About The Grade 5 Bolt

[ObsceneJester]

Today I tried some bending and there had it's ups and downs.

I will start will the failures..

I bought some 1/4 square steel today from Home Depot and cut them into 7.5 inches in order to help me with the red.. Sadly it didn't move.. then I hit the Grade 5 to see if I could put a kink into it.. again nothing.. Then I bent the grade 5 to 90ish and worked on the crush down and I have to say I have never fought so hard to get something under 2 inches in my life.. it felt so much harder then the 5/16 CRS I have and have been crushing down..

I don't know if it's in all Grade 5's but that thing was so springy that it felt just when it was about to move.. it didn't and kinda sprigged back to 180 degrees.. I felt discouraged because like before that grade 5 is not moving..

Now to my somewhat success's

I have been having a hard time with these new galvanized 60D nails. Till a couple of days ago I couldn't bend 1 of them without a cheat kink.. and today I took down three in 5-6 mins. It feels like I'm progressing and I have been in short supply of my steel until my order from FBBC comes in. I have a bunch of 5/16 CRS that I just seem to only be able to do from 90 degrees.. 1 more galvanized 60D, 2 Grade 5's and about five 7.5" 1/4 square left and they all seem above me.. Iso work is fun but it seems like I'm stuck at 90 with most of this stuff and I really feel at lost with what I should do even when my bag gets here..

Not to sound all whiny but I was killing the steel Ben gave me (again thanks) and I was doing better then blues..

Just when I think I know something about steel or how to bend it, some other blocks come into my way (which I enjoy it makes it fun) but it teaches me that I don't know anything and I then because frustrated. I don't know if others feel the same way I do or maybe it's just me make a fuss about nothing but it is getting to me knowing I should be atleast getting those grade 5's and I'm not

[jaccord]

Hey Bro.

We all hit road blocks at times. The important thing is that you're going to stick with it and get past it. I found the same problem with GRD 5's when I was first bending them. The initial kink was tough, but it was nothing to the crushdown. The crushdown was a bear! It did have a springy feeling to it, unlike a piece of ¼" CRS. The first time I tried a Grd 5, after being able to get the blue just about whenever I wanted, it wouldn't budge. I couldn't believe it. I thought, ¼" is ¼", why won't it move? I too, was frustrated. It took me weeks to get it. BUT, I did. After I could get 3 GRD 5's in a row in about a minute, I though I would be able to conquer that GRD 8 no problem. To my surprise is was more difficult that the first time I tried the GRD 5. Wouldn't even budge. Again, I was in disbelief.

I'm not sure what you're workouts are like, maybe you've got some posted in the workout section - I'll check it out, but try alternating between easier volume workouts (like a bunch of 60D's in a row or whatever is relatively easy for ya) and tough workouts with steel you can barely get or haven't quite gotten before, after a warmup. Try pre-kinking bigger stuff and practicing on the crushdown. I realized, for myself, that the biggest factors for my improving so far is finding good form (which to me includes wrapping the steel tight and having a tight grip), getting the right amount of rest between workouts and probably most importantly for me is just plain toughening up my hands which will just naturally happen over time with bending. All of which takes time. With the desire you've got, you will get there. And just because you've hit a roadblock, doesn't mean you don't know anything.

Also, don't forget to EXPLODE on that steel. You're there to destroy it. If you hit it hard and you don't feel it budge, don't let up, keep at it. Chalk helps too.

Anyway, I'm not an expert or anything, just my two cents. Hope this helps.

Josh

[Cannon]

...but it teaches me that I don't know anything and I then because frustrated. I don't know if others feel the same way I do or maybe it's just me make a fuss about nothing but it is getting to me knowing I should be atleast getting those grade 5's and I'm not

This isn't what you should have learned by reaching a limit. You're doing a really good job and progressing quickly and safely, which is about as much as you can ask for. You know how to be creative and work through barriers, so keep hitting the steel and new PRs will come along. If you should be getting Grade 5s, then you would be getting them! When your FBBC kit arrives, bend everything you can, keep prekinking harder stock, working the isos, and maybe do some non-bending workouts that have carry over--like levering. Get more 60Ds and bend them for volume. You know what to do. ROCK THE AWESOME BENDING POWER.