Hit a new big PR yesterday during my workout – Bending a Grade 8 Bolt.
It sort of happened like my 505 lb. deadlift. Coming into the workout I just had a feeling I could do it. So I warmed up with some lighter bolts and nails then went into it.
Here’s the video.
This has been a goal of mine for over a year, although I haven’t been completely focused in on it.
The Grade 8 bolt is just one step away from Ironmind’s Red Nail, which when you can bend that you are considered world class at bending.
I did a lot of work with the Wrist Developer for a time. Although it mimics the reverse bending style I found it didn’t quite carry over my short bending. There may be some but it is quite a different feel to it.
So in the last two months I switched gears and started bending again.
Since one day in the future I want to certify I realized I’m going to have to start bending in Ironmind’s wraps instead of the leathers I’m familiar with. Let me tell you for me there is a world of difference.
So I started training with the much smaller wraps, that inflict more pain with bending. I worked on some easier and harder 60D nails. I was working up to being able to do a Grade 5 bolt in these wraps but didn’t quite get there…yet.
However, yesterday I decided to go back to the leathers and try my hands at the Grade 8. As you can see I was successful. I had never gotten beyond the kink before.
Check out the un-centered bend of the Grade 5 I did before the Grade 8.
It’s kind of like doing partials which can desensitize you to heavier weights. Only in this case I was using a lighter “weight” but less wraps for the desensitization.
Now I’ll continue to work with both the leathers and cordura wraps, back and forth, as I work my way towards the next goals. These include:
- Bend a Grade 5 Bolt in Ironmind Pads
- Bend a Grade 8 Bolt in Ironmind Pads
- Bend a Red Nail in Leathers
- Bend a Red Nail in Ironmind Pads
- Bend a Red Nail for Certification
If you want to bend steel, tear decks of cards and many other feats of strength I highly suggest you make your way over to here to learn from the best of the best, Dennis Rogers at our upcoming workshop.
Also if you want more tips like these (including the mental tactics I used, for this one I call ’Weakening the Steel’, and know I wouldn’t have been successful without it) then sign up for my new Peak Performance Elite Coaching. The few remaining spots are filling rapidly.
As what always happens with feats like these, once the first one falls, the rest are soon to follow.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength, Hand Strength, Oldtime Strongmen by on Oct 14th, 2011. 7 Comments. 
As you well know I’ve just released my newest project, which is a joint DVD course, with Bud Jeffries.
Feats of Strength: How to Train and Perform Like an Oldtime Strongman.
(Right now you can get it for a cheap price, but this is only for a couple more days.)
So today I wanted to dive into the reasons why you should train to do feats of strength. But let’s be honest here. If you have no interest in this subject these will not change your mind.
More likely if you are someone that this fits, then you already KNOW that is something that you want to, or rather HAVE to do. If this is the case then read on, but definitely pick up the set today so you can get started on your path.
1 – Strengthen your whole body
Feats of strength strengthen your entire body. Even the ones that don’t appear to be full body at first glance tend to still generate power in many of the major muscle groups. And there are other feats that are obviously full body in nature. There is nothing quite like pitting your body against steel and seeing who comes out the victor. Not only will you be stronger with the training, but also in long bending for instance, you’ll improve your endurance too.
2 – Strengthen your hands and wrists
Many of the common feats of strength are centered on the hands, like phonebook or card tearing and short bending. Why is this? Especially in this day and age, although a person may have big or even strong muscles, they lack strength in their hands and wrists. So when they try many feats they are bound to fail. That full body power they might have can’t get transferred through the weak links that are their hands.
To be strong all over, and to do feats of strength, you must have strong hands. There is no doubt about it. And by doing feats you’ll further develop your strength to great levels. The hands can move in so many different ways that you’ll always find new ways to challenge them. Many feats offer unique grips that aren’t often trained except in those specific ways.
3 – Amaze your family, friends and any crowd
People love to see feats of strength. As we talk about in the DVD’s what feats of strength are is a method to make a clear communication of strength with the crowd. The average person doesn’t understand how much strength it takes to lift a heavy weight. But you bend a nail and they go wow. You tear a phonebook in two in 5 seconds and they’ll forever think of you as superhumanly strong. With feats of strength you can get the interest of people that don’t workout at all.
Amazing the crowd...and the press!
4 – Make money off of it
And by this means you can also turn it into a profitable hobby or business. Once you can do a number of feats of strength you can turn it into a show. Then you go out and get paid for doing just that. Performing at events, churches, businesses, birthday parties or just downtown on your street corner. You may get paid directly for your performance (and the accompanying message with it). Or you can use your feats in ways to get paid indirectly like I have for a lot of promotional purposes. The choice is yours once you become a strongman with the power to amaze.
5 – Become known as a strongman
This is a side benefit that comes about when you start performing. Often your first shows don’t make you money but they give you practice, developing your skills, showmanship and confidence. Still to all the people who see this you’ll will become known as the local strongman. Watch out though, you will suddenly be ‘volunteered’ to help out for moving services often. “Oh that’s heavy. Have Logan do it. He can probably lift it with one finger or just using his hair.”
