Dungannon man joins elite list after bending hardened steel nail with his bare hands

No mean feat, yet Brian McShane did it in just 12 seconds

Brian’s show of strength saw him bend a seven-inch piece of hardened steel with his bare hands for a world famous test few others have accomplished in the past 21 years.

Owner and trainer at BMAC Strength Training Gym, the 38-year-old bent the ‘ironmind red nail’ in just 12 seconds to a U-shape measuring just two inches between each end.

Brian, who is 5ft 7 and weighs in at just 72.5kg was the third lightest competitor to certify in the contest.

Refereed by World Strongest Man competitor Glenn Ross, Brian added him name to the list of those who have triumphed at a recent strongman competition in Bangor, County Down.

Glenn represented Ireland and the United Kingdom in several World Strongest Man competitions and is creator and five times winner of the UK’s Strongest Man contest.

He is also founder of the UK Strength Council and Irish Strength Association.

Speaking about his nail-bending challenge under the watchful eye of Glenn, Brian said: “I have been training for the last year or so. I started off with a small nail and went on to small bolts and steel bars, working on it three or four times a week.”

Brian said that he first saw the challenge, which he believes has a big following in the United States, online.

“I saw somebody talking about it online,” he explained. “I tried to do something very basic but I couldn’t do it and just kept working away at it.”

Brian admitted that it is “an unusual hobby” but is delighted to have bent the “IronMind Red Nail” as it is internationally regarded as the benchmark in short steel bending.

To officially certify as a successful attempt, competitors must bend a seven-inch piece of hardened steel within 60 seconds.

As well as his more recent hobby, Brian added that he has also had some success at power lifting in the past.

To view a video of Brian’s steel bending attempt, check out the gym’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bmacstrengthtraining.

BMAC Strength Training Gym specialises in body transformations and strength conditioning programmes.