Steel Bending Resources

This past week, I released my latest steel bending product, the Less is More Steel Bending Workout.

One component of the product is the accompanying Workout PDF. I wanted to do something special for those who picked up the product, and I compiled a list of the videos about bending I’ve put up on YouTube and all the articles I’ve put up about bending here on the site.

Unfortunately, I can’t get the links to all of these videos to work, so I’m posting them here, and everyone will be able to check them out.

If you haven’t picked up your copy of the Less is More Steel Bending Workout, make sure you do it fast, while the introductory price is still available.

Steel Bending Videos

Grade 8 Bolt Bent with Head Removed

7″ FBBC Stainless Bastard Bar Reverse Miss

6″ x 1/4″ Grade 8 with Head Removed (Miss)

6″ x 1/4″ Square Cold Rolled Steel – Reverse Bend – 11/6/16

Grade 8 Bolt Reverse – 11/6/16

9/32″ x 6″ Reverse Bending | Prep for Gripmas 2016

Volume Bending to Improve Top Bending Strength | Cooking With Napalm

Mason’s Hope Strongman Show 2016: Horseshoe Bend

Mason’s Hope Strongman Show 2016: Bending a Widow Maker

Masons Hope Strongman Show 2016: Breaking a Nail to Pieces

Will Sledge Hammer Levering Help My Nail Bending?

Viewer Asks “What’s Your Biggest Accomplishment?”

Nail Bending, Inch Dumbbell, and My Physique – Cooking with Napalm

Red Nail Reverse Bend & Measure Only

Red Nail Reverse Bend – Full Wrap / Bend / Measure Video

Bending Steel | Red Nail Reverse Bend Attempt – 5/16×7 Cold Rolled Steel

Nail Bending Questions & Answers – Cooking with Napalm

Strongman Feats: Bending a Hammer

Strongman Feats of Strength: Bending a 60D Nail

Strongman Feats: Jedd Johnson Bends a Horseshoe

Strongman Jedd Johnson – Bending a Drop Forged Steel Wrench

Strongman Jedd Johnson – Bending a Carpenter’s Hammer

Strongman Jedd Johnson – Bending a Horseshoe

Strongman Jedd Johnson – Bending a Frying Pan

Strongman Bending 8″ Steel Wrench

Strongman Wrench Bend

60D Nail Break Under 3 Minutes

Nail Bending – Double Overhand Technique

Napalm Bends the Red Nail

Napalm Bends the Red Nail

Napalm Gets Called Out

Steel Bending Articles

5 Tips for Bending a Wrench

Welcome to the Jungle – The Ultimate Form of Bending

The Importance of Double Compression in Bending

Balancing Steel Bending with Other Training

8 Reasons to Start Bending Horseshoes

Success Stories: Bending Your First Horseshoe

How the Strength of Steel is Determined in Steel Bending

What You Need for Horseshoe Bending

What Sets Horseshoe Bending Apart from Other Strength Feats

The Journey Into Nail Bending

Isometric Hammer Work for Bending Success

4 Ways to Improve the Kink for Reverse Bending

Nail Bending and Variation of Metals

Intro to Nail Bending

Advanced Nail Wrapping

Will Sledge Hammer Levering Help Me Bend Bigger Bars?

Red Beard Power – Adam Moyers Bends the Red Nail

Interview with the Red Dragon Slayer – Nate Brous

Feats of Strength: Nail Breaking

Horseshoe Progression List

Rick Giese Bends the Red Nail

Rolling Frying Pans and Managing Radiant Tension

Chicken Winging and Angry Texting

What is the Best Material for Wrapping Nails?

Steel Bending Workout

The latest Workout of the Month is ready to go!

Last month was a wrist and lower arm primer workout to get you ready for steel bending, call the Sledge Only Workout.

Now, with a few weeks of wrist training under your belt, it’s time to try your hands at bending, and I’ve got the workout program for you to get started the right way.

This month’s steel bending workout is called the Less is More Bending Workout.

When you click that link right above, you’ll learn EXACTLY why I called it that.

But here’s the short version: I think most benders do TOO MUCH bending, and end up setting their progress back, because of all the excess work they do.

The point of this month’s workout is to keep the volume under control, help you stay strong throughout your steel bending journey, and then you’ll be on your way to the big steel FASTER!

I can’t wait to hear your feedback on the Workout, after you go through it.

Grab your copy today here => Steel Bending Workout.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

When grip guys and strength aficionados get started in steel bending, they want to progress as quickly as possible up the various levels of steel as fast as possible. They often try many different training techniques in order to strengthen their wrists and lower arms for the many steel bending techniques that exist.

