all posts post new thread

Bodyweight Bar Dips vs. Ring Dips

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)

John Crotty

Level 4 Valued Member
Hello Everyone,
I am debating buying rings for my pull-up bar or a dip station. I'd rather get the rings, but I would like to know if there is a major difference between the two modalities for doing dips. Am I splitting hairs?

Thank you,
John Crotty
 
Last edited:
You need more stabilisation for ring dips- which means more tension. With the same bodyweight, the ring dips is like the bottom up press and normal dips is like normal press :D That could be a good thing. Plus, it is shoulder and elbow friendly. That could also be a good thing :D
 
You will likely find the rings more challenging initially. Once youve sorted out the top position dips will fall into place. You can also use rings for countless other exercises that standard dip bars cant be used for.
 
New York Barbells has a nice dip attachment for a power rack - I have it and it's been good, been using it since last Fall.

-S-
 
Rings are my go to strength training modality during the quarantine.

Just to put this out there...I am very strong at Bench press, press and weighted dips.

My first session with rings made me look like a little b*tch. Massively humbling.

And I felt something I haven't in a long time. Which is DOMS.

If you are a remotely competent at dips then get the rings. They are a very versatile piece of kit.
 
I do both but I have to say the dipping bars are a very nice thing to buy - they take less thought when using them and are more stable for other callisthenics moves. Mainly though it's a question of having my rings hanging from a doorframe chinup bar, which limits my movement a bit.
 
Hello,

Ring dips are significantly harder due to the stabilization work. In this respect, they are interesting. Nevertheless, they require to be strong enough to handle them at the beginning.

Rings in general are an extremely interesting tool which is very versatile.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
I also set my Y Dip bar high and use for parallel grip chins. And use my rings for inverted ring rows or set near ground for ring pushups. Both are great.
 
Hi all - I added ring dips to my training regimen a few years back. Actually a common workout for me would be 100 double swings with a 56kg bell followed by ring dips, usually 5-6 sets with increasing reps starting at 5 going up to 8.

Yesterday, I injured my foot pretty badly doing BJJ. I wont be able to swing for probably a month and am trying to plan my strength training which will be mostly ring dips and pullups.

My question is - Is there an upper limit to how many reps I should be pushing through on a ring dip set before adding weight. Like once I get to 10 is it time to weight them? Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
No, there is no upper limit.
It's totally up to you, and what your goals are.

If your primary goal is strength, you could add weight once you get to 5 rep sets.
If your primary goal is hypertrophy, once you get to 10-15 rep sets.If your primary goal is conditioning and endurance, you should just try to do more and more reps.
 
Hi all - I added ring dips to my training regimen a few years back. Actually a common workout for me would be 100 double swings with a 56kg bell followed by ring dips, usually 5-6 sets with increasing reps starting at 5 going up to 8.

Yesterday, I injured my foot pretty badly doing BJJ. I wont be able to swing for probably a month and am trying to plan my strength training which will be mostly ring dips and pullups.

My question is - Is there an upper limit to how many reps I should be pushing through on a ring dip set before adding weight. Like once I get to 10 is it time to weight them? Thanks in advance for any advice.

I agree with @Spartan Agoge on the rep limit.
Do you have stable dip bars? They would enable you to maximise your dip strength since they take out the stabilisation aspects of rings.
If you don't have stable bars I'd recommend to keep the straps as short as possible to replitate more of the "bar feeling".
 
No, there is no upper limit.
It's totally up to you, and what your goals are.

If your primary goal is strength, you could add weight once you get to 5 rep sets.
If your primary goal is hypertrophy, once you get to 10-15 rep sets.If your primary goal is conditioning and endurance, you should just try to do more and more reps.

Thanks! My goal is strength! So I am going to add some weight and try to find , my 5RM, then follow a fighter pull up type program to progress
 
I agree with @Spartan Agoge on the rep limit.
Do you have stable dip bars? They would enable you to maximise your dip strength since they take out the stabilisation aspects of rings.
If you don't have stable bars I'd recommend to keep the straps as short as possible to replitate more of the "bar feeling".

I have developed a deep preference for ring work. its fun and makes me difficult to armbar grappling (TGUS do too)
 
Pre lockdown I would do dips with 100kg on a dipping belt. Then the lockdown was implemented and gyms closed. I needed to find a new way of training to maintain as much size and strength as possible.

I purchased a set of rings and after my first session of pull ups, dips, rows and push ups my pecs were in clip. I hadn't felt DOMS in years.

While doing the dips I was shaking like a little b!tch. How could this be? I'm supposed to be strong.

Needless to say I developed a new found respect for gymnastic rings. Now when people as me the question "if you could only have 1 piece of training equipment, what would it be?" It would be rings everytime.

As soon as you try your first RTO dip you will notice the difference.
 
Hi,
if you a a littlebit of a DIY guy and accept imperfections: tie the rings to a wooden rod, you still have the movement as a whole, but no relative movement ring to ring. Maybe the RAM ist compromised
 
I'd rather get the rings, but I would like to know if there is a major difference between the two modalities for doing dips
Hi, @John Crotty
You progress from Bar Dips to Ring Dips ... if you want to stay on the safe side from injuries (long term)

Tendons and ligaments must be ready to handle the stress from Ring Dips

For more info on the subject: read about it in Overcoming Gravity by Steven Low.

A quick "Am I ready for Rings" test:
Search RTO rings or Rings turned out
Hold that position for 5 sets of 30 sec
Observe your form, strength, and overall feeling
My 2 cents ... if you are feeling great after the five sets: You're ready ?

Enjoy the pain
/Martin Joe
 
Hello,

+1 @Martin Joe

Movement preparation (tendons & ligaments strength) is important. Basically, you can already try to increase it by performing bar dips for higher repetitions.

A good thing about the ring dips, when properly performed, can also be this stabilization work. This will transfer extremely well to bar dip (less stabilization work), but will help for most OVH work (press, get ups, etc...)

Below, a ring dip video:


Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom