Advice on bending volume?

[Metacarpal]

Hello,

I am new to bending and would appreciate any advice on a few questions I have.

Background:

I have done sledge levering and various wrist flexion/extension exercises about twice a week for a year.  Over the last month I have played around with 3/16 CRS, ¼ CRS, Grade 2 bolts and 40D nails for the purpose of general wrist conditioning.  I’ve also been doing full body training (weight pull ups, presses, lunges, etc.) for two years.

I would like to start a more formal bending progression.  Everywhere I look online says that you should not just bend steel that is at your absolute limit but to also do volume work with lighter bars to condition the tendons, muscles, etc. 

Questions:

1    1. How many submaximal bends per week is typically sufficient for volume for a new bender?  I know this will differ for person to person, but is there a rough ballpark range you can give me that worked for you? 

2    2. How many max bends would you recommend per week or month?

Thanks for any advice.

[Buccos1]

This is definitely something that is going to vary among benders, but my advice would be to experiment and document your results.  I would spend a few weeks with a volume template and then adjust, dependent upon how things were progressing.  In the beginning, you will make progress no matter what you do, as long as you are bending consistently, and not getting hurt.

Eventually, I settled into a routine of 2 sessions per week, with a total volume of 8-10 bends per-session.  Over time, the sessions and volume decreased, but the jumps in between stock difficulty ramped up faster per-session.  I would identify a bar or # I was going after and set up my programming to take that bar down over the next few weeks or months.  I was doing 1-2 max bends per-session ... usually 2-3 per-week.  This would always change too dependent upon what else I had going on (grippers, powerlifting comps etc.).

 

[Donc101]

When I was starting bending, what worked for me to progress is to add additional bends of the best bar I could do each workout. So if 9/32 was my best bend for 1 bar, the next workout I would try to do 2 bars then 3 or 4 the next week. Eventually, I would try the next hardest bar, probably 1/4" square. Maybe I could only do it part of the way. The next week I would do the 1/4" square as far as i could and then volume on the  9/32 bars until i could finish the 1/4" square. Then I would start trying to add an additional bar each week of the 1/4" square.   

I think most of your bends should be 75-80% of your max or above. I have the most success when I am using max or near max bends.  Doing tons of bends that are easy for you probably has some benefits and may be good to do once in awhile for endurance but for the most part stick with harder bends.  Always make sure your technique is dialed in and perfect. 

I think the most important key for advancing is consistency.  Since I started bending 2.5 years ago, I really have not missed any bending workouts unless I was on vacation and I may have bent then.  Just doing it week after week and building slowly will make you strong and will keep you injury free. The accumulation adds up over time.

Good luck and post your progress. 

  

[Danny Young]

22 hours ago, Metacarpal said:

Hello,

 

I am new to bending and would appreciate any advice on a few questions I have.

 

Background:

 

I have done sledge levering and various wrist flexion/extension exercises about twice a week for a year.  Over the last month I have played around with 3/16 CRS, ¼ CRS, Grade 2 bolts and 40D nails for the purpose of general wrist conditioning.  I’ve also been doing full body training (weight pull ups, presses, lunges, etc.) for two years.

 

I would like to start a more formal bending progression.  Everywhere I look online says that you should not just bend steel that is at your absolute limit but to also do volume work with lighter bars to condition the tendons, muscles, etc. 

Questions:

 

1    1. How many submaximal bends per week is typically sufficient for volume for a new bender?  I know this will differ for person to person, but is there a rough ballpark range you can give me that worked for you? 

2    2. How many max bends would you recommend per week or month?

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

What's your goal?

[Metacarpal]

20 hours ago, Buccos1 said:

This is definitely something that is going to vary among benders, but my advice would be to experiment and document your results.  I would spend a few weeks with a volume template and then adjust, dependent upon how things were progressing.  In the beginning, you will make progress no matter what you do, as long as you are bending consistently, and not getting hurt.