One of the time-honored traditions of steel benders is Levering Sledge Hammers, and I’m often asked by steel benders if Sledge Levering is a good option for building better bending strength.

In today’s video, I address this topic: Will Sledge Hammer Levering Help Me Bend Bigger Steel:

Does Hammer Levering Help Build Bending Strength?

This is honestly a pretty big change in my line of thinking. In fact, in both my Nail Bending eBook and Nail Bending DVD, I suggest Sledge Hammer Levering to bring up their bending.

However, I always try to learn and develop, both as a lifter and a coach. Since working with dozens of benders over the last few years, I’m convinced that Sledge Hammer Levering isn’t as necessary as I once thought.

Also, in talking with many big benders over the years, the consensus, by far is that BENDING is what you should focus on in order to get good at bending.

I still stand by the fact that Sledge Levering will help you in conditioning your wrists for bending. In fact, I suggest a minimum 4-week ramp-up period where the various wrist movement patterns are trained with gradually increasing intensity, prior to doing any bending.

I recommend Sledge Levering for beginners because it allows you to work so many beneficial ranges of motion and movement patterns that are needed with steel bending, including both non-braced and braced bending methods.

However, once you start actually bending full time, or at least making steel bending one of your primary goals in your training, I think it’s most important to focus on purposeful bending, working your way up the ladder, and continually working on perfecting your technique and force production on actual nails and bars. At that point, Sledge Work can take a back seat, and be used mainly as a recovery method between bending sessions, and for keeping things like Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow as far away as possible.

I hope today’s post has been helpful toward directing you down as straight and as short a path as possible to your ultimate bending goals.

If you’re interested in more Steel Bending information, please check out the resources that countless other steel slayers have tapped into. The links are below.

Nail Bending eBook: Since 2005, this digital manual has helped more people start out on the right track with their bending than any other resource on the planet. It includes pictorials of how to properly execute all the major and minor bending techniques, dozens of different exercises for building lower arm strength and preventing injuries, as well as a full 9-week lower arm conditioning program for beginner benders.

Nail Bending DVD: Released in 2011, this video picks up where the ebook left off, walking you through the process of becoming a great bender. It shows you the proper way to wrap your steel for powerful bending, and you can see bars bent right on your computer screen or TV. Grab you steel, get your wraps, and let’s do a couple bends together as you play this DVD right in your own living room or home gym.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Training to Bend the Red Nail?
Get the Go-to Resource for Nail Bending: The Nail Bending Ebook

The “Beast In The East” Steel Bending Comp
Promoted by Mike Krahling
Submitted by Mike Rinderle

The Beast in the East Steel Bending Competition will be held this Saturday, May 14th, at 10AM. Some of the best steel benders in the United States will be converging on Exton, PA to compete for hundreds of dollars in cash and prizes.
(more…)

Like a 50-Ton Boulder in an 80’s Adventure Movie, the Killer Feedback is Still ROLLING In!

That BUZZ you hear off in the distance is NOT the sound of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Natural Gas Mining activity or the clamoring about the new season of American Idol.

It is the humming of anticipation from the people waiting for their copy of the Nail Bending DVD, and the praise the DVD continues to get.

When I designed this DVD, my goal was to make it something that anyone could benefit from, especially new benders and those who have had very little coaching.
(more…)

Like a 50-Ton Boulder in an 80’s Adventure Movie, the Killer Feedback is Still ROLLING In!

That BUZZ you hear off in the distance is NOT the sound of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Natural Gas Mining activity or the clamoring about the new season of American Idol.
It is the humming of anticipation from the people waiting for their copy of the Nail Bending DVD, and the praise the DVD continues to get.
When I designed this DVD, my goal was to make it something that anyone could benefit from, especially new benders and those who have had very little coaching.
(more…)

Hi guys, it’s Jedd here.

Over the last few weeks I have literally been more productive and creative than I have in years and as a result I have several new things coming down the pike.

The first project that I am going to be releasing is a new DVD called, “Nail Bending: How to Melt Steel with Your Bare Hands.”

If you are interested in signing up for one of my new email newsletters, please go to this link = > Bending DVD Info.

I will be releasing the DVD at a special price for those on my Mailing List, so make sure to sign up to get the DVD at the best possible price.

I am transitioning to a completely new email communications system, and very soon will only be using the new one, so if you are receiving emails from me through Constant Contact, make sure you sign up above so that we can remain in touch.

