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Old Forum Dips who does em?

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SupermanBeyond1938

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I've been thinking of adding in dips and was wondering if I could get the instructions for the right proper form for to do them.

If you google them you see people saying they are either bad for you, good for you or not to do them after a certain age.

I would really like people to just give me the straight truth on dips and the right form as well. Thanks everyone
 
I'm going to steal a quote and modify it a little.

Dips are bad for you, how YOU DIP is bad for you.

I used to do dips a lot and didn't have any issues and I'm a fat guy.

I would say though that doing my TGUs with a 2 pood right now seems to do just fine for my shoulder girdle and chest.

 
 
I'm doing S&S now. I'm not qualified to comment on proper form. But a few years ago I used to do dips, a lot of dips. I don't do them now because I now workout at home and I don't have a place to do them. I have never purposely done "bodybuilding" before but nothing has blown up my upper arms more than dips. Especially when you move real slow and add weight when it gets easy.
 
Pavel has recommended SWAT dips -- medium range, heavy, feet supported at the bottom.

This thread makes me realize I'm just generally fond of getting into full stretch positions with resistance.  I'm capable of full stretch dips, elbows out.  But I'm the same way with squats, pullups, pullovers, most things.

Still, I don't actually include dips.  I don't care much for pecs, and putting myself into the hollow position means spending an equal amount of effort getting back out of it.
 
In Beyond Bodybuilding Coach Pavel instructs a dip performed from bottom and a dead stop. So you start standing on a support at the safest bottom position for your body structure and mobility. I have noticed that dips are like upright rows and benches, some can perform them and others simply can't. If a movement hurts-drop it.  I have noticed guys who dip heavy always have jacked upper bodies. Personally I do my dips on gymnastics rings. I secure them to rafters or a tree branch. This way I do not have to go to a ridiculous commercial gym. Doing this for 3 weeks and also my pull-ups on rings made my arms muscular for first time ever. And I wasn't even trying for that effect, it was a by-product.
 
> Personally I do my dips on gymnastics rings. I secure them to rafters or a tree branch. This way I do not have to go to a ridiculous commercial gym.

Nice tip William, thanks!  Need to dust off my rings.
 
Forty, but age doesn't matter much.  Like William said, it's about body structure and mobility;  I can also do upright rows, no problemo.

Superman, you got me fired up to make sure I wasn't just typing.  I just now laddered up to five full stretch dips between two sturdy chairs.  My pecs will be hurting units tomorrow.  Random acts of variety...
 
Superman, I have never had any shoulder issues maybe I'm lucky. I never realized dips were so controversial. Oh by the way I am 34.
 
This is no endorsement or recommendation, but just the facts of how I did them when I did them. I would always place the large rubber fatgripz on the handles (I think 3" diameter the red ones) and I would squeeze as hard as possible at the top. I would bend my knees so my lower legs were crossed behind me or parallel to floor. In the starting position I was stationary and tense everywhere and my shoulders were in the anti shrug position described in s and s. As I lowered myself (ridiculously slow and deep) my shoulders would come up and back (still tight), almost like the starting position of bench press where you try to drive your shoulders back into the bench (I hope this makes sense). For me there is a point in the bottom position that if I go too deep I lose tension. Exploring the movement many times, I would always pause 1 hair above this point ( pause like a bench press pause on chest). Then I would drive up at a medium pace (almost explosively), pause at the top and count one Rep. In terms of breathing. I would inhale at the top and mostly hold my breath and exhale at the end of the upward motion. Nobody ever taught me this is just how I did it. This may not be the right way. As they got easy I would add weight. The weight was never heavy, it always felt in between medium and heavy, lets call it 75%.
 
Superman, I am 43. Full range of motion dips on rings with a 3 second pause at bottom- no Crossfit partial range of motion kipping kicking bicycle quarter dips - they cause me no issues at all. But this is balanced out with copious KB presses in accordance with ETK. KB presses iron out a lot of issues. They are a superior movement.
 
Recently been doing lots of dips (recently did 10 x 2, 3, 5), laddering them alongside pull-ups. No shoulder issues whatsoever. Definitely going hollow making a point of not keeping the torso upright, but instead leaning in a bit more keeps things good (like here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3uGz26ZLe0). Hope that helps. And, yes like close grip bench presses, done with lots of volume they hit the triceps hard.

Also asked Pavel recently about getting droopy pecs from doing dips - answer is unlikely at worst - http://www.strongfirst.com/topic/can-parallel-bar-dips-give-drooping-breast-like-pecs-pavel/
 
I make dips a staple in my training.  I built a rectangle out of 2x4's that is 22 inches wide, and long enough to fit across the safety pins of my (also home made) squat rack.  When it's time to dip, I set the pins to the right height, put my dip stand on the pins, and go to work.

Dips are my favorite upper body strength movement, now that I know how to do them safely.  Here is what I learned: make the chest proud by squeezing the scapulae together- just like the setup for a powerlifting bench press.  Keep them together, and shoulders in the sockets, throughout the movement, just like a bench press.  Screw the shoulders into the sockets by isometrically twisting the hands apart, keeping the elbows tight against the body.  This makes the movement much stronger and much safer, and engages the lat in the lift as well.

There are weird variations people recommend, like flaring the elbows out.  Stay away from these.

I'm 35.  Bench presses always hurt my shoulders, and even pushups sometimes make them sore, but dips always feel great.
 
SB, if your shoulders can take them, it is a great exercise.

The hollow position (or at least its kneeling version if your bars are too low) helps to protect the shoulders.  Look down through the bottom half of the dip.
 
Steve,

same for me: I love parallel dips and I believe it is a great strength developer.

Although infrequently practicing due to lack of equipment (yet), I feel fairly good and strong (6-8 with +50kg, ca 2/3BW).

"I built a rectangle out of 2×4′s that is 22 inches wide, and long enough to fit across the safety pins of my (also home made) squat rack." > I like the idea, thanks for your description!

 

 

@Superman:

where have you read about an age related limitation? I am beyond 40, but due to regular sport (and -admittedly- being on the lucky side of life) I feel nearer to 25, stronger then ever ;-)

My advise:

avoid reading those authors,orientate yourself rather to guys like Steve Maxwell and many others. Find a trustworthy trainer/athlete to check your technique.

 
 
i tend to do dips, as i don't like bench press, never have and i dont have a bench at home, i either do dips with a some weight added or ring dips.

no shoulder issues from them and i am 45 and feel strong.
 
Sven, the dip rectangle is built out of 2 eight foot 2x4's, and cost me about $5 to build.  One could also be built that would fit between facing kitchen counters or any other area that is suitable.  I just lean it against the wall when I need it out of the way.
 
I used to perform dips and gained great benefit from them. Unfortunately, the equipment to do so is probably the only thing lacking from my home gym. But in time, I'm sure I'll fix that.
 
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