The Grand Opening of Art and Strength is Saturday October 15th from Noon to 4 PM, but I can’t do the Workshop during that time, so I want to know which option of the following two works best for you…
The Workshop will either take place on Saturday Oct. 15th from 5 PM to 9 PM or on Sunday, October 16th from 10 AM to 2 PM.
I need you to tell me what time you would prefer.
To give me your preference, simply leave a comment below or reply to the email I sent you by way of my newsletter.
Not on my Feats of Strength Newsletter? That’s crazy talk.
You can sign up for my Feats of Strength Newsletter below.
First off, I hope all of you are safe and sound after the hurricane on the East Coast on the United States. I know some friends in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey lost some power and saw damages from the storm, so please take care!
LOVING WWE PROGRAMMING!
Second, I just want to say that if you follow WWE Wrestling, like me, you know its been an exciting few weeks with the return of Kevin Nash and the drama between him, Triple H and CM Punk. What an awesome time!
However, if you are thinking that Stephanie McMahon sent the text message to Kevin Nash to come to Summer Slam and Jack-knife Power-Bomb CM Punk, I am sorry but you are mistaken. I am going to make the call right now, that the culprit who stole Triple H’s phone and requested Nash’s punishing appearance is actually Shane McMahon, making his return to the family business…
I am obviously SPOT ON, but if you have another guess, feel free to post in the comments.
Now, for more important matters – the Classic Strongman Feat Tournament…
Many have been pondering what the final feat in the tournament could be. Watch the video below and you will find out.
Since all of the rules are clearly stated in the video, I am only posting it right now and will add more information below in a few hours.
I do freelance work as a Spanish Interpreter and I have a large project that I have to work on for the company I used to work full time for, so I will be working on that for a bit and will return to the site later on.
However, once you watch the video, if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Usually, when you hear about a horseshoe tournament, you think of a bunch of old sun-burned dudes with beers in their hands wearing tank tops and wife beaters, throwing horseshoes into dirt or sand pits, trying to hit a stake for points.
Double Ringer – 6 Points – YEAH BUDDY!
There’s an old saying that mentions horseshoes that goes something like this: “Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
What that means is that when you have a goal, you need to accomplish that goal, and not just settle for “almost got it.” You see, in normal horseshoes, if you almost hit the stake, then you still get partial points for your throw. Throwing grenades is kind of the same thing. You don’t have to hit your target spot on every time because the shrapnel will do the damage for you.
Well, almost doesn’t count in horseshoes when you’re bending them!
Last week was the fourth week in the Diesel Classic Strongman Tournament, and the feat of strength contested was Horseshoe Bending!
The great thing about last week’s tournament was that both master horseshoe benders and beginner horseshoe benders competed.
In case you are wondering, there is a near endless variety of horseshoes out there to try and bend. In our DVD, Hammering Horseshoes, Mike and I cover about a dozen types of shoes that are readily available and easily obtainable.
Mike and I are also working to extend this list in order to give more options for beginners as well as more steps in between established shoes. Look for this listing to come out sometime soon.
Now, let’s get back to the tournament.
Here are the standings after last week’s tournament:
1st – Cameron Bailey – 4.5 Points
2nd – David Horne / Mike Rinderle / Darrin Shallman – 3 Points
3rd – Richard MacLean / Jason Steeves – 2 Points
4th – Daniel Reinard – 1.5 Points
5th – David Wigren – 1 Point
Here is how the tournament panned out this week. Remember, a win is worth 1 point. A tie is .5 points, and a loss is worth zero. A lot of how the tournament works out each week depends on the luck of the draw and how many people submit entries into the tournament.
So, after this weeks bracket, we now have a new leader and the running score is looking very different. Here are the standings:
Darrin Shallman – 5 Points
Cameron Bailey – 4.5 Points
David Wigren – 4 Points
David Horne / Mike Rinderle – 3 Points
Richard MacLean / Jason Steeves – 2 Points
Daniel Reinard – 1.5
EJ Livesey – 1 Point
Christopher Smith – .5 Points
So, now we head into the final week of the Classic Strongman Feats Tournament.
The rules for the final showdown of the tournament will be posted tomorrow.
Believe me, you do not want to miss the final turn of this spectacle. There will be MANY points up for grabs.
Now, let’s check out the awesome shoe bends from the entrants this week:
David Wigren – Kerckheart SSP 8X18 #000
Mike Rinderle – St Croix Forge Plain Regular #3
EJ Livesey – St Croix Forge Lite Rim #1
Darren Shallman – Diamond Classic #1
Daniel Reinard – St Croix Forge Polo #1
Andy Thomas – St. Croix Forge Ultra Lite #2
Christopher Smith – St. Croix Forge Ultra Lite #2
Great week guys. Look for the next challenge very soon.
This title is not just some unfounded hype. What we put together will soon show hundreds of people how to cause severe damage to perfectly good horseshoes.