Go here to sign up for updates = > Bending DVD Info

As you can see, the Bending DVD is going to be the best product available for learning how to bend nails, steel, and bolts and continually improve while also avoiding injuries. In addition, the hand health practices I show in this DVD are applicable to all other forms of Grip Training and many other aspects of strength and conditioning as well.

So don’t delay, SIGN UP TODAY. Bending DVD Info

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

When it comes to bending, there are some questions that seem to get asked over and over…

• What is the typical bender like?
• How does somebody get involved in Nail Bending?
• Why would someone want to bend nails in the first place?

Recently, Carl Donati Jr put together a guest post that answers many of these questions. If Bending Nails is something you’ve heard about, thought about doing, or wanted to pursue, have a look at what he says about his beginnings with Nail Bending, how he’s progressed, and what he has done to be at the level he is right now: A recently certified Red Nail Bender…

The Journey Into Nail Bending

Carl Donati Jr, Bending the Red Nail

I am writing this article to both generate interest in and provide a “push” to those that may be on the fringe of taking on steel bending. I hope to contribute something that may help in some small way. This information is aimed primarily at the beginner or intermediate. As I am writing this, I will be making my official certification attempt at bending the IronMind Red Nail in less than a week. I have come a long way in my bending skill, but still have a lot to learn and a long road ahead.

I have trained with weights consistently since I was eleven years old. I have come full-circle from a decade (+) long affair with bodybuilding to my current path as a competitive powerlifter. When I began competing as a powerlifter in my early thirties, I quickly found out my wrist strength was not up-to-par, as I obtained a moderate wrist strain when doing heavy doubles on bench one day. At this point, I began looking at ways to build up my wrist strength in a way that this type of injury would not happen again and derail my training as it had.

I did the typical stuff you’d expect in a commercial gym (wrist curls with a dumbbell and barbell, reverse wrist curls, fat bar holds … etc.), but didn’t really find what I was looking for until I came across information on the Captains of Crush Hand Grippers and later the IronMind catalog. I started to train with the grippers, doing OK over the first year. I think I was able to close the # 2 at this time. (My progress stalled but incremental gains here have me working toward the #2.5). I began to explore the IronMind catalog and incorporated several things into my training, including the Hub Pinch, the Rolling Thunder, and the Wrist Lever. About two years ago, I purchased the Bag-of-Nails. The rest is history, as I became hooked that first night!

As I think back to the day the Bag-of-Nails arrived, I remember excitedly looking through all of the contents and visualizing what I was going to do that night with the stock (nails). I looked at the white and green nails and thought, “Ok, these are definitely possible.” I looked at the yellow and blue and thought that it would take a lot of training to get to that level. When I held up and examined the Red Nail, I really did not think it was possible to bend this behemoth!

I bent double underhand with my pinkies touching using single IronMind Pads (IMP’s) for the entire first year. My first month consisted of folding the wraps into a square and putting the nails into the pads, then folding them over. It was only after doing some research that I began to roll the wrap around the nail and secured it with a rubber band. In retrospect, what I have learned and would do differently those first few months would be to seek out someone who is experienced and observe and train with them. If this is not possible, I would join the Gripboard and read/view videos, then submit my own bends for critique.

Double Underhand Bending Technique

Getting back to the double underhand (DU) style… I focused on technique and took small steps for that first half-year. It wasn’t until the last quarter of my first year I finally bent the yellow DU (Double Underhand). My progress from the yellow to the blue was very quick, unlike that first eight months. At this time, I was unaware of the Fat Bastard Barbell Company (FBBC) and their steel stock. If I would have incorporated their steel into my training, my initial progress would have been a lot smoother. The FBBC has a wide selection of steel and bolts to help facilitate your road to the Red (if that is what your goal is) in jumping between the IronMind stock and chasing other certifications such as Bender’s Battlefield, FBBC, or the Gripboard. Local hardware stores are another great location to purchase bolts and nails. For a great list of online steel/bolt suppliers and ranking of bending stock difficulty, read the appropriate sections in the Diesel Crew Bending e-Book.

After my first year, I became aware of the Diesel Crew blog and read some of the bending articles. The tips were helping me immensely and I decided to buy the Bending e-Book. After reading the e-book, I began to experiment with the Double Overhand (DO) style. The contents in Jedd Johnson’s book, along with advice I was receiving on the Gripboard enabled me to make excellent progress in the DO style of bending.

Double Overhand Bending Technique

I continued to bend DU and DO, with good progress in both techniques. It was soon thereafter I bent my first graded bolt and then a harder grade 8 bolt. At this point, I focused more on the DO style and began working my wrists with the 8-pound sledgehammer and Rolling Thunder. I also worked on my shoulder flexibility with stretches and bar hangs.

