'm having a seizure or something, 135 is a little shaky, 225 looks like I finally know what the hell I am doing.

I have also yelled at the chick on the DVD, in my case it was KAren Voight or Denise Austin, I forgot. Some of those yoga/fitness chicks are bad ass. Of course, they can't lift, bend or crush for anything.

[honk]

Here's a question about the unweighted squat practice - What if I find it much harder to have good form with no weight? Look at the difference between my first set with the empty bar and my second set with 95lbs. I feel like having a small amount of weight makes it easier for me to stay upright. My limiting factor in making videos of the sets was that my camera ran out of room.

Either your spine isnt flexible enough at the chest area or your upper back is too weak.

Overheadsquats will work both of these problems.

Get a broomstick please and treat it like gymnastics.

[Starkmann]

I thought about my squat comments above and realized one thing that applies to both you and I.

If you are having trouble with unweighted squats it shows that you are not controling your decent enough. You must think about pulling your body down. Don't simply give into the weight and gravity, actually lower yourself.

I think different people think about the specifics a little differently, personally I have to feel my hips being sucked in and down. Other people think more about feeling their belly sit betwen their hips and feeling the torso suspend between the legs.

I think Wannagrip or Gamidon could give you some specific tips to help you.

[Scott Styles]

Starkmann, good point, I will consciously slow the decent of my squats next workout.

01-21-2006 - Workout 6 of 16 - Playing: Nothing

Ironically my success is becoming my downfall. I'm happy cause my workouts have been going well, so I've been obsessing over them. Thinking about them a lot and checking the message boards all the time. Today, I was burnt out and lacked the drive I needed to do well. Doh! To fix this, for the next week, I'll be checking the board only after my workouts. My hands are also getting rather beat up, so no grippers in the middle of the week next week, just squats.

Yoga: 7 of 16 chapters

Wasn't hard, I just got sick of doing it. I stopped at the end of chapter 7, telling myself I'd come back to it after my grip workout. It didn't happen.

Bending, Double Underhand: http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20060121DUWO.jpg

FBBC 3/16 Round: 7", 7" kink to crushdown

Timber Ties: 6"

Grade 2 bolts: Kink 6", Kink 6"

1/4" Zinc Plated Round: Kink 7"

Well, the grade 2 bolt is harder the the 7" zinc plated 1/4" round. I probably would have finished the zinc plated if I hadn't attempted the bolts first. I could have flipped the bar over and finished it using double overhand, but that's not the point of what I'm trying to do here. I want to get the bar to at least 90 degrees before flipping it over. The 3/16" round kink shows the point I can get steel to double underhand. Next workout I will make a piece of the 7" zinc plated round my first heavy bend. Then I'll work on finishing off all the partially bent stock I have laying around. The grade 2 will likely go down at Greg's on Saturday.

FBBC 2" Wrist Roller (supported at shoulder height, alternating hands): 1x25, 1x60, 1x60

This was pretty easy. I will got to 65lbs next workout.

Block Weights

Negatives with 35lb blob

Might need to return to the block weight curls for a few workouts before I can finally finish this beast off. It just wasn't going up today. I also blame the gripper work mid-week for leaving my hands tired.

Finger Extensions

Green Expand Your Hand Band: 3x12

10 chances left to get stronger

[smp76]

Scott are you still using shop rags to bend with? I am just asking because I just read your log and you mentioned it a while back and I know that as you progress in your bends you will want more and more padding. Bending nails can be dangerous if you are using cloth that is sub-cordura. Just a thought. Your whole workout looks good man keep it up.

-Sean