bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I'll start from the "beginning." 8 days ago Travis Mickelberry finally convinced me to let him phone coach me through a bending session. I've watched him bend in person and he's tried to help get me into position to bend the bigger stuff but to no avail. I think that was because of some serious inflexibility. I've lost quite a bit of weight since the last bending lesson and I've been working hard on getting and keeping the nail up high under my chin. I've had decent success and of course earlier this year switched to DO from DU and worked my way up to the Grade 8 level, with a 5 and 7/8" Grade 8 being my best bend until today. Anyway, on that phone coaching session on the 25th, he managed to talk me through getting a prekinked (to 90 degrees) Red Nail to finally move and it went fast on the crushdown. I was thrilled with that. And thought that maybe I'd be able to bend a straight Red Nail with quite a bit of work. He predicted 2 weeks and it would fall. He was wrong. But only in a positive way! Today I finally finished off a Red Nail that I started from straight almost a week ago. I hit it multiple times with both DU and DO. Barely moving it penny width by penny width. I was just happy to make it move a penny width each session. Today I didn't do anything different in my warmups. Did 2 pieces of 7" long 1/4" CRS. Both were fast and easy. Then I spent the rest of my long morning trying to finish off the prekinked Red. It took a LONG time. But finally got it in the end. So I thought my celebratory story would end there...lucky thing it didn't. I decided that I was going to try something new with my wraps. My hands were very sore and bleeding/raw in places. But I still wanted to bend. So I wrapped a 7" Bastard bar that GatorGrip sent me quite a while ago up with leather first. Rubber banded those wraps into place like usual. Then I wrapped the leather up in the Ironmind pads. My thinking was that the extra padding would only help me push a little bit harder but I also thought it would probably not be nearly as effective since it was more material to slip around...but I gave it a shot. Oh what a serendipitous chance it was. Stood in front of the mirror and although I was pretty sure the Bastard wouldn't budge, I timed it just for laughs. Bent the 7" Bastard bar in 1 minute and 9 seconds! DO all the way. To say I was surprised would be laughable. I almost crapped my pants with astonishment. I had to check again to make sure it was FBBC Bastard stock. It was. And to top it off it was bent 1/4" off center! Since I'm incredibly greedy I wrapped up another bar that Gator sent me in that package that I thought I'd never need. A 6.5" Big Bastard bar. Called Travis for some good old fashioned encouragement and inspiration. He delivered like usual. So I hung up and fired up the webcam just so I'd get it all on tape. Big Bastard went down in 1 minute and 5 seconds! DO again all the way! I didn't know what to say, so I just called Travis again and babbled on about how good of a bending coach he is (which he is!) and how I probably should pay him $1,000,000 if and when I win the lottery. He was very excited for me and told me to stop messing around and go hit the 6" Huge Bastard bar that Gator also included! Damn and I thought I was greedy. Well, the Huge Bastard bar put up a great fight. I got it to 90 degrees in about 35 seconds! I couldn't finish it off though and kept fighting it and fighting it and then fighting it some more. Travis shouted at me over the speaker phone while I gave it a good shot. What a friend! I took it out of the wraps and saw immediately that it was 3/4" off center bent! Holy crap. If I hadn't been that far off I'm pretty sure I could have finished it off fresh. By the time I attempted the Huge Bastard I had bent so many pieces of steel that were over my previous PR that it's freaking insane to me. After a while I wrapped up a 1/4"X7" FBBC square because I've never bent one even after many tries. That felt pretty easy. 32 seconds! Could have done it sitting down at that point. I hope this inspires a lot of people that are considering giving up to hit it again. Then again. Then change something and hit it again! The double wraps thing might help a lot more people like me who just can't stand the finger pain. I'd like to get the video posted because it's pretty neat to see a guy who was stuck at Grade 8 all of a sudden bending a Big Bastard. Thanks to all you guys who have given very generously of your time and money to give me assistance with my bending! It's been a long road. And I don't consider this the end of the road by any means. My next goal will be to buy some more Bastard stock and then get certed officially. I'll rest up and do the 7" Bastard as a "warmup" for the 6.5" Big Bastard with Travis witnessing. Then I'll try the Huge Bastard again and climb the rankings a bit. KILL THE STEEL GUYS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaccord Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 That's crazy! Congrats. Keep it up. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dude Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Congrats Ben, much deserved man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Thanks guys! Josh, you'll be here soon...the way your bending is progressing. Dude, thanks man! You're already in the club I want to be a part of. Huge Bastard crushdown is crazy. It just froze at the 90 degree mark and I couldn't finish it to save my life. You guys are badass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handgripperman Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Congrats Ben !