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This article has been reprinted from the Strength Training and Powerlifting Articles archive on Dragondoor.com

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Steel Bending, VFF, Yoga & Dan John

Dan Cenidoza, CSCS, RKC

The following is a report on my current training goals and how I've successfully married thecompletely unrelated pursuits of steel bending, barefoot running, yoga and strength trainingminimums as per Dan John.

My first priority training goal right now is steel bending. All sorts of steel: short, long, flat,round, horseshoes, hardware, whatever. I'm about a year into a long and slow process ofconditioning my hands to the pressures of bending steel. I just recently bent the Iron MindRed Nail and although that is considered by many to be an elite level of bending, I feel likeI'm only scratching the surface of my potential. Best of all, I'm having a lot of fun in theprocess!

Because I'm having so much fun, it's difficult to find the right training balance of thispotentially dangerous activity. I can't train too often, or too hard, less I get hurt. I have to waitpatiently until the tissues adapt to such forces. Even if I can block out the pain involved inbending steel, I must gradually increase the workload... my body demands it!

I'm still figuring out how to progress in this type of conditioning, one that has nothing to dowith my muscular or cardiovascular development. I imagine that anyone who has been downthis path had to pave their own way. Because steel bending involves trauma to the body, not

to mention belief and commitment from the mind, it makes it a highly individual endeavor.Experienced benders can offer only general advice to those who inquire about steel bendingprograms. Just the sound of a "steel bending program" sounds ridiculous! Each man mustfind his own way.

Very similar to the desensitization process I'm going through with my hands, I'm goingthrough with my feet via barefoot running (not quite barefoot, but the Vibram Five Fingers isabout as close as it gets). The goal here is a multi-faceted one. I want to strengthen my feet,I want to be in good cardiovascular shape and I want to shed a couple pounds of bodyfat; soI run in VFF's. Sometimes I run sprints, sometimes I run miles, sometimes I run whilecarrying really heavy weights (more on that later) but I do so all in the VFF's and it all goes

towards the aforementioned goals.

Barefoot training is not a new concept but it is a new experience for me. I'm about 2 monthsinto training in the VFF's and so far what I have found is that the stronger my feet are, thestronger I am. Pavel wrote about the mechanoreceptors in the hands and feet in his book

Power to the People!and he explained why you should lose the lifting gloves and softcushioned shoes (if you haven't read this book, I suggest you do). I can't help but think thatdesensitizing my feet is somehow helping to desensitize my hands for steel bending.Regardless of any relation there, I can tell you for certain that with stronger feet I am now a

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better runner. In fact, the last time I checked I had improved my 1.5 mile time by 30 secondsand my 3 mile time by 90 seconds.

The other thing that barefoot training is doing for me is helping my yoga practice -- I canhold poses much longer and much steadier now. I've been practicing yoga on and off fornearly 10 years now. I find that I feel much better, and move much better when I am doingyoga at least a couple times a month. Plus it's always fun for a 225lb steel bending

weightlifter to attend a yoga class full of petite women who are into things like organicgranola and saving the trees and have them inquire about my training and compliment meon my flexibility. It happens every time. :\)

With all of these different pursuits you may wonder where I fit in my strength training andwhat Dan John has to do with any of this. In order to prioritize steel bending and running, Ihave cut my strength work back to bare bones minimum. Dan John has helped me to realizewhat that minimum is for me and not only has he given me a new perspective on whatstrength training is but he's also been kind enough to provide me with a little guidance onthat which ails me, my overhead press.

First let's talk about what strength training is according to DJ:

1. Lifting a weight off the ground

2. Lifting a weight overhead

3. Carrying a weight for distance

I think you really need to understand training to be able to appreciate this perspective. Tellthis to your average gym rat and he'll probably ask what you do for your bi's. Huh? Nevermind. These 3 things are the fullest expressions of total body strength! I can see that now.

So in order to meet these facets with the bare minimum I've cut my strength work down to 2lifts -- the clean & press and the farmers walk. (Interesting to note that the C&P is one of myweakest lifts while the farmers walk is one of my best.)

