Dave is new in the bending game, but he is sitting directly on the table with the strong benders when it comes to short steel braced bending and snapping.
To reach this level in a short time you have to be strong in general and smart. Both properties are definitely on his side.
He is not just snapping bars and bolts, but also horseshoes, so you should follow his journey in the future, because I am sure that we will see lots of great bends and snaps from Dave.
Check out his channels here:
Thanks Dave for taking part in the interview:
Name:
Dave Nisbet
Year of birth:
1985
Height:
5’11” (178cm)
Weight
198lbs (90kg)
Location:
Canada - Edmonton
Occupation:
Firefighter
Relationship Status:
Married, 2 sons
Question 01:
What does steel bending mean to you?
Its a test of strength. It's a developer of strength. It's a test of mental toughness. It's a developer of mental toughness. It's a test of muscular endurance. It's a developer of muscular endurance. It's a stress release. It's a community of badass individuals who love to push themselves and eachother. It's also a part of my life that nobody really understands. You know when your dog comes ripping out of the forest and is super pumped on something and you think "I have absolutely no idea what you are up to and why you're so enthusiastic, but I'm really happy you're happy"...I feel that's what everyone in my life thinks about me and steel bending haha.
Question 02:
When and why did you start steel bending and what does or did your active time look like?
I began in March of last year, but it took me a few month's to actually find my footing in the sport and have any idea of what I was doing. I began Steel bending as an additive to my strongman training(competition not performing) to develop my grip, but it's evolved to become a stand alone endeavor.
Question 03:
What do you love about steel bending?
That it's a test and developer of mental toughness as much as it is of physical toughness. You train your mind and body to tolerate and pain; this carries over greatly into other types of training. It builds tendon and ligament strength in ways that can't be done through "traditional" types of exercise. Bolts, horseshoes, steel, wrenches are all icons of toughness. Their entire purpose is to be strong, hardy, and not to be damaged or broken. It is therefore very satisfying to take something specifically designed to be tough as hell and then destroy it with your hands. Mostly, I love that steel bending fits under the "deadlifts are too loud, you shake the whole damn house when you do them so go do something quiet in the garage that won't wake the kid's up" category of training.
Question 04:
What do you hate about steel bending?
Tendinitis.
Question 05:
How does your training for steel bending look like?
In all honesty I have zero structure to steel bending. My other training is quite structured so I enjoy that aspect of bending. If I'm feeling good I'll go for a cert or a PR(depending on stock I have in). If I'm feeling a bit sluggish I'll just grind out some reps on light stock to dial in technique. It can also depend where my momentum is for a style or feat and how close I have pushed myself to the limit. I was inspired one week to heart a Horseshoe barehanded, then snapped one barehanded, then a few days later did one barehanded into 3 pieces and haven't done one sense as I found my limit. The one strufture I do try and have though, is never finish on a negative. If I cut a workout off after a fail it would be very defeating, so I direct that energy to a different style to deal with the negative energy. Some of the accomplishments I'm most proud of have come from this deflection. I was learning short steel snapping and took forever to snap a red and was rattled, so I directed that frustration and set a PR by snapping an Ultralight#2 in 45s. I braced certified on your 12.9@5.5" after failing at an double overhand 8.8 cert. I think enthusiasm is a huge part of training and being successful, so learning to mitigate the negatives helps keep that drive up.
Question 06:
How does your other training look like (strength or other)?
I try and train 3 days a week for strongman. It will be event specific if I'm prepping for a competition. If there is no event in my immediate future it's heavy full body strength training with mobility worked into it. Recently got an assault bike as well so I'm really working to build my a aerobic conditioning up.
Question 07:
What goals have you set for yourself?
Get on every one of your certifications, Goliath bar, and to compete in David Horne's next steel shredder.
Question 08:
What was the most impressive bend you ever saw (live or on video)?
There are so many strong dude's doing crazy things I honestly can't narrow it down to one. I'm constantly inspired and blown away by so many people it helps me push my own limits.
Question 09:
Rapid stuff – choose one
Bolts or steel?
Bolts
Unbraced or braced?
Braced
Singles or doubles?
Bend dependent, they both have their merits.
Chalk or not?
Chalk
Beer or water?
I was a beer rep for 5 years in my early 20's...beer.
Cordura or leather or both?
Sueded leather
Short bars or long bars?
Short
Horseshoes or flat bars?
Shoes
Chips or chocolate?
Steak
Question 10:
The last words belong to you. What do you want the reader take away? Let us know your poems of steel!
I just want to start by thanking all the people who help promote and make this all so fun, be it through certs, podcasts, competitions or pages. That's what adds the elements of sport and community to us all and makes it even more addictive. Secondly I want to thank a few good buddies I've made through this endeavor, Cody, Dan, Josh and Devin; these guys have become well known in the bending world and these fellas have helped me push myself further than I ever thought I could.
Very few people understand what we do or why we do it...and I like it that way. Keep pushing the limits, can't wait to see what we all can accomplish as we move forward in this crazy badass little community.