wigam Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Hiya! I'm new to the whole grip training thing. Just got some RB 100 grippers to play with which i can just about close with my girly grip My grip training consists of: gripper (fingers) plate pinches (thumb) elastic band extensions (extensors) levering (wrist) farmers walks (supporting grip) Picking up hex dumbbells end on so that my hand is 80% open (extensors) I want to develop a death grip for martial arts purposes and was intrigued by bending. I think i have got most areas covered in terms of grip and forearm strength (i do weight lifting too) however i am especially interested in increasing wrist strength. I was wondering which style of bending will place the most stress on the wrists and thus give the greatest stimulus. I realise the aim of many benders is to work up the scale and bend the most difficult bar possible which involves bracing/ using pecs etc. Also there's the issue of bending and folding which i don't quite understand. Does the slim style suit the bill? Any advice appreciated. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SqeezeMasterFlash Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 For pure wrist stregth (other than sledge levering) bend with a double overhand grip with the hands either at waist level, or at chest level with the arms held straight out in front of you. That eliminates most of the rest of the body and really concentrates things on your wrists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Siversson Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 A simple way of maximizing the stress on the wrists would perhaps be to bend with your arms straight out in front of you and keep them there until the bend is completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Cenidoza Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 (edited) I disagree. The simple fact that you are not strong in the "arms strait out" position would limit the stress on the wrists. If you're looking to bend as a means to develop wrist strength for martial arts, I'd assume you are looking for uniformity as well. I'd suggest bending underhand and overhand. You may want to do some levering with a thick bar as well, as that closer relates to a mans wrist (or neck). Edited June 30, 2004 by Dan Cenidoza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitty Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 good post Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Cenidoza Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Thanks smitty. Noticed I edited before you cock-blocked me again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Levering is a much better use of your time for strengthening your wrists than bending. The reason to bend is you either find it fun or you want to be able to perform a specific feat of hand strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I was wondering which style of bending will place the most stress on the wrists and thus give the greatest stimulus. I realise the aim of many benders is to work up the scale and bend the most difficult bar possible which involves bracing/ using pecs etc. Also there's the issue of bending and folding which i don't quite understand. Does the slim style suit the bill? Bending stresses the wrists in the extreme positions in only a few directions even if you try many techniques. As others has written. For dynamic allround wrist strength leveraging is much more versatile. Personally I also think that platecurls and platewrist curls are very good. (I have to confess that I do more bending then these other things though, but that is not because I am after wrist strength, it is because I want to bend hard nails) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitty Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Thanks smitty. Noticed I edited before you cock-blocked me again? What are you talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossman Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 go overhand all the way. if you do it right above the belt, this is john Brookfields style, which is all wrist. i think, personally, that he has the strongest wrists of anyone around. well, him and slim farman. when you get good at overhand, try arms out in front, which hits the wrists alot, over your head, and perhaps the hardest, behind the back. Brookfield is the only known person to bend a 60D behind his back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Tom Black bends nails behind his back. Has anyone seen Brookfield bend nails unbraced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaster Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Can you tell us more? I haven't seen his video or seen him in person. What did you see him bend and can you describe his style? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Can you tell us more? I haven't seen his video or seen him in person. What did you see him bend and can you describe his style? Tom is a member and moderator here at the Gripboard and can be contacted. He also has a website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 go overhand all the way. if you do it right above the belt, this is john Brookfields style, which is all wrist. i think, personally, that he has the strongest wrists of anyone around. well, him and slim farman. when you get good at overhand, try arms out in front, which hits the wrists alot, over your head, and perhaps the hardest, behind the back. Brookfield is the only known person to bend a 60D behind his back. Interesting examples you take with John Brookfield who in his mastery of hand strength advocates first as wrist exercises in his sample routines: wrist roller, wrist curl, weaver stick/leverage bar, curling weight plates as the basic routines and only adds nail bending as an extra for advanced grippers that use all methods. And Slim the hammerman Farman got his nickname because of his great Hammer leverage ability! Both seem to indicate that great wrist strength can be used to bend nails. Not that nail bending is a great way to get wrist strength! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigam Posted July 1, 2004 Author Share Posted July 1, 2004 (edited) Thanks for the great advice all round. I'm already incorporating wrist curls on the preacher/spider bench during one of my weights sessions. I will incorporate a few bending styles too for well roundedness, thanks Dan. I'll also try thick bar levering, who'd have thought the old towel was so useful I'll probably leave off bending for a few months to get a good basic wrist strength first with levering. Nils, in terms of "the money" i suppose bending is not as good as levering. But i think it would be good to see people's faces when i can bend spanners as well as having a death grip Edited July 1, 2004 by wigam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Siversson Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Interesting examples you take with John Brookfield who in his mastery of hand strength advocates first as wrist exercises in his sample routines: wrist roller, wrist curl, weaver stick/leverage bar, curling weight plates as the basic routines and only adds nail bending as an extra for advanced grippers that use all methods.Both seem to indicate that great wrist strength can be used to bend nails. Not that nail bending is a great way to get wrist strength! Well, I have tried all those other wrist exercises and none of them hits the hands anywhere near as hard as bending. The day after I did bending the first time I could hardly close a #1, whereas I noted only a moderate negative effect on other grip events after a day with leverage work. It certainly is very hard on the hands, perhaps more so than on the wrists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SqeezeMasterFlash Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Bending is extremely taxing to the hands and wrists, which is why other leverage work is so important. By starting bending too heavy too soon I injured my wrists a little over a year ago. 6 months of progressive sledge work and the base of strength was there to start bending again without fear of injury. Bending obviously requires wrist strength and will develop your wrists, but beleiving progressive training is best I'd say sledge levering can give you the same results but with less chance of injury. Levering also allows you to work your wrists in a variety of directions, instead of the repetitive wrist work of bending. I'd think the variety of directions and the lower potential for injury would be especially important to a martial artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Loaf Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Bending is no freaking joke. My wrists still bug me after kinking a g5 over a month ago. They haven't hurt for 6 months like you, but a month is crap! I need my wrists back. BTW I am strongest terminator style and this is how i hurt myself. MEAT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Well, I have tried all those other wrist exercises and none of them hits the hands anywhere near as hard as bending. The day after I did bending the first time I could hardly close a #1, whereas I noted only a moderate negative effect on other grip events after a day with leverage work. It certainly is very hard on the hands, perhaps more so than on the wrists. I agree, my hands are wasted as well by bending. The wrists doesn't seem to be effected very much, but the hands hurt a lot. OK, I haven't bent more then six months and even had a down period during that time due to injury, but after a PR attempt session it hurts quite a lot just to push down on the door handles to open a door for a few days . Too be honest I can't understand why I am so hooked by it at the moment. Must be a machosist or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Siversson Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 My pain disappeared a couple of months ago. Now I don't feel any discomfort at all after max attempts, so there is hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigam Posted July 3, 2004 Author Share Posted July 3, 2004 Sqeeze, i'll be starting with sledgehammer work for a few months and ease into it. Mikael, there is hope that my hands won't become mush then I want to strengthen and condition my hand too so bending will come in handy Gonna start iron palm too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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