First off let's talk about safety, as this is a primary concern when dealing with a feat such as this. The potential for serious injury surrounds this feat - I speak from first hand experience. The most severe injury I have sustained thus far from tearing a plate is a cut which ran from just below my pinky finger all the way to my elbow.
When attempting this, it is essential to take proper precautions to protect yourself. First, you'll want to get a pair of heavy suede work gloves with an extended cuff. As the tear is initiated, the sides of the hand and the wrist are extremely vulnerable to being sliced with the sharp, jagged edge of the plate. Second, it is highly advisable to wear a some sort of long sleeve work shirt or jacket that is constructed of a cut resistant material. If something does not go as expected, the arms can receive a nasty slash as you "drive" through to complete the tear. Next, you will want to clean the plate. Foreign matter such as oil residue, mud, and even light accumulation of "road dirt" can make for a more slippery surface and add a higher potential for injury.
Now that we have ourselves protected, it's time to grab the plate. I personally like to tear plates at chest level, and that is the method I am going to discuss. As a dry run without a plate, place your dominant hand in a hammer style grip. Place the pinky side of that hand just above the bottom of the sternum. Now place the other fist in the same manner below the dominant one so you have the thumb side of the non-dominant and the pinky side of the dominant meeting. Squeeze as hard as you can and push your hands in opposite directions with the top hand going slightly upward and the bottom hand going slightly downward. If you push straight through, the potential for being cut dramatically increases.
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Shredded.
Since we have the basic technique down, lets grip up on a plate. With the same hand positioning as stated above, grip the top edge of the license plate while paying extra attention to the placement of the thumbs. You do not want your thumbs wrapped around the plate. Rather, the grip desired is more of a pinch. The object is to pin the plate between your thumb pad / palm area and your finger tips. If you wrap your thumbs around the plate, you will most likely bend them backwards against the joint. I like to place the top edge of the plate about an inch below where the fingers meet the palm, that way the plate gets very firmly anchored. Next, squeeze as hard as you can. You do not want that plate slipping out of your grip when you begin to add the force needed to initiate the tear. If it slips, again, there is a potential of being cut on the hand, wrist, and/or arm if you are not properly protected. Apply the power from your hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, and chest and tear the plate in two.
Tearing a license plate is a very visual feat of strength, and for sure, a crowd favorite. It is also a great upper body work-out and a different way to tax the hands for increased strength.
For anyone who is interested in attempting this, or any other of the traditional oldetime feats of strength, please think of your safety first and foremost so you can all come back to train another day.
Chris Rider is a professional performing Strongman who enjoys an incredible range of old-time strength feats. Find out more at his online home.
Getting to Know : Chris Rider.Chris Rider.Recently I got the chance to find out a little more about Professional Strongman Chris Rider. As you'll soon discover, he's truly an amazing guy.
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what we're saying
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When your spouse/sibling/friend is ready to 'get in shape' (or they already are), what do you get them?
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There are a number of articles that may help you in your quest. Specifically :
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the future of fitness
Over the years we’ve looked at the fitness industry from a number of angles - discussing the history, present approaches and potential future trends involved. Fascinating areas.
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leave it in the ground
On Straight to the Bar we talk a lot about air pollution, primarily from a gym-owner's perspective. In the 'Leave it in the Ground' newsletter we look at the topic far more broadly - the gradual move away from the use of fossil fuels. Daily, and free.
elsewhere
As you can see, we love talking about training. In addition to the conversations on here, in the Google+ Community, Twitter and so on are discussions on several other great fitness-focussed sites.
Of course, we're always on the lookout for new additions to this list. If you'd like to suggest a site you've come across personally (or perhaps one that you run), drop us a line.
Tim Ferriss mentioned this one recently, and it's certainly an intriguing combination. Designed to enable stretching of the various muscles of the lower leg (to help prevent things like ankle sprains, as well as to correct and strengthen your feet/calves/knees); the DCT PROFLEX is a, well, take a look at the video :
If you're new to the world of nail bending, this is the perfect book to get. It'll show you the exact techniques you'll need to get started right away. Written by world-class bender Jedd Johnson.
This is a fantastic book. If you've ever considered learning this incredible strength feat, the Card Tearing eBook is the perfect place to start. Love it.
This is a superb resource. With a focus on law enforcement personnel, it takes the form of a Facebook Group as well as one on one coaching sessions. Created by the incredible Jeff Wilson.
Mike Gillette explains the various ways to put the gymnastic rings to work - progressively - in Rings of Power. With clear emphases on both strength and rehabilitation, it's an ideal place to start.
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's an increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
If you've ever watched a Bruce Lee film and marveled at his strength, speed, agility, endurance, flexibility or muscularity, this book should take pride of place in your collection. Unlike many other writings covering everything from Lee's training methods to nutrition, this book is based not on the recollections of people around him; but on Lee's own notes. Brilliant.
For a full list of what we're reading at the moment (training-related and otherwise), join us on Goodreads. And for a cut-down list showing only the ones we recommend, swing by the Recommended Books & DVDs page. See you there.