Pipe Assisted 60d Nail Bend

Today was a variety day, so I did 12 rack pulls with 325, lowering the bar 2 inches since the last rack pull day.  I'm working my way down to the floor.  Then I did 12 single dips with a 53 pound kettlebell hanging around my waist.  My body weight plus the kettlebell made 228 pounds.  Then I did 2 getups on each side with a 20k kettlebell while wearing a 40 pound weight vest.  Then the fun began.

I have wanted to bend nails for a while, and last week at Lowes, I picked up some 60d nails.  This is the standard in nail bending.  I can't bend these.  At all. 

I read that bending master John Brookfield recommended starting with two small pipes over the ends of the nails.  These provide a little leverage, as well as a broader, more comfortable surface for bending the nail.  With bending, pain tolerance is a big factor, so you have to toughen your hands, as well as the muscles involved.  I used two 3 inch long 3/4 inch pipe nipples, wrapped in leather.  The nail is 6 inches long, and I placed the pipes about 1/2 inch apart.

The bend was difficult, particularly in the early stages.  Once I got it past 90 degrees, I found I had far more crushing strength, and finished the bend without the pipes- just the leather.  I bent two more- one to parallel, and one to just past 90 degrees. Each bend took 30-45 seconds.

I have a whole new respect for the guys who take these nails down in seconds.  This requires not only grip strength, but whole-body tension!  I'll keep working, and maybe you will see a video of an unassisted bend soon!

32k kettlebell clean and press

I've been working the clean and press more lately, using the 24k primarily, along with the 28k for my lower rep rungs. Today, after swings and snatches, I decided to test with the 32k. Last time I pressed this kettlebell, I had been working on the press a lot, and weighed over 200 pounds. Today I weigh 175 pounds, and had been neglecting the press for a while in favor of snatches. It went right up, although I know that I could not press the 40k at this point.

Long Swing Sets

Since my immediate goal includes earning Rank II in the snatch with USA Kettlebell Lifting (http://www.usakl.com/), I've been working long swing sets with one hand switch. I'm using them along with Clean and Presses and pullups, Enter the Kettlebell style, with the goal of increasing overall strength while increasing my snatch numbers. Instead of rolling the dice and doing hardstyle swings, I'm doing sport style, or fluid swings (resist the urge to call them soft style- there is nothing soft about them!)

My best is 60/60, and my snatch goal is 55/55 with the 24k. I plan to increase my swings to 75/75, and continue snatching on my easy days. I shot this film to critique my technique, and I already see a lot to work on.

On Not Wimping Out

Today, I almost skipped my training.  I'm doing the Rite of Passage from Enter the Kettlebell, with one modification- I'm doing sport style snatch pulls instead of hardstyle swings, because I'm still chasing rank II in the snatch in American Rules kettlebell sport (USA Kettlebell Lifting).  I'm using the 24k, and doing chins and pullups along with the clean and presses.  Mondays are my heavy days, so that's 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5 clean and presses and pullups with a 53 pound kettlebell, and pullups.  75 clean and presses.  75 pullups.  Then the swings.  Tonight, I'm not feeling it. 

A few weeks ago, I built Dawn some cabinets from Ikea.  I built them alone, and Dawn said I was the equivalent of two Swedish men, because the directions indicated that it should take two men to build them.  Today I went by the feed store to buy feed for our animals.  I picked up 2 50 pound feed bags together, threw them on my shoulder, and carried them down the steps to my truck.  Twice.  In the amount of time it took the feed store kid to bring one bag.  Yesterday, I demolished deck stairs.  Today, I built new ones.  All by myself.   My point is this- I'm pretty strong, and my endurance is pretty good.  Not world class, certainly, but much better than it used to be.  Plenty of men are much stronger than me, but I'm thankful for my health, and for my strength.

I did not get stronger by skipping workouts because I was tired.  I got stronger by lifting weights.  I'm not going to become a Master of Sport in kettlebell lifting by pretending that hauling lumber, concrete, and feed is equivalent to getting my reps in.  I'll reach my goals by investing my time in hard work, not wasting it with excuses.  So here I am at 8:23 at night, about to start my last ladder of clean and presses so I can go get a shower and see my family.  It will be worth it.  I want to inspire Dawn to reach her fitness goals, and throwing in the towel does not inspire anyone.  Do yourself a favor next time you are tempted to wimp out of something that is important to you.  Suck it up, man up, and do it.  Mediocrity is everywhere, but true strength- physical, mental, and emotional- is hard to come by.  Go find it.

Lift Stuff Everywhere You Go!

This weekend I went with Dawn to sell her amazing goat milk soap and lotion products at an event at Whipporwhil Village, a reconstructed colonial farmstead in the mountains of Wilkes County.  The owner has brought in cabins, churches, and artifacts, some which date back to the 1700's.  It's a "hands-on history" kind of place.  As I was looking around, I found a great old anvil in the blacksmith shop.  What should a man do with such an anvil, but pick it up? I estimate it around 200 pounds.  Not extremely heavy- just a lot of fun to lift (almost as much fun as giving out lotion samples!) A Zercher deadlift was in order.  I lifted it probably 5-6 times. I wish I had time to carry it around some!  I wonder how many generations of men got strong hammering on that anvil?

