The Best Assistance Exercise For Horseshoe Bending

[pawel r]

Please write me what practices you execute

[Tim71]

I do some thick handled dumbell lifts to help the grip and pulling power and I think alot of the top guys just get a really hard shoe and do isos with it.

I by no means and a horseshoe expert though but I've heard of Pat refering to an ISO shoe so evidently he does the ISOS.

Tim

[cjsta]

I like volume bending on lighter shoes like St. Croix Ultra's in different sizes and with multiple hand placements to hit the wrists from many angles and I also do ISOS with a shoe in the hand placement I use the most for h-shoe bending.

Chris

Edited May 31, 2007 by cjsta

[kerbjr]

AB Wheel...............Seriously, my kink on the shoes has gotten a ton better as I have increased reps on the wheel.......BK

[Cunny]

What level of strength is required (about) for easy shoes?

Do you have to dig into the leg much with the bracing?

[cjsta]

What level of strength is required (about) for easy shoes?

Do you have to dig into the leg much with the bracing?

The horseshoe motion is unique and it's hard to compare it to anything else. I have found the biggest part of getting the shoe started is being able to squeeze hard enough to prevent the shoe from spining as you apply presure to begin the bend. I'd say get some St. Croix Ultralites from FBBC and give them a try. I feel the size "0" is the easiest due to it's width compared to it's length. I'd also order some "1" and "2" sizes also. If you can do them, great. If not you have some isos tools.

When I started doing h-shoes I would get small bruises from pushing down on the top of the leg and also on the side of the leg from starting the shoe but with time they have for the most part stopped. You can also avoid this by using a towel rolled up to pad your leg it will still toughen up over time this way but very slowly when compared to the no pad way.

I hope this helps,

Chris

Edited June 2, 2007 by cjsta

[antarath]

Got major problems with the initial kink when bracing it on the thigh.

That's why I always start it off in front of my chest (only using my wrists),

but of course; as the shoes get bigger, you would have to be a gorilla to start em off that way.

[Tim71]

I've found too that you can help a little by paying attention to which way the wraps are rolled on. You want your grip to be tightening the wraps as the shoe is trying to twist in your grip. Hard to explain but it'll make since when you try it.

I'm with Chris too on the bruising. I really got buises on the side of my thigh, or really sore spots even though it really didn't feel like I was punishing my leg very much. Now to me the pushing down on the thigh is very uncomfortable because that bending is running the opposite way of say a spike or bar would.

Not sure about what level of strength is required. I've never tested people with horseshoes like I have with nails and bars. I'd guess that you could probably find a stout non-bender who could bend the ultralite but the classics and above I highly doubt. I've not made it past the diamond classics myself. To me the tougher horseshoes are a real feat of strength. To do a St croix lite (not ultra lite) #1 or diamond bronco #1 or tougher is extremely impressive. I've got a regular St croix #2 which is 3/8 inch thick and man it just feels like a monster to try and bend. That monster that Mats has is just unreal. You kink that #8 on your chest Mats and I'll be real impressed.

Tim