6 – Impress women
Many displays of authority tends to be helpful in attracting a woman. Performing on stage is no different. I’m not saying once you can bend a wrench into a U all you’re woman troubles will vanish. When I showed my girlfriend a few feats for the first time she was impressed. She also says she thought I was crazy but I know the truth. 
Unfortunately, I don’t think this works the opposite way. For a woman to bend steel bars it would tend to emasculate her would be suitors, unless they enjoy doing the same thing. In that case it might be a turn on.
7 – Its fun
This may be the greatest reason of all. I always tell people that when it comes to exercise they have to find something that they enjoy. That I too wouldn’t exercise if it meant I had to spend an hour each day running on the hamster wheel, excuse me, treadmill. There are so many options available for being active and building strength and health.
Feats of strength just happens to be one of the things that is most fun, at least to me. Part of it is the destruction. Part of it is the challenge. Part of it can’t be easily explained. If you bend a nail for the first time and too you its like having your first child then you’re hooked and will be for life. If you don’t have that much fun, I say too bad for you.
Destruction is Fun!
8 – Join a relatively small group of exclusive people
Strongmanism is not hugely popular. While everyone enjoys feats of strength, few people are even aware they exist. There is a very small number of performing strongmen out there. That means that when you get out there its not too hard to rise to the top. (It’s not like running out to Hollywood to become an actor.)
And just about all the strongmen are really nice people that will be happy to help you on your way up. When you enter into the oldtime strongman world you join this exclusive group and get to help spread the message, encouraging others to do the same thing.
That’s everything for now. I’m sure there are other benefits, and if you think of any, please post them below.
And most importantly, if you want to experience all the benefits for yourself then pick up Feats of Strength: How to Train and Perform Like an Oldtime Strongman to get started right away.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Our introductory offer on Feats of Strength goes away after Wednesday so be sure to grab it now.
Filed under Feats of Strength by on Aug 29th, 2011. 3 Comments.
At long last its here. A collaborative project with Bud Jeffries.
Feats of Strength: How to Train and Perform Like an Oldtime Strongman
This is the most complete instruction on feats of strength, training for them, and performing shows that is available.
And we’ve got a special deal for you to kick it off.
If you want to become ridiculously strong…
If you want every group and function you go to refer to you as the local strongman…
If you want to put on shows for fame or fortune…
Then this is where you should start.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength by on Aug 24th, 2011. Comment.
If you want to be strong then there is nothing quite like feats of strength.
To your average person, they don’t understand the strength required lift a heavy weight. But you tear a phonebook in half in front of them and they go WOW!
(Even though tearing a phonebook is not that tough. With proper training, and some time devoted to practice, anyone can do it.)
Back in April Bud Jeffries and I taught a segment at the Super Human Workshop on how to do Feats of Strength. According to all the attendees it was the most popular part of that whole workshop.
We even had 100 lb. Melody bending steel so yes, you absolutely can do it too.
If you just want the phenomenal strength that comes from doing feats of strength during your workouts that’s great. There is no other way to build the kind of power it takes to bend steel (and the other feats).
But you can also leverage your feats into much more. Like getting press coverage for your gym, or going on a nation wide tour.
We want to give you details on how to do all of the above.
In a week or so we’ll be releasing a new course that shares everything. But I would be remiss if we didn’t give you enough info before hand to get you started.
So that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
On the following page you’ll get to watch a video I had lots of fun putting together. It pumps me up every time I watch it.
And once you sign up there you’ll get the first of several more videos that give you information on how to get started.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. You might be asking why you have to enter your email again. This is just to get the people that are most interested in this topic on one list so I can email them separately. Seriously go watch the video on this page and if you aren’t inspired to start destroying cards, phonebooks and nails, then this isn’t right for you.
Filed under Feats of Strength by on Aug 17th, 2011. Comment.
Wow, what a weekend.
This last weekend was the first ever Super Human Training Workshop.
For three days Bud and I delivered a whole lot of top training information covering everything from partial lifting to qi training, health and nutrition to mental training, feats of strength to bodyweight exercises and kettlebells. And that just scratches the surface.
It was great to get together with a small group of guys (and gals!) that were willing to put in the work and try some outside the ‘standard’ box fitness approach too many people are caught in.
It was a unique event with PR’s (including big ones) falling by the wayside daily. The pile of torn cards and phonebooks, plus bent and scrolled steel was bigger than I’ve ever seen with everyone getting it done.
Stay tuned for some cool more info about it.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength by on Apr 20th, 2011. 1 Comment.
I’m sure you’ve been inundated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials. I know I have. I’ve also gotten in on some sweet deals.
I don’t have a special for you but I just have to tell you about this new product release.
As you know on my site I’m a big fan of feats of strength. I received questions all the time about how to get started with them. One of the favorites was always bending, especially the short or nail bending.
Don’t know why, except to say in my case it’s a lot of fun and gratifying to destroy steel.
