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Other/Mixed Nail Bending

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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Travis, Geoff, Steve, Tarzan:

What style of bending do you guys use? The three basic styles are reverse, double underhand, and double overhand. You may want to experiment with all three styles to see if one suits you more than another. Plus, the styles are different enough that you can sometimes do all three in a one week period (sometimes multiple times if you are not bending near your max or have a good recovery ability) and not hurt yourself. Double underhand is more taxing to the wrists. Double overhand is more taxing on the shoulders. Reverse is more taxing on the forearms, with a lot of wrist torque in the mix.

Another interesting thing about the different bending styles is that (again, just speaking from my personal experience) each one responds differently to pad thickness. The IronMind pads are for most beginning benders more about pain tolerance than actual strength training. Until they get used to the pain of the smallish pads. But, switch to double underhand with the same IronMind pads and most beginning benders are not limited by pain tolerance anymore. I was always able to use less padding for double underhand bends. Followed closely by reverse bends. Then double overhand. I could of course bend in pretty small pads in any of those styles. But it hurt more with double overhand than the other two.
 
@bencrush Im using suede wraps made by cutting a 8.5x11" sheet in half longways. To use the measure you mensioned - I haven't wrapped anything 5/16th yet but based of the others 40D type nails I'd say it comes out on the 1" side of the range.

Based of my first bends I seems to be strongest at double overhand, followed by reverse. Double under is quite a ways behind. I think it's more about my pinkies being scared of being the fulcrum than poor leverage. Though I have always had trouble getting my elbows to touch.

Btw, Ben have you done any scrolling? I'm loving that as well. I've done about 10 of them and it doesn't seem possible to do one that's not awesome! ( adds up quick though, looking for a steel provider :p)
 
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Travis, Geoff, Steve, Tarzan:

What style of bending do you guys use? The three basic styles are reverse, double underhand, and double overhand.
I don't do this much. I bought 50 or so of the easiest nails from IronMind, plus the cloth pads, and I'm pretty sure I did them double overhand for the most part. I play and teach musical instruments for most of my living and it's not a great match for me.

-S-
 
Travis, Geoff, Steve, Tarzan:

What style of bending do you guys use?

I don't bend much anymore either. I took it up when I quit smoking & after a while it was getting nearly as expensive as the cigarettes. Cigarettes are around $30 a packet here in OZ too, so I'd swapped one expensive habit for another. When I did I was using a double overhand grip.

I got "addicted" to those cheap non stick frying pans for a while too, I found myself buying one every time I went to a shopping center and I'd roll it up in the van while I was waiting for my wife to come back. The look on her face when she came back to the car and found me with 3 or 4 brand new rolled up pans was priceless.
 
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@bencrush Im using suede wraps made by cutting a 8.5x11" sheet in half longways. To use the measure you mensioned - I haven't wrapped anything 5/16th yet but based of the others 40D type nails I'd say it comes out on the 1" side of the range.
That is a reasonable amount of padding.
 
@bencrush

Based of my first bends I seems to be strongest at double overhand, followed by reverse. Double under is quite a ways behind. I think it's more about my pinkies being scared of being the fulcrum than poor leverage. Though I have always had trouble getting my elbows to touch.
I totally understand what you're saying about the pinkies being the fulcrum holding you back. It's not for everyone.
 
@bencrush

Btw, Ben have you done any scrolling? I'm loving that as well. I've done about 10 of them and it doesn't seem possible to do one that's not awesome! ( adds up quick though, looking for a steel provider :p)
I have done very little scrolling. But the guys I know that do scroll are never content with the latest creation. They always want more. And there's nothing wrong with that! Except for the cost factor, which you have already discovered, lol. Online Metals is a good one. Hot Rolled Steel A36 is the best (safest) for scrolling. You might already know this.
 
I don't do this much. I bought 50 or so of the easiest nails from IronMind, plus the cloth pads, and I'm pretty sure I did them double overhand for the most part. I play and teach musical instruments for most of my living and it's not a great match for me.

-S-
Ah, I forget sometimes what your profession is! This makes sense not to tempt the gods of hand health. More so than the usual person.
 
I don't bend much anymore either. I took it up when I quit smoking & after a while it was getting nearly as expensive as the cigarettes. Cigarettes are around $30 a packet here in OZ too, so I'd swapped one expensive habit for another. When I did I was using a double overhand grip.

I got "addicted" to those cheap non stick frying pans for a while too, I found myself buying one every time I went to a shopping center and I'd roll it up in the van while I was waiting for my wife to come back. The look on her face when she came back to the car and found me with 3 or 4 brand new rolled up pans was priceless.
I love it! I've been there with the rolled up pans man. Good times!
 
image.jpg I got my first 60D, on the first try. It was a spiral wound 60D. I started it in reverse, I could not kink it overhand, and finished it overhand. Spending time on the 40D, and hammer levers paid off. I have to go get some standard 60D, and some 1/4" and 5/16" round bar. Bending is a full body tension exercise, just like heavy grippers.