Isaac is following in my footsteps.  He has not lifted much, but last week at the feed store he grabbed two 50 pound bags of feed and carried them about 20 feet.  Not bad for a 95 pound kid!



December Training Log

December 21- Light day.  Clean and press ladders with the 28k/62lb. kettlebell.  5 ladders of 1,2,3, for a total of 30 reps per arm.  Equal ladders of chin ups.  24k snatches.

December 20- scheduled rest day from kettlebell training.  Needed it!

December 19- Heavy training day.  5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5 clean and presses with the 24k.  5 ladders of 5 chins as well.  75 clean and presses per arm, 75 chins.  3 sets of 20/20 snatch pulls with the 32k kettlebell.  But before any training, I went to Lowes, bought lumber, and built my back deck stairs.  I just need to finish the rail.  Lots of heavy work, then heavy training.  Not pretty, but this is how we get stronger, right?

December 18- Rest day from kettlebell lifting, though I did some light destruction- I tore down the back steps, which are in need of replacement.  Then I brought the 2x12 treads into my gym, and made two stacks so I can do some progressive deadlifts, starting just below the knees.  I'll deadlift on variety days, and remove one 2-inch board every 3rd workout or so, until I'm pulling from the floor.  I'm using 325.  I could not resist, and did about 5 pulls.

December 17- Variety day: Warmed up with rack pulls of 370, 390, 400, 420, 440. Then 5 circuits of 25/25 kettlebell swings @ 16k with rack pulls @ 440 lbs. 5 circuits of 25/25 kettlebell swings @ 16k with barbell powerclean and push press @ 135 lbs.  Total of 500 16k swings (17,600 lbs. of work), 10 rack pulls (4,220 lbs), 5 clean and push presses (675 lbs.)

December 16- Medium Day.  Kettlebell clean and press ladders: 5 ladders of 4.  Used the 28k kettlebell for the 1 and 1,2 rungs; 24k for the remainder.  Supersetted with 5 ladders of 4 chins and pullups.  Pull ups for the 1 and 1, 2 rungs, chin ups for the rest.    24k kettlebell snatches: 10 minutes of snatches, switching hands every 5 reps.  Pace of 14-15 reps per minute.  50 clean and presses per arm, 50 pullups/chins, 140-150 snatches.

December 15- Variety day.  Deadlift: 215x2, 265x2, 285x2, 305x1.  Two ladders of 5 closes with a 100 pound gripper.

December 14- Clean and press ladders: 5 ladders of 3.  First rung: 28k, second and third rungs: 24k.   Chin ups: 5 ladders of 3.  30 clean and presses per arm, 30 Chin ups.  24k snatch: 10 minutes @ about 15 reps per minute, 24k, switching hands every 5 reps.  Could have done probably done 12 minutes.

December 13- day off from training, but a long day nonetheless!

December 12- 24k clean and press: 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5; Pullups: 5 ladders of 1,2,3,4,5; 24k swings: 50/50, 40/40.  Totals: 75 pullups, 75 presses per arm, 165 pulls (swings, cleans) per arm. 

December 11- day off from training

December 10- worked around the house; 200 snatch pulls @ 24k: 30/30, 30/30, 30/30, 10/10.  A few clean and presses @ 24k, a few pullups.

December 9- Deadlift: 2 @ 215, 2 @ 235, 2 @ 255, 2@ 275, 1 @ 285, 1 @ 300

December 8-  Deadlift: 3 @ 215, 3 @ 235, 3 @ 245; barbell rack jerk: 2 @ 135, 2 @ 145, 6 @ 150; barbell power clean: 2 @ 135, 8 @ 150.

December 7- Deadlift: 215- 7-8 singles for practice; Snatch: 24k- 25/25 x 2

December 6- Deadlift: 215x2, 235x2, 245x2, 255x2, 245- 5 singles.  Have not deadlifted in months, so just getting back into the groove.  Bent press: 5 singles per arm @ 32k.

December 5- day off from training

December 4- day off from training, except lifted an anvil 5-6 times.  Probably 200+ pounds.

December 3- Busy all day.  Just 50 (10 sets of 5) pullups.

December 2- Jerk: 10 sets of 1m on, 1m off @ 12 rpm, 2x16k.
                     Swing (GS snatch pull): 10 sets of 20/20.  1-2 minutes rest betwen sets.
                     Totals: 120 double jerks
                                400 swings

December 1- Snatch: 6m @ 12rpm, 20k (72 reps), 10m @ 14rpm (140 reps), 16k;
                     Jerk: 4 sets of 1m @ 12rpm, 1m rest (48 jerks), 2x20k; 3m @ 6rpm (18 jerks),
                           2x20k; 2m @ 6rpm (12 reps), 2x16k. 
                      Swings: 60 swings (30/30) @ 32k
                      Seated Press: 10 reps @ 2x16k
                      One Arm Jerk: 20 reps (10/10) @ 32k
                      Totals: 232 snatches,  90 jerks, 60 swings, 10 seated presses.