Bed of Nails: A Classic Strongman Feat

By Thom Van Vleck

Thom Van Vleck laying on the Bed of Nails

The first time I ever remember the “Bed of Nails” feat was hearing my Uncle’s talk about it after a JWC trip to a lifting meet where Ed Zercher performed the feat. I remember being amazed at it and how only someone “special” could withstand the nails without being punctured. Now I realize it is a trick of physics and virtually anyone could do it, but not everyone WOULD do it! And if they did it once, they might not want to do it again! It is currently a regular feature in the JWC Christian Strongman Shows and I am always the guy on the bottom. Why? Because one time I wasn’t able to make it and Brian Kerby did it and swore he’d never do it again. No blood was drawn, he just found it so painful and mentally challenging that he refuses to do it again!

I was introduced to the “Bed of Nails” when I first performed with Randy Richey’s Omegaforce Christian Strongman team. We were setting up the script for the show and Randy said, “Who wants to lay on the bed of nails?” Interestingly, there were no takers! That should have been my first clue. I then volunteered and that night found myself on a bed of 500 sixty penny nails with another guy on top bench pressing a 440lb engine block for 10 reps! After that, I built my own “bed” and it became a regular feature in the JWC strongman shows as it is a real crowd pleaser….although I honestly don’t think of it as a real feat of strength.

At an “after contest” get together at my place, I got the Bed of Nails out and only Chad Ullom wanted to give it a try. Chad was able to handle everything we put on him. I think this is partly because Chad is a top notch strength athlete and his pain tolerance is amazingly high. But it also may be a comment on his (and my own) mental state!

If you have ever wondered, here is what it “feels” like. When you first lay on the nails, they hurt surprisingly bad. I have lots of people lay on the bed after shows, but none go beyond that because of the pain. The funny thing is, they never hurt worse than that! The compression is what gets you worse. Usually, I try to get my self as flat as possible. Then we usually will put my 150lb anvil on my stomach and pound it with hammers. Believe it or not, that hurts worse than what is to come. I think it’s because the hammer pounding drives straight thru the anvil and drives me into the nails. But as the weight gets put on, you “flatten” out on the nails and the weight gets distributed. Then, we usually break blocks, which the worst thing is pieces hitting you in the face so we usually use a shield to block my face. Finally, we will have someone lay on me, then someone will climb on top of them. Usually, Brian will lay on me and Brett Kerby or John O’Brien will stand on Brian’s stomach and bend a nail or rip a license plate in half. Sometimes we’ll put a large board on me and invite people to come and stand on me and I’ve had well over 1000lbs of people on top.

I do a couple of “tricks” to help. One, is I try to keep the weight more on my hips than my chest. Second, I then grab the board on top of me and “bench press” it to try and get some room for my chest to breath. Because with all that weight, you really CAN’T BREATH and that’s the thing that got Brian that time he tried it. You feel like you are drowning and you really have to keep your cool! The compression coupled with the pain make for a miserable, helpless combination. You are literally trapped on there until everyone gets off! If you start to panic and try to move, you will get yourself cut up fast! Another final “trick” is that you need to flatten yourself out, not like you are going for a bench press, but you are trying to “roll” your back onto the bench and make every inch of contact you possibly can. One final comment is that I usually feel better after the feat, I think it’s because of the endorphins released by my body caused by the pain and the immense relief at it being over!

That’s the “Bed of Nails” and if you come to the JWC sometime, ask me and I’ll pull it out for you to try! Just sign the waiver first……just kidding!!!!

The Snaggin’ Curl

by Al Myers

Dino Gym member Casey Barten put his weight training to good use in landing this 75 pound paddlefish.