For the last 3 months I've been pressing almost everyday -- an easy 135 for 2 sets of 5. I got

the idea to do this from Dan's book Never Let Go (which reminded me Pavel also suggestedthis in PTTP). I'm not used to training a lift with this kind of frequency so I figured I would hitDan up with a few questions about when to progress in weight and how often I should testmy max. He was kind enough to answer my questions, my follow up questions and myquestions thereafter. I should be paying the man for the advice he's given me but since hedidn't ask I'll just buy his products, tell you what a nice guy he is and tell you that youshould buy his products too!

After about 8 weeks of pressing 135x5 everyday I started cleaning each rep and mixing 3x8and 5x5 workouts into the set/rep scheme. A few weeks later and my 1RM is up 5lbs fromwhere it was when I was 20lbs heavier. Dan then suggested I do 2, 3, 5, 10 reps for 3, 5 and2 ladders, and then test my max again. Problem was the first time I did this workout I hit mymax on the 10th rep of the first ladder, second ladder I only got 8. Fine. Dan tells me to do2, 3, 5, 8.

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An interesting thing about ladder workouts is that they seem to confuse the body. I swearthe 2 and; 3 rep sets seemed to be the most difficult whereas the 5 and 8 rep sets the bar

just flew up. This workout better than doubled the volume of pressing I was used to andcaused noticeable hypertrophy in my shoulders that lasted long after the pump was gone.I've got another week before I test my max again but I'm feeling confident about addinganother 5lbs to the bar. And though it's a little farther off, a bodyweight press is in the future

as well.

As for the farmers walks, I know I said DJ was a nice guy but he is really a sinister S.O.B.who "does what [he] can to ruin people's day" (direct quote). I guarantee you will curse hisname if you try the following workout...

It was about a month ago when I listened to a podcast that featured Mr. John. In it hesuggested a workout in which you farmers carry a pair of 85lb dumbbells "as far away" asyou can for 10 minutes. Then carry them back. I first tried this (20 minutes after I hadlistened to the podcast) with a pair of 70lb kettlebells. To make up for the 15lb difference I(foolishly) went downhill for the first half of the workout leaving the uphill climb for after I was

already spent. Long story short, I made it a half mile in 10 minutes, it took me 19 minutes toget back home and then another 10 minutes to lie on the sidewalk and contemplate why Ihad subjected myself to such a thing. Somehow I think DJ knew this would happen. What a

jerk that guy is.

It wasn't more than 2 weeks later (after I recovered) that I tried the workout again using 88lbkettlebells. (I know, glutton for punishment, but I had to at least give it a go with theprescribed weight.) This time I went uphill first and saved the downhill trip for the way back.That was a lesson I learned in about 19 minutes as per the last attempt. I traveled 3/4 of mileall in all, and it only took me 13:30 to get back. To my surprise, I did this workout againexactly one week later and carried the 40kg KB's an entire mile, only this time I did it in 3laps around the block at my own pace, simply because I needed to periodically check on mydaughter. But I digress...

Now is a good time to mention that all of these farmers walks were done in VFF. You thinkyour feet get sore running in Vibrams? Try carrying a couple hundred pounds as far as youcan over and over again and see how your feet feel the next day! Do this for a couple weeksand take note of how your feet feel during the workouts as you progress. I mentioned that Iam stronger with stronger feet, see if you don't find the same to be true.

I find it very interesting how all of these seemingly unrelated goals have blended together.I've found complete harmony in several extreme forms of training and I'm making gains onevery front. Thanks goes to the following people on this board for helping me on my path:

Adam Glass for recommending Dennis Rogers' Oldtime Strongman University. Thanks to mcfor securing the RKC discount on VFF's. Thanks to Dan John for all the help with mypressing program (I will let you know how the next max effort goes). And thanks to you otherRKC's who are kicking ass and taking names! From the athletes, to the trainers, to thebusiness gurus and to the ones who are doing it all -- keep up the good work!

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Dan Cenidoza is an RKC in the Baltimore, MD area visit his website at

http://www.bemoretraining.com

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here may not be in agreement with those of Dragon Door

Publications, Inc., Power by Pavel, Inc. and Tactical Strength, Inc., and their employees including

Pavel Tsatsouline. The above parties are not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any injuryor health condition that may occur through following the opinions expressed here. Consult with

your physician before starting any exercise program.

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