Sledge Hammer Levering

I feel that the most important accessory in my own training that helped me keep my wrists healthy and improved my all-around wrist and hand strength were the sledge levers. In doing these, I typically do 3 sets of front and rear levers for 6 – 8 reps. The levers are done in between bends. I am not very proficient in the Rolling Thunder but do this 2 times per week for ten second holds and singles.

Looking back through my training logs, one interesting point to make is that many of my PR bends were done in between sets of heavy squats and deadlifts. I did not do a strictly dedicated bending workout until I started bending the 5/16” diameter stuff. I have compared my intensity on heavy S/DL days with specific bends to that of the same stock on non-lifting days and the former wins by far. Personally, I am in a better mindset on my heavy days to explode into the steel, though have been bridging the gap in recent months.

This takes me to the pre-bend psych-up. I have worked on focused deep breathing exercises and visualization techniques. Prior to the bend, I consciously track each breath in and out until I am in a relaxed, but focused state. At this point, I briefly rehearse what I will be doing with the outcome being the destruction of the steel.

Reverse Style Bending

As mentioned above, I started to bend double underhand and then switched to double overhand. Several months back, I began to experiment with the reverse grip. To me, this style of bending (hands low with thumbs touching) feels better and more natural then DU. And reverse bending is a lot of fun! At the current time, I am getting better at reverse grip, where I am now bending grade 5’s to almost 40 degrees. I hope to continue my progress with this style and will continue to work to improve it as much as I can. As my bending progresses, I will continue to work all three styles of bending: double overhand, double underhand, and reverse style.

IronMind Pads

Lastly, I would like to touch briefly on the types of wraps I used and continue to bend with. As mentioned previously, I bent exclusively with the IronMind pads (IMP’s) for the entire first year. Although these pads were tough on the hands – I had many blisters and cuts those first few months – I think by doing this, my hands became conditioned to the point now where the calluses protect against almost any problem. When I jumped up to the 5/16” bolts and CRS (Cold-Rolled Steel), I bent using the IMP’s with a small piece of leather wrapped around it for a total diameter of about 1.2.” Upon taking the bolt/bar down to 2″, I would cut a small piece off from the leather and work with until I was proficient… and so on until I was bending using just the IronMind wraps.

I hope I was able to provide you with some tips that help with your bending or enable you to reach another level of stock. To me, bending has permeated many other parts of my life (powerlifting, work, motivation, etc.) in a positive way. It has taught me how to focus intensely on one specific thing and transfer my energy in an explosive manner. A great aspect of steel bending is the many short-term goals you end up setting and achieving, and the mental effect of that success on your psyche. Many days, I find myself rushing home to start bending or skipping my off days because I just can’t wait.

If you are thinking about getting started, don’t waste any more time and just do it! Going all the way back to one of my original reasons to start bending – to help prevent wrist strains for the bench press – I haven’t had a problem with my benching since I started to bend steel.

Carl Donati, JR – Certified Red Nail Bender

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Carl, thanks so much for submitting your guest post and congratulations on your recent certification on the Red Nail. Also thanks for the props on the Nail Bending eBook. I am glad it has been helpful to you in your Journey in Steel Bending.

P.S. If you’d like to get started with Nail Bending safely, there is no better resource that the Nail Bending eBook

Ultimate Forearm Training for Baseball | How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Feats of Grip Strength Explained | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen | Sled Dragging for Athletes | The Road to the Record DVD

Double Overhand Bending

I’ve done a great deal of steel bending in my time. I’ve bent nails, bolts, steel stock, horse shoes, widow makers and more. I’ve bent alongside some of the best steel benders in the world in grip contests.

How to Improve at Bending

When it comes to building strength for bending, there is no doubt that the best option is BENDING. Buying the piles of nails, ordering the stock , wrapping the bolts, and bending the hell out them all on a regular basis. This is the number one way to get better because it is the only specific type of training for it.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)

If you are bending steel with the reverse technique, you may be having trouble moving on to the next bending level. Chances are the thing holding you back in the reverse technique is your kink strength. If you get a good kink on the nail, bolt, or stock, it will be that much easier to finish the bend off. However, if your kink is weak, you will have to work harder in the transition to double overhand.

To clear a few things up, if you are new to steel bending, here are some pictures to show you what exactly I am talking about.

Reverse Bending (also known as Terminator Style)

LOTS OF TIPS ON REVERSE BENDING IN THIS POST ==> (more…)