Test Drive Of The Scf-xtra#4

[Brad Manion]

Based on my success with the SCF-Xtra#5 last week, I thought the Xtra#4 wouldn't be too bad. Wrong. I got it to 90 degrees within a minute or so, but it took 3-4 hits. If I could've gotten it to 90 in 1-2 hits, the rest of the way would've been a lot easier than what I went through yesterday. I spent the next 30 minutes getting the shoe from 90 to 140 degrees of damage. I don't know who was hurt worse, me or the shoe In boxing terminology, I'd say that the shoe "won by decision" yesterday, but it's time is short.

I made a few observations and I'd appreciate some feedback:

1) My recovery time is steadily increasing. When I first started taking down DC1's, I could bend every 3-4 days, maybe even 5. Once I started getting the SCF-Lite non-rims a few weeks ago, I've noticed it's taking a minimum of 8 days. I could probably use even more time, as I never seem fully healed when I bend. Even if the bruises have completely faded, the bending points are still tender.

2) My plan, like most out there who do this style of bending, is to bend the [biggest] toughest shoes out there. So, in order for me to eventually bend the KH draft shoes and the KH SSP shoes (small draft), I'm going to have to stockpile the SCF-Xtra#4 and #5 shoes as they are the same dimensions --- except 1/16" thinner --- as the KH SSP #4 and #5 shoes. To get used to the extra bar thickness, I'll buy more SCF-Regular Rims and SCF-Regulars, size #3, but I'll buy some #2's of each type as well. Don't know if I can do either shoe just yet, but it seems like the sensible approach.

3) Tougher horseshoes are starting to eat through my wraps, giving them less bite onto the steel when I make my attempts at DO unbraced bending, killing any efforts I make. Does anybody use a certain set of wraps strictly for horseshoes and another strictly for other types of bending.

I took a few pictures of the Xtra#4, but they didn't turn out so well. I will try again when I get home from work this evening and post them once they are of sufficient quality.

[MalachiMcMullen]

On the recovery times, the more force you exert=more tearing down of the body=longer recovery times. However, keep going after tougher shoes and eventually you'll be taking down Lites almost every day if you wanted. It's simply a matter of getting stronger. If your max squat was 300, you couldn't expect to squat 280 very often let alone 300. Once your squat is up to 400, you'll be doings sets of 280 and 300. See what I mean?

I used to use the same wraps for horseshoes as I do DO bending and I still do, but since those are my favorite wraps I reserve them only for contests and PR bends. I can honestly say I wouldn't have bent that Edgin at BBB last weekend if I weren't using my good wraps. They don't stretch(I don't like stretchy ones), they are super dense and seasoned, they used to be tan but have been coated white with chalk, and they are being torn apart at the edges. Now I use any thinner leather, never suede(never gets tight enough).

[Brad Manion]

Thanks for the feedback. Don't know about bending Lites every day as that'd get more than a bit expensive. I definitely appreciate the insight on the wraps. Seems like I can use any old leather I have laying around for the shoes as long as it's easy to grip on the outside. Chalk probably makes that irrelevant. As painful as it will be, I'll keep on training the tougher shoes.

When doing DO bends, though, besides my current inability to reprogram my nerves and muscle, I feel that my wraps aren't optimal. They do have a bit of stretch to them. I always thought that helped as I can get more layers, and tightly packed layers at that. I do see your point though, for as the leather gets stretched, it loses its tightness.

One other thing I noticed is a mental issue. All feats of strength, particularly our bending feats, are the products of technical expertise and physical strength. Built through rehearsals, via the hundreds of repetitions done beforehand, one would think that such skill would never diminish provided that rehearsals/trials/attempts continue once one has [relatively] healed. I have found, however, that I while I feed off of crowd energy, I do many times better in front of "non-civilians" in the strength world, even if that group is much smaller.

Last night, I was training with a bunch of high school kids that are really green with regards to training. They, like I was when I was the new guy, are afraid to speak up, to not only yell encouragement, but call you out when you make mistakes or let up in your effort. When I took down the Lite#2 non-rim and the Xtra#5 a little over a week ago, I did this as an extra part of a planned PL training session. I was training in a dungeon on the order of the Larkin Gym. Present were several world and national caliber powerlifters, all of them way more accomplished than me in that sport. They let me know, in pretty much unspoken but definite terms, that my honor was at stake. That got me past the usual barrier with a Lite+ shoe, the 90-100 degree mark, with a ton of speed, strength, and above all else, absolute authority with the task at hand. I've always wondered how to harness that sort of power when training, especially when I train alone.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Thanks for the feedback. Don't know about bending Lites every day as that'd get more than a bit expensive. I definitely appreciate the insight on the wraps. Seems like I can use any old leather I have laying around for the shoes as long as it's easy to grip on the outside. Chalk probably makes that irrelevant. As painful as it will be, I'll keep on training the tougher shoes.

When doing DO bends, though, besides my current inability to reprogram my nerves and muscle, I feel that my wraps aren't optimal. They do have a bit of stretch to them. I always thought that helped as I can get more layers, and tightly packed layers at that. I do see your point though, for as the leather gets stretched, it loses its tightness.

One other thing I noticed is a mental issue. All feats of strength, particularly our bending feats, are the products of technical expertise and physical strength. Built through rehearsals, via the hundreds of repetitions done beforehand, one would think that such skill would never diminish provided that rehearsals/trials/attempts continue once one has [relatively] healed. I have found, however, that I while I feed off of crowd energy, I do many times better in front of "non-civilians" in the strength world, even if that group is much smaller.

Last night, I was training with a bunch of high school kids that are really green with regards to training. They, like I was when I was the new guy, are afraid to speak up, to not only yell encouragement, but call you out when you make mistakes or let up in your effort. When I took down the Lite#2 non-rim and the Xtra#5 a little over a week ago, I did this as an extra part of a planned PL training session. I was training in a dungeon on the order of the Larkin Gym. Present were several world and national caliber powerlifters, all of them way more accomplished than me in that sport. They let me know, in pretty much unspoken but definite terms, that my honor was at stake. That got me past the usual barrier with a Lite+ shoe, the 90-100 degree mark, with a ton of speed, strength, and above all else, absolute authority with the task at hand. I've always wondered how to harness that sort of power when training, especially when I train alone.

Brad, I know exactly what your talking about. When I'm about to do something for a group of grip guys, I get a tingle that I can only assume is adrenaline starting to flow and I can bend much bigger steel. I never would've hearted the Lite 2 Rim I did after GGC if I didn't have Paul and Nick there to try and impress. Heck, it used to be that a Regular 2 Rim was a fight every inch. After BBB4 I bent a Regular Rim that felt easier than my first Lite. Certainly within 1 minute to an S. BUT, when I try to tear a deck of cards in front of old friends it might as well be an off day automatically because I don't have the fear of failure in front of people that I know and that know me well.

[Brad Manion]

One minute to an "S" with the Regular Rim #2, huh? I now know what I must do....

[MalachiMcMullen]

One minute to an "S" with the Regular Rim #2, huh? I now know what I must do....

Haha! KILL IT BRAD!