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dude Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Thanks guys! Josh, you'll be here soon...the way your bending is progressing. Dude, thanks man! You're already in the club I want to be a part of. Huge Bastard crushdown is crazy. It just froze at the 90 degree mark and I couldn't finish it to save my life. You guys are badass. I think now would be a good time for you to enter here Mr. Ben ---> http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtop...6311&st=880 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Thanks guys! Josh, you'll be here soon...the way your bending is progressing. Dude, thanks man! You're already in the club I want to be a part of. Huge Bastard crushdown is crazy. It just froze at the 90 degree mark and I couldn't finish it to save my life. You guys are badass. I think now would be a good time for you to enter here Mr. Ben ---> http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtop...6311&st=880 Oh holy shit man! I don't think I'm in the same league as even the so-called "weakest" guy in this bending race. You guys are bending stuff that would leave me in traction. I would love to enter it just for the inspiration but I'd feel like an 8 year old signing up to fight Mike Tyson in his prime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatBoy Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 (edited) Big Ben thats some crazy, but well earned progress thats been a long time coming. Congrats Ben, thats truly inspiring. Edited August 3, 2006 by FatBoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Eaton Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 What a PR day Ben you inspire others to set goals and see them through is hard to match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Wow, that were some real fast bends Ben. So, it clicked and you found your form, finally ... Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don chi Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Impressive Ben, awesome work!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Ben Told you bro that if you bent like you crush grippers it would be a done deal. WOW attacking the bastard ranks already Well earned mate Ben Told you bro that if you bent like you crush grippers it would be a done deal. WOW attacking the bastard ranks already Well earned mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyah!!! Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I thought you would get it quick but 1day!!! Congrats Ben!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Ben, this is awesome!!! Way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerbjr Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 WOW , outstanding work my friend. Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teemu I Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Ben, great job! I also enjoyed reading your story about it all, now that's the way to write about your experiences! I bet it motivates many benders and you gave that away FREE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 BenTold you bro that if you bent like you crush grippers it would be a done deal. WOW attacking the bastard ranks already Well earned mate Ben Told you bro that if you bent like you crush grippers it would be a done deal. WOW attacking the bastard ranks already Well earned mate I remember being on chat the other day with you and Franky and you guys telling me exactly what I needed to do. It's so weird when the form finally just feels right and everything drops into place. This morning I wrapped up a 6" FBBC square and could have taken it out but didn't think I'd push my luck so I quit. The form felt easy and natural like I'd always been bending that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Wow, that were some real fast bends Ben.So, it clicked and you found your form, finally ... Congrats! Thanks Franky! I thought the bends were considered a bit slow though. I know John allows 5 minutes for them but I've seen guys just melt through the Big Bastard and above. Keeps a guy humble. With this double padding I think I could also do a Red DU but time will tell. I'll have to order some more. Actually I'm reading for a bunch of Bastard and above stock at this point. I'll work on my form with some volume bends of Bastard and see where it takes me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alawadhi Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 (edited) You are from different planet!!!!!!! btw, are you (Ben) better at DO or DU? Edited August 3, 2006 by Alawadhi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menace3000 Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Very inspirational. What type of other gripwork/strength training did you do in between? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acorn Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Awesome Ben! - Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 You are from different planet!!!!!!!btw, are you (Ben) better at DO or DU? Thanks man! I am now better at DO but with the double padding I am getting the feeling that I could go at least Bastard level DU (for the kink) because I was (until yesterday) a better DU kinker than DO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Very inspirational. What type of other gripwork/strength training did you do in between? Thanks Menace. I am a gripper fanatic although not especially strong on them. I do some 2 hand pinch stuff and am VERY weak on that. Also a bit of thick bar thrown in for good measure. And I'm a relatively decent vertical bar lifter...throw in some pullups and dips and the occasional reverse curl for good measure. That's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetAGrip87 Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Your a MONSTER!!! Way to go BENDCRUSH!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmmicklabs Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Awesome job Ben. A good wrap and great form go a long ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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