After the introductory sale of our DVD was over, a superb horseshoe bender from Florida, named Carl Ansara, offered to purchase an additional DVD to be given to a winner of an essay contest.
The rules of the contest were simple. Send in an essay of 250 words or less describing why you should win the free copy.
Horseshoe Bending DVD Contest Submissions
Below are the four entries Mike and I received. I wanted to post them here for everyone to see. Thanks to those who sent in submissions!
From: Kevin Greto
Over the past two years I have been getting more and more into grip training, and I couldn’t be happier. Strong forearms, hands that can bend steel and/or tear phonebooks/decks of cards in half; it really is the small (roughly 7inches from base of my palm to the tip of my middle finger) things in life that make you happy.
Jedd Johnson always puts out great products; I’ve been lucky enough to pick up both his steel bending DVD and his card tearing ebook, which have helped me greatly in becoming inspired and excelling with more odd training in the world of grip.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mike Rinderle twice via the World Strongest Hands competitions, and it was very inspiring watching him coach another student new to horseshoe bending through his first 180 degree shoe bend. Both these men have exposed me to feats of strength in the grip world that I have never seen/imagined accomplishing before, and now I cannot wait to smash through them.
The simple answer for why I should be entered in to win the Hammering Horseshoes DVD: Because I will use it. The full body, explosive nature of bending horseshoes is extremely interesting to me. I love the idea of taking on horseshoes with my bare hands, man versus steel. I would love to win the DVD because I would love to cut my learning time in half to accomplishing the awesome feat of strength that is horseshoe bending.
Thank you for this opportunity, Carl Ansara.
Kevin Greto
From: Cameron Bailey
I think I need the Hammering Horse Shoes video because I think the Lord gave me a gift with strongman and he put people in the world like Mike and Jedd to give me enough knowledge to get better at these things.
I want to one day be one of the best benders in the world, all around benders not just one style. I am not very good at anything braced and since Horse Shoes are braced it would be a big help with the knowledge on this DVD. The DVD would help me a lot for the goals I am aiming for. I ask humbly as an amateur to consider giving me the DVD. Thanks for you time.
Cameron Bailey
From: Matt Logan
First off, I have been a big fan of the Diesel Crew and I have been directing anyone that wants to know or needs to know about grip strength to you guys. Over the summer break, I bought a bundle of horseshoes at a tractor and farm store. I have been performing max effort isometrics on them with some contour wraps.
So far I cannot budge them; maybe it’s a flawed technique or insufficient levels of strength. I can bend a 60 penny nail so my wrists are decently strong [but can and definitely will improve], I’m not exactly sure where I’m lacking in strength because I know that bending horseshoes is almost a full body movement and there isn’t a lot of information out there about bending shoes.
I’m also a college student and am taking 18 hours [which is the maximum amount that you can take] of computer science and engineering classes. So needless to say, I have absolutely no time for a part time job and no income aside from student loans and various grants. Thus unfortunately I cannot afford the DVD. I know that this DVD is targeting someone that is new-intermediate at bending the shoes and it would be amazing to receive. I give my word that if I win the DVD then I will not only study and put this DVD to use, but I WILL bend horseshoes and in time bend BIG horseshoes.
P.S.- All I have in this world is my word and my balls. And I don’t break either of them.
Matt Logan
From: Matt Cannon
A Poem Entitled “Horseshoe Have Nots”
Have you
had to
half-hank a horseshoe?
I have not,
but would like to.
Why? Says you.
Why half-mangle
what used to dangle
upon equine ankle?
Fine query! Says I.
Have fists have I?
Have wrists have I?
Indeed I have the
apparati to try!
Vim I’ve got.
Vigor I’ve got.
Horseshoes I’ve bought. But know-how
I have not.
Matt Cannon
Again, thanks to everybody who sent in submissions for the contest.
In case you all have not heard, Carl has been kind enough to award each person who put in a submission to the contest with a copy of the Hammering Horseshoes DVD. Carl said, “I want to do what I can to promote the support.”
Thanks Carl for doing this!! This kind of generosity makes a huge difference in relatively small sports such as Grip and Bending.
In addition to this contest, I also want to show you all how big of a difference this DVD is making for those who have bought it.
Check out the video clip below, from Christopher Smith…
Christopher competed in his first Grip Contest on August 12 and afterwards bent his first horseshoe to completion. It was a siege that lasted nearly half an hour and afterwards Chris was battered but the horseshoe also lay beaten. Tonight, he took the same shoe and bent it just over one minute.
Here’s a note from Christopher:
“I started bending steel in 2009 when I got a beginner’s bundle of steel, which included a couple horseshoes. At the time, and until a few weeks ago, I had no idea how to bend a horseshoe. I watched videos of others doing it and picked up bits and pieces but I struggled to get shoes past 90 degrees. A few weeks ago (and with some instruction) I bent my first shoe in about 25-30 minutes. After watching the DVD a few times I bent the same type shoe in 70 seconds. Thank you Jedd and Mike for giving me this incredible resource.”
