Interview - 017 - Kirill Vankovich

Kirill is one of the very few benders who is active in nearly every bending style out there and it´s really hard to be very good in all these styles, but Kirill is one of them.

But that´s not enough for him! He is also a very good athlete when it comes to gripper strength, kettlebell lifting and running. So you can get a well rounded package with this guy.

As said before he is nearly active in every bending style and this with a lots of hard victories. A participant in every steel shredder competition with always in the top rankings, on nearly every list from David Horne, in the Top10 of the Horseshoe Benders and many more things from Kirill. So here you can find a truely steel bender.

Take a look to his channels for bending, grip and lifting stuff:

Instagram

Youtube

Thanks Kirill for the interview:

Name:

Kirill Vankovich

Year of birth:

1993

Height:

188cm

Weight 92kg

Location:

Russia - St. Petersburg

Occupation:

Coach

Relationship Status:

There is a girl

Question 01:

What does steel bending mean to you?

This is already more than just entertainment, sometimes it is a psychological challenge, sometimes a physical one, mastering all the styles of bending and snap steel in each I find my difficulties and challenges.

Question 02:

When and why did you start steel bending and what does or did your active time look like?

I started bend in 2015 years. I saw at a performance in my city how a man twisted nails into a knot, I liked it and I tried it.

Question 03:

What do you love about steel bending?

I really like the click of steel in half, and of course the victory over steel, which does not come out to bend for a long time, is peace of mind and peace of mind.

Question 04:

What do you hate about steel bending?

I don't like the restriction of only bending steel, if your hands hurt from bending, then you need to run or engage in explosive leg strength, you don't need to be narrow-minded.

Question 05:

How does your training for steel bending look like?

For me, training is constant, I think that there is no single training system, everyone has their own physical training, and everyone trains in completely different ways, but training lasts all the time, regardless of whether you are a beginner or have been in this sport for ten years, you can always learn something new.

Question 06:

How does your other training look like (strength or other)?

Most of my workouts are seasonal, in winter and in the cold season I train in the gym with a barbell or at home with weights and bend and snap steel a lot, in summer and in the warm season I run a lot and work outside on the horizontal bars, juggle weights, do a lot of jumps and all sorts of other activities that would be fast and agile.

Question 07:

What goals have you set for yourself?

Different types of bend and snap have their own goals. Now they are like this:

Reverse - FBBC Shiny Bastard One IM pad. DU - FBBC KOAB and bolt 8.8 class. DO - IM Gold Nail one pair IM wraps and bolt 12.9 class. Braced 12mm-5inch. 14mm-8inch. 16mm-14inch. 22mm-40inch. Horseshoe - DF 25x10mm #2. Braced snap - IM Gold Nail one pair IM wraps(10min). Unbraced snap - FBBC Shiny Bastard.

Question 08:

What was the most impressive bend you ever saw (live or on video)?

My Motivators are a video by Gary Hunt and David Horne, a mix of strength and longevity in the bends! There are still a lot of strong guys, I do not single out anyone specifically.

Question 09:

Rapid stuff – choose one

Bolts or steel?

Bolts

Unbraced or braced?

Braced

Singles or doubles?

Singles

Chalk or not?

Chalk

Beer or water?

Water

Cordura or leather or both?

10” x 4” wraps

Short bars or long bars?

Short

Horseshoes or flat bars? Horseshoes

Chips or chocolate?

Chocolate

Question 10:

The last words belong to you. What do you want the reader take away? Let us know your poems of steel!

My wish is not to get hung up on one thing, bending steel is a diverse hobby, if you do not get something, go to another style, and be healthy!