I cut up an old welding glove for bending pads. They are 4.5" x 10" suede leather. They work great and most of all free.
 
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@TravisDirks Where do you program in bending? I have been doing a 4-6 nails in the morning with some gripper crushing and band hand extensions.

I got some proper 40D(.235"), and 60D(.280"). I have some smaller diameter 6" nails I have been using for technique, and two at a time for a challenge.

I have been looking for cheap cold or hot rolled steel round bar but have not found it yet. 80-100+ cents is too much to pay per bend for me.
 
I've learned over that past couple weeks that my ability and desire to bend is a bit more than my wrists can support at the moment. I talked with Bud Jeffries about it and he said that people starting in bending usually out pace there wrists and run into problems. He suggested keeping it to once a week for a few months at least. ( ok I think he said a year but I'm taking baby steps)

So my approach has been to keep it as sort of a treat. I've got an idea of the number of nails I bent on one day that put me out for a week and my approach has been to take a few with me when I go for a walk and stay under that number for a day and not beat it by much for the week until my wrist stop complain. I've also picked up a $25 grip dynamometer hoping that I can spot problems ahead of time in lost grip strength.

I think if I could handle it physically, at the moment I'm so enamoured that I would grease the groove with it and just walk around with wraps and a few nails in my pocket!

Which leads me to my question: tell me about these small diameter 6" nails you speak of :p
 
Btw: I've had some success putting them in circuits with other stuff. I did seesaw presses, pistols and a bend for rounds for example.

I'm really interested in trying sandwiching bends between deadlifts or swings. I think you'd get the CNS fired up and it seems like such a natural opposite. But it will have to wait until my volume is higher.
 
The smaller 6" nails are .190". Which is strange because I can bend two of those at a time but not one of the .280 nails. I just kinked one but ran out of gas because I was doing other arm work. I will try to finish it while fresh tomorrow.

My wrists and hands are not the weak link. I invested a lot of time in sledge hammers. I am still trying to get my technique dailed, and redirect the tension out of my head. I have given myself a headache more than once.

I have not tried my bite guard for bending yet. Will also try that tomorrow.
 
Ya I have been doing a few at the start of training also with the same idea. It's like a really hard full tension plank, but explosive.

I think short bending would go better with squats or pressing like I would with grippers.
 
The smaller 6" nails are .190". Which is strange because I can bend two of those at a time but not one of the .280 nails. I just kinked one but ran out of gas because I was doing other arm work. I will try to finish it while fresh tomorrow.

My wrists and hands are not the weak link. I invested a lot of time in sledge hammers. I am still trying to get my technique dailed, and redirect the tension out of my head. I have given myself a headache more than once.

I have not tried my bite guard for bending yet. Will also try that tomorrow.

I picked up a sledge hammer recently to help build the wrists. Do you think levers or holds did the most good for you? Anything else pop to mind that might help in this regard?

As to the tension in the head, I have problems with this in general with grinds. I've notice the feeling is very similar to when I tried a headstand recently. I'm wondering if the problem is a lack of adaptation at the circulatory level, and that perhaps spending time inverted would help. In Pavels writing he says that you will eventually figure out how to keep the pressure below the neck. I can keep tension below the neck, but hasn't stumbled on the truck with pressure. So I have this inversion notion.

By wild chance do you either not do head stands or otherwise spend time upside down? or do you avoid time upside down because it feels like your head will explode, the way I do? :p
 
@TravisDirks Slim Levers, front and side nose levers and various choked levers transfer best to short bending because they strengthen the wrists and thumb in the same way.

I have done get up nose levers with a 48kg bell and 12lb hammer, I saw a video of Iron Tamer doing it, and figured it out myself. You slim lever the hammer in the half kneeling windmill position, stand up, and nose lever with the bell overhead, then return to the floor. Really impressive fun feat.

There are so many ways to use sledge hammers to strengthen the hands, arms, and shoulders. I have found dozens of great exercises from videos, articles, and blogs. Do some research and get creative. Wrist turns are a staple grip Prehab exercise for me.

I do a lot of handstand holds with no pressure problems. I hold handstands very regularly for 2-5 minutes. They are great pre and post workout and a recovery position between sets. Head pressure is only while bending because of the very high tension, and I am fairly new to it and not technically proficient yet.
 
I hold handstands very regularly for 2-5 minutes. They are great pre and post workout and a recovery position between sets.

I'm not at 2-5 minutes (more like 20-30 seconds) but I find the same thing --- handstands are great for pre and post-workout, and also great for recovery between sets. I wonder why that is?

Sorry, it's off the topic of nail bending which I know nothing about, but it's all interesting :)
 
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