Eventually, I settled into a routine of 2 sessions per week, with a total volume of 8-10 bends per-session.  Over time, the sessions and volume decreased, but the jumps in between stock difficulty ramped up faster per-session.  I would identify a bar or # I was going after and set up my programming to take that bar down over the next few weeks or months.  I was doing 1-2 max bends per-session ... usually 2-3 per-week.  This would always change too dependent upon what else I had going on (grippers, powerlifting comps etc.).

 

Thanks for your response!  That at least helps dial it in a little.  I just got done using the Texas method for my regular lifting where volume means 5x5.  I was really hoping I did not have to bend 25 bars per session.  That would have gotten expensive.

[Metacarpal]

On 8/12/2018 at 11:42 AM, Donc101 said:

When I was starting bending, what worked for me to progress is to add additional bends of the best bar I could do each workout. So if 9/32 was my best bend for 1 bar, the next workout I would try to do 2 bars then 3 or 4 the next week. Eventually, I would try the next hardest bar, probably 1/4" square. Maybe I could only do it part of the way. The next week I would do the 1/4" square as far as i could and then volume on the  9/32 bars until i could finish the 1/4" square. Then I would start trying to add an additional bar each week of the 1/4" square.   

I think most of your bends should be 75-80% of your max or above. I have the most success when I am using max or near max bends.  Doing tons of bends that are easy for you probably has some benefits and may be good to do once in awhile for endurance but for the most part stick with harder bends.  Always make sure your technique is dialed in and perfect. 

I think the most important key for advancing is consistency.  Since I started bending 2.5 years ago, I really have not missed any bending workouts unless I was on vacation and I may have bent then.  Just doing it week after week and building slowly will make you strong and will keep you injury free. The accumulation adds up over time.

Good luck and post your progress. 

  

Thanks.  That’s seems very logical.

I am trying to find the most affordable way to get this volume in.  There is cheap crs where I live but the 1/4 is easy(even 5.5”) and the 5/16 is way beyond me.  I got some drill rod from Fastenal last week after reviewing Aaron Corcorans calibration chart.  Is this what you do? Do have any tips for bulk orders of steel?  

[Donc101]

1 hour ago, Metacarpal said:

Thanks.  That’s seems very logical.

I am trying to find the most affordable way to get this volume in.  There is cheap crs where I live but the 1/4 is easy(even 5.5”) and the 5/16 is way beyond me.  I got some drill rod from Fastenal last week after reviewing Aaron Corcorans calibration chart.  Is this what you do? Do have any tips for bulk orders of steel?  

Drill rod is definitely a good way to go. I never bent much drill rod myself until I started training for the Bay State bending comp earlier this year, but a good thing to do because you can work your way up in small increments.  With crs, after 1/4 crs you would go to 9/32 crs next, then 1/4 square. 

[Andrew Dube]

1 hour ago, Metacarpal said:

Thanks.  That’s seems very logical.

I am trying to find the most affordable way to get this volume in.  There is cheap crs where I live but the 1/4 is easy(even 5.5”) and the 5/16 is way beyond me.  I got some drill rod from Fastenal last week after reviewing Aaron Corcorans calibration chart.  Is this what you do? Do have any tips for bulk orders of steel?  

There are lots of options between 1/4 and 5/16. Besides drill rod and 1/4" square, you can also find 60D nails, grade 5 and grade 8 bolts. If you go to a specialty fastener supplier you should be able to buy in bulk at a reasonable cost. 

I haven't bent anything in a while but I made my best progress when I alternated weekly between volume (20-30) and intensity (<10 bends up to a max). I would pair bending with lower body strength movements. 

[Metacarpal]

On 8/12/2018 at 3:26 PM, Danny Young said:

What's your goal?

Long term it would be the red nail double under.  However I am not in any huge rush.  If it takes year and years that’s fine.  I more  just like steady progression.  I can’t even kink a grade 5 bolt right now so I suppose that is my immediate goal.

[bencrush]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 5:01 PM, Metacarpal said:

Hello,

 

I am new to bending and would appreciate any advice on a few questions I have.

 

Background:

 

I have done sledge levering and various wrist flexion/extension exercises about twice a week for a year.  Over the last month I have played around with 3/16 CRS, ¼ CRS, Grade 2 bolts and 40D nails for the purpose of general wrist conditioning.  I’ve also been doing full body training (weight pull ups, presses, lunges, etc.) for two years.