Use an over the top grip

As promised yesterday, today I am going to present an exercise to you that will show that weight training virtually helps EVERYTHING. Most people would think fishing was a relaxing low effort sport – but that depends on the type of fishing you do! For the past several years Casey and I have taken part in snagging for paddlefish (also known asspoonbills) during the Missouri season. Paddlefish are one of America’s largest freshwater fish, and can grow to weights of over 100 pounds. Every spring, paddlefish will make their “spawning runs” and migrate into the upstream rivers from the reservoirs. However, there is one big problem with catching paddlefish – they are filter feeders and won’t bite on a baited hook! So we use a much more strenuous method of “catching them” – we snag them! (All of this is legal by the way). I was introduced to this unique way of catching fish by a good friend, outdoor enthusiast Kevin Yaeger, and I was immediately HOOKED (or you could say snagged)! It is by far the most physically draining type of fishing I have ever done. It is done like this – you allow the heavy pound and half sinker on the end of your line to touch bottom, at which time you give a hard pull on the rod, fighting the water resistance of the three big treble hooks on your line. If you don’t snag anything – you do it again and again at the rate of one pull every 5 seconds. The harder you work at it – the greater chances you will have success. Reeling in a 75 pound paddlefish is the easy part. It is the thousands of “pulls” you do before you snag the big paddlefish that wears you out.

Lift the kettlebell straight up

So what does this have to do with weight lifting?

Well, after the first year I went snaggin’ I was somewhat embarrassed by how I was “worn out” afterwards. I don’t train for endurance! Casey and I decided that prior to the next season we had to get ourselves in shape for snaggin’! This is what lead to the Snaggin’ Curl. Many years ago I was introduced to this exercise by armwrestler Jason Payne. He told me it was an exercise that the armwrestlers loved – and they called it the Cobra Curl. I’m always up to try something new so I gave it a try and found that it worked the EXACT same muscles that are required in pulling back on a fishing pole – thus Casey and I renamed it the Snaggin’ Curl!!

This exercise is very easy to do. You can use a dumbbell, but I prefer a kettlebell. Sit on a seat and place the kettlebell between your feet. Place your elbow of the lifting arm against your leg, and grab the handle of the kettlebell with an over the top grip. Lift the kettlebell straight up from the floor until the wrist is turned over and you can’t go any higher. At the top position hold the kettlebell for a slight pause, at which time you lower the kettlebell slow back to the floor and repeat the motion. I am not usually a high reps lifter but we will go up to 50 reps per set with this exercise – all in a slow and controlled motion. Do several sets. When finished your forearms are BLASTED! Rest a minute and then do them with your other arm – after all I rotate arms when snaggin’ and I don’t one to be my weak link.

The top position of the Snaggin' Curl (notice the flexed wrist)

Casey and I are now a month away from snaggin’. We are training the Snaggin’ Curl hard – hoping that our training will pay off and we will snag a BIG ONE this year!!

Block Bar Curls

by Al Myers

Dino Gym member Casey Barten performing a Block Bar Curl.

Would you like to try an exercise that works the grip, forearm muscles and the upper arm in one exercise?  Then try the Block Bar Curl!  This is a very simple exercise – but does require a piece of specialized equipment. I initially made this Block Bar for grip training, but the guys in the gym have found many other uses for it.  It has the same gripping dimensions as the IronMind Pinch Grip Block (3″ by 6″) and is painted with the same slick gloss paint finish.  The Block Bar is 36 inches long and weighs 45 pounds empty. I am really surprised no one has marketed a bar like this (at least I haven’t seen one). Really anyone could make one without even having shop skills. All it would take is two 2x6s nailed together, with a bolt on each end to bolt weight to.

It is very difficult to do curls with it, as all the arm muscles need to be contracting in unison to be able to execute the curl. You will find this exercise is great for developing wrist strength and stability.  Surprisingly, you will “feel” it in the biceps even with the much smaller amount of weight used versus a regular bar curl.  I think the reason for this is because of the added demands the Block Bar Curl places on the forearm muscles, and the forearm muscles must be in contraction at the same time as the upper arm muscles. This exercise has to be performed with good technique and under control or the grip on the block will be lost. The sets and reps we do with this Bar are pretty typical –  3 to 4 sets of 8-10 reps and adding weight with each set.

