Strongman Steve hopes to 'nail' new world record in Pleasure Beach show

Steve Stevens, 30, will take on the incredible feat of strength at Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s Globe Theatre this month.

He said: “When it comes to hand strength training, I will snap steel nails in half. There’s ripping decks of cards in half, exploding cans of pop with your bare hands - and then there’s your usual strength training, your bench presses, your overhead lifts.

“It’s all about grip strength. It can take its toll. I do intense training three times a week and it is hard on the hands. I have to fill up my bathroom sink with water and ice cubes and soak my hands for about 15 minutes just to shift some of the lactic acid in there, because the next day it can feel like your hands have been smashed with a hammer.”

Steve, who has been a professional strongman for six years, is currently the British record-holder for the single-hand dumbbell press.

He hoped to take on four weight-lifting world records during shows this year, however he had to postpone his plans due to the coronavirus and lockdown.

“This is a very old school feat of strength, dating all the way back to the 1800s,” he said.

The current world record for the most steel nails bent in half in one minute stands at 11.

Steve - whose stage name is Titan - hopes to bend at least 30 at his Circus of Horrors performance.

He said: “I’m feeling very confident. I only took up steel bending a year ago. I’ve been a strongman since forever, but steel bending is another thing altogether. I found I really connected with it and I wanted to see how far I could push it and put on a good show while doing it.”