So when someone asked me about getting started I would point them to THE resource on the subject. That was the Bending eBook put out by Jedd Johnson.
The book is great in that there is tons of details, a myriad of exercises and really no stones left unturned when it comes to bending.
But I always asked myself why hadn’t someone made a DVD? With exercise nothing beats actually seeing the exercises done.
Finally that has happened.
And the same person who put together that awesome ebook has put together an awesome DVD. I haven’t seen it yet, but I know Jedd always puts together high quality stuff.
You can read more details about what it covers here.
I’ve been bending for years and I’m sure I’ll learn some new helpful info when I get to watch it.
Obviously this isn’t for everyone. But it is for those who’re into bending and those interested in starting.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength, Hand Strength by on Nov 30th, 2010. Comment.
My friend Doug Fioranelli invited me once again to his gym, Rise Above Strength, for their anniversary party. To support my fellow trainers and have some fun I drove out to Belmont and I’m glad I did.
To start with there was a competition. This was different from last years in that it was team completion instead of individual. This was simply because so many people wanted to join in the fun.
The first event was a double kettlebell deadlift with two 40kg kettlebells. These were to be lifted as many reps as possible with no time limit. The reps among the team members where totaled for the team score.
I’m hit 64 reps before the grip on my left hand when out. While I’ve been training the deadlift steadily, its never with kettlebells and never this high reps! I’m happy to report I hit the highest total among all the guys (some of the ladies, who were lifting 20kg kettlebells, were hitting 70 and 80 reps).
The second event was a team race with the prowler. In the video you can see one of three legs I had to do.
The third and final event was a medley with each team member having to complete one section. It involved 5 exercises.
1. 20 Pullups/Chinnups
2. Tire flips for a set distance
3. 70lb. Keg Press for 20 reps (30lb. Sandbag for women)
4. Walking lunges – 40 lbs. each hand for men and 20 for women.
5. Sled Drag forwards and backwards for a set distance.
As you can see in the video I did the tire flip which I was quite good at in last year’s competition.
The best part was Dan John, showed up and joined our team for this last event (manhandling the keg press with ease) as we were short a member. This was the first time we had met so it was one more pleasant surprise for the day.
After the competition I did a little oldtime strongman show bending nails, horseshoes, shredding a phonebook followed by a little kettlebell juggling.
Finally it was time to eat and what a BBQ it was.
A little later on I was showing some of the guys some of my techniques on kettlebell snatching. Its amazing how a few small things can make a big difference. (On that note, I should be hitting one of my main snatch goals very shortly.)
My main point in sharing all this is two fold. The first is to let you share in the fun. I like to keep this site personal and show you what I’m up to.
The second point is to encourage you to do the same. I’ve said this many times before and I plan to continue saying it. You need to get out there and compete. For those of us who have the luxury of a well equipped home gym we may not always get out and mix it up. For those without training partners its even more necessary.
An event like this gives the opportunity. It is a way to test how your training is going. It’s funny to note that everyone of the exercises in this competition was not something I regularly did. The deadlifts were close but I use a barbell or trapbar and 20 reps is a high rep set for me let alone 64.
(And in case you’re wondering, yes I am sore.)
The prowler and tire flip I haven’t done since the same party the prior year!
So when you go out and compete, in one form or another, you get to really put the pedal to the metal and see what you’re made of. Doing so is a lot of fun. I highly recommend doing it when you can.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. Be sure to sign up for our 10th and final call on Super Human Training. This week features Peter Ragnar and you won’t want to miss it.
P.S.S. Also I’m going to be hitting the road soon for the Longevity Conference. I’ll try to get you an update on a few things I learn while I’m at the event, but no promises. It’ll be a crazy busy and fun time.
Filed under Barbells and Dumbbells, Conditioning, Feats of Strength, Hand Strength, Kettlebells, Mental Training, Oldtime Strongmen, Videos, Workouts by on Sep 20th, 2010. 33 Comments.
This is the final update in this round for the Feats of Strength Index.
All new:
Thick Bars
Thick Bar Lifting
Updated:
Short Bending
Long Bending
Chain Breaking
Finger Lifting
Hand Balancing
Pullups
Every page has at least one video showing some form of the feat of strength.
(Except for one. I cannot find a good video of a two hands anyhow of anyone bent pressing a barbell and then picking up and pressing a kettlebell. If you or someone you know can do this with a decent or respectable amount of weight please shoot a video and let me know. If not I’ll have to practice it myself and do it.)
While I’m happy with the section for now it’ll be constantly evolving over time.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength by on May 6th, 2010. 2 Comments.
Almost done, just two updates left to go. There are plenty of videos on these new and updated feats.
All new:
Anvil Lifting
Updated:
Muscle Out or Crucifix
Odd Object Lifting
Teeth and Jaw Feats
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength by on Apr 13th, 2010. Comment.
Some all new Feats of Strength have been added to the index. While there is more to be added every single one listed on that page has been filled out to some degree.
Weight Supports
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Feats of Strength by on Apr 5th, 2010. Comment.