The Block Bar Curl  is a very practical exercise, and the strength it develops in the hands and arms will carry over to work applications.  Casey is a Veterinarian, and doing Large Animal Veterinary work requires strength in the hands and arms to perform some procedures. Much of his training is geared to increase the strength in his hands, arms and shoulders.   His training is not just about getting stronger, but about making his work easier!  You have to remember weight training can accomplish different things for different people.

Coming tomorrow –

Casey’s favorite weight training exercise for fishing!

A Lift for Andy

Tribute to Andy Goddard

by Steve Gardner

Andy Goddard performing one of his favorite lifts - the Bench Press

It will be a year on March 26th since I said goodbye to my friend Andy. The Gym has not been the same without him, but we carry on with Andy always in our thoughts.

I have decided to run a postal competition as a tribute to Andy Goddard. The lifts will be simple and contain two of his favorites: the Bench Press and the Two Hands Deadlift.

I am inviting friends of Andys, and all IAWA members in general, to take part in this ‘Tribute Lift for Andy’. Lifts are to be completed by the end of March. One referee will be ok for the tribute lifts, but if you want the lifts to be considered for record purposes they must be clearly marked as refereed by two officials.

Remember – it doesn’t matter how much you lift or whether you are not fully training or injured. Just submit token results if you can’t do more, just to be a part of our ‘Tribute to Andy’.

There will be an Andy Goddard Trophy kept at the Powerhouse Gym and the overall Winners name will go on that trophy!

USAWA News Updates


USAWA News Updates
by Al Myers

Meets this Month

This is a big month for meets in the USAWA.  This coming weekend (March 13th) will be the Club Challenge, hosted by the John McKean and the Ambridge Barbell Club.  Entries must consist of three lifter teams – since scoring will be done by adding up individual adjusted points for a team score.  March 28 is the day for the Deanna Springs Meet, hosted by Bill Clark in Columbia, Missouri.  Bill has hosted this meet for many years in memory of Deanna Springs. Also, don’t forget the Postal Meet hosted by John Wilmot. Lifts must be done and turned in by the end of this month.

History of Gold Cup

Thanks to Dale Friesz, the history of dates, locations and meet directors of past Gold Cups has finally been completed.  Dale has worked hard doing the research for this going back to the FIRST Gold Cup. This coming year will be the 20th year for the Gold Cup, which was started in 1991 by Howard Prechtel.   All of Dale’s research on this can be found in the Past Champions Section.    Thanks again Dale for finishing this project I started several months ago. It might never have got finished without you.

Drug Testing

The USAWA is making some changes in drug testing this year.  Our new USAWA Vice President Chad Ullom has assumed the role of the USAWA Drug Enforcement Director.  We have had a very good drug testing program in the past, but Chad has some ideas to even make it better. This year we will test at more meets, but with less tests done per meet.  Hopefully, this will save the USAWA some money and make our drug testing program even better.

Club Memberships

This so far has been a great year for club memberships.  Registered USAWA Clubs for 2010 stand at 7.  This has only been  topped by 8 registered clubs in 2002 and 2003.  The longest standing Club Membership belongs to Clark’s Championship Gym, which has been a registered club since 1989.  That was the first year club memberships were issued.

Individual Memberships

Individual memberships in the USAWA are $25, and must now be sent to me instead of Bill Clark.  Don’t forget to sign and date the drug waiver when sending in your membership application.  Memberships are for the current year, from the first day of January to the last day of December.  They are required in order to compete in any USAWA meet or event.  Once I receive your membership money with the completed application, I will immediately put your name on the membership roster. Membership cards will NO LONGER be issued.

USAWA Discussion Forum

The website contains a discussion forum, but is only available to those who have registered for the website.  This can be done in the Website Registration Section.  There is no fee for this and has nothing to do with membership in the USAWA.  You must be logged in to the website in order to see the Members Section which contains the discussion forum.  I do have to approve your website registration so it may take a while, but I check it daily so it won’t be longer than that.  This discussion forum is a great place to discuss current lifting events or just interact with others interested in All-Round Weightlifting.

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