I like that you seem to be pretty patient with strength building.  That will suit you well in bending.  And should give you a much longer than average competitive lifespan with hopefully very few injuries along the way. 

 

I would like to start a more formal bending progression.  Everywhere I look online says that you should not just bend steel that is at your absolute limit but to also do volume work with lighter bars to condition the tendons, muscles, etc. 

Questions:

 

1    1. How many submaximal bends per week is typically sufficient for volume for a new bender?  I know this will differ for person to person, but is there a rough ballpark range you can give me that worked for you? 

       Like you said, it is so variable that it's hard to give you a ballpark.  Depending on just how far below max the bends are, you could get by with a staggering amount of volume.  Trouble is, when you bend too much below max your results are not going to improve much even with a lot of volume.  So I guess you are trying to figure out the sweet spot of how hard and how often to bend.  If your max bend is a 7" Red Nail, bending 1/4"x7" CRS even for high volume is going to have very little effect on your max strength.  Go up a bit harder - 1/4"x7" Hex or 1/4"x7" Stainless-303 and you'd be much more likely to have some carryover.  Those are still pretty easy for a Red bender though.  Your age, life stress, skill level, and strength all play a role in how fast you will recover.  For the hypothetical Red Nail bender above, a dozen sub-max bends of 9/32"x7" DR O-1 done throughout the week would be useful.

2    2. How many max bends would you recommend per week or month?

If you were my age (43), I'd recommend ONE max bend per week.  That is a pretty loose recommendation though.  That could mean you do a bunch of max effort isometric hits on a bar that doesn't move during a single workout.  Or you battle a bar over a single workout that ends up taking you 20 minutes to finish from straight bar to 2" between the tips. 

Thanks for any advice.

 

 

[Metacarpal]

On ‎10‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 5:59 AM, bencrush said:

 

Thanks so much for your advice.  I'd say my max right now is a 7" by 0.290 W-1 (see picture).  According to the bending progressions chart I have been using, it is pretty well placed between 17/64 O-1 and 9/32 O-1.  

I did three bars of 5.5x17/64 O-1 yesterday which was tough but not max.  The 7 inch 17/64 is not very hard anymore.  I am think of adding one 5.5 bar per workout until I am doing six at a time.  Then I'll try the W-1 again.  After I get that it looks like the 0.272 O-1 that Danny recommended is next on the way to 9/32.

 

[bencrush]

19 hours ago, Metacarpal said:

Thanks so much for your advice.  I'd say my max right now is a 7" by 0.290 W-1 (see picture).  According to the bending progressions chart I have been using, it is pretty well placed between 17/64 O-1 and 9/32 O-1.  

I did three bars of 5.5x17/64 O-1 yesterday which was tough but not max.  The 7 inch 17/64 is not very hard anymore.  I am think of adding one 5.5 bar per workout until I am doing six at a time.  Then I'll try the W-1 again.  After I get that it looks like the 0.272 O-1 that Danny recommended is next on the way to 9/32.

 

Solid kink on that .290 DR-W1!  Where did you get the chart of drill rod and CRS ratings?  I'm asking because I have smaller DR-O1 (3/16" and a few between 1/4") that I'm curious about where it rates on that chart of yours.  It was gifted to me this summer and I bent a few pieces barehand of the stuff around .218" level the other day. 

[Metacarpal]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 3:50 PM, bencrush said:

Solid kink on that .290 DR-W1!  Where did you get the chart of drill rod and CRS ratings?  I'm asking because I have smaller DR-O1 (3/16" and a few between 1/4") that I'm curious about where it rates on that chart of yours.  It was gifted to me this summer and I bent a few pieces barehand of the stuff around .218" level the other day. 

Here's the link

http://gripratings.com/index.php?id=2

[bencrush]

13 hours ago, Metacarpal said:

Here's the link

http://gripratings.com/index.php?id=2

Thanks for the link!  I should've known that was Aaron's info!