Weighted dips

[alfresco]

I've logbooked 150 lbs for DC rest pause sets of 20+ reps

Worth the tendonitis gained from that

I think many injuries occur because of progressing in weight too fast (thank you steroids) as the muscles get stronger, faster than the connective tissue.

What I have endeavored to do is to slow the ‘process’ down without sacrificing gains is to wait until you can duplicate your performance (sets, reps, weight) 3 times in perfect form before adding weight. It is very natural to want to add weight too fast but in many cases it can come back to haunt you.

 

[thethinker48]

I think many injuries occur because of progressing in weight too fast (thank you steroids) as the muscles get stronger, faster than the connective tissue.

What I have endeavored to do is to slow the ‘process’ down without sacrificing gains is to wait until you can duplicate your performance (sets, reps, weight) 3 times in perfect form before adding weight. It is very natural to want to add weight too fast but in many cases it can come back to haunt you.

100%

I also made the classic mistake of moving weight vs stimulating muscle in the beginning as the focus was always on the logbook

But that's how you learn and properly understand training. You can read about it, but you can't truly understand it unless you go through it

I still logbook major lifts, but the difference is that the muscle moves the weight. And the results show it thankfully

 

[maldorf]

I think many injuries occur because of progressing in weight too fast (thank you steroids) as the muscles get stronger, faster than the connective tissue.

What I have endeavored to do is to slow the ‘process’ down without sacrificing gains is to wait until you can duplicate your performance (sets, reps, weight) 3 times in perfect form before adding weight. It is very natural to want to add weight too fast but in many cases it can come back to haunt you.

The big risk for me was when I was cycling steroids for 12 weeks or so and then going clean for 12. When you go back on again, your strength climbs so fast that it is very hard to hold yourself back. After spending 12 weeks in stagnation. It was such a welcome development to have such strength gains. Hurt myself several times during those periods.

I probably should have initially let the reps get higher and kept the same weight for awhile.

 

[lookslikesausage]

The big risk for me was when I was cycling steroids for 12 weeks or so and then going clean for 12. When you go back on again, your strength climbs so fast that it is very hard to hold yourself back. After spending 12 weeks in stagnation. It was such a welcome development to have such strength gains. Hurt myself several times during those periods.

I probably should have initially let the reps get higher and kept the same weight for awhile.

How much strength did you lose when you came off? Interestingly enough, Tom Prince answered this very question once on Chad's old board. His answer was that he had a 25% decrease in his poundages. When I was dabbling, this was always something that I struggled with mentally. Coming into the gym and being considerably weaker when off. I knew it would happen but it didn't make it any easier. Now, if someone had told me to plan to reduce weights by 25% during this off time I might have somehow handled it better instead of freaking out.

 

[pickapeck]

What is the most weight some of you guys have used on these? Has anyone been injured and do you consider them generally safe or is this an exercise with a high rate of injury?

This is the chest exercise I can add weight to the fastest but don't want to push to where I get hurt. I always try and stay in the 15 to 30 rest pause range with the first set being above ten. So usually land in more of a 20-30 rp

Years ago I had problems with my rotator cuffs from grappling. I stopped bench press and went to weighted dips. No problem. I still go to them from time to time. The only issue I have had is my front delt tendon from overuse but then it just needs some rest and then back to normal. It's more from age and may stressors on it ove rthe decades. I don't really think they are much of a safety risk. This is an old school exercise and really predates the bench press as a mainstay of chest development. It really develops triceps well also.

 

[maldorf]

How much strength did you lose when you came off? Interestingly enough, Tom Prince answered this very question once on Chad's old board. His answer was that he had a 25% decrease in his poundages. When I was dabbling, this was always something that I struggled with mentally. Coming into the gym and being considerably weaker when off. I knew it would happen but it didn't make it any easier. Now, if someone had told me to plan to reduce weights by 25% during this off time I might have somehow handled it better instead of freaking out.

I don't remember how much I'd lose, but toward the end of my time off it was quite noticeable. Probably not 25% though. It was a slow steady loss.

 

[lookslikesausage]

Years ago I had problems with my rotator cuffs from grappling. I stopped bench press and went to weighted dips. No problem. I still go to them from time to time. The only issue I have had is my front delt tendon from overuse but then it just needs some rest and then back to normal. It's more from age and may stressors on it ove rthe decades. I don't really think they are much of a safety risk. This is an old school exercise and really predates the bench press as a mainstay of chest development. It really develops triceps well also.

Interesting...I'm a long-armed individual. Dips hurt my rotators probably worse than any other movement, bench included. Also, a grappler. I feel Dips in the chest and front deltoids.

 

[Bio]

I find it funny that we all seemed to top out at 135 lol. I think that's about the threshold before you risk your workout pants falling off mid-set...

I wasn't smart enough to think to use a heavy dumbbell. We were using plates back then and 3 was the limit. They took up a lot of space!

 

[headtrainer]

Getting a deep stretch is the worst thing you can do with dips because it can cause a severe shoulder injury. Going too heavy on dips can injure both the shoulder and tricep tendons. I believe it’s best to do higher reps with no additional weight added when performing dips. I also believe it’s more of a tricep exercise than a chest exercise.

 

[maldorf]

Getting a deep stretch is the worst thing you can do with dips because it can cause a severe shoulder injury. Going too heavy on dips can injure both the shoulder and tricep tendons. I believe it’s best to do higher reps with no additional weight added when performing dips. I also believe it’s more of a tricep exercise than a chest exercise.

I feel like the width of the bars will help determine what muscle groups are affected more. I always feel it more in my triceps if the bars are narrow, close together. Wider I feel more chest, especially if I lean forward. I like when the bars are V shaped so that you can slide up and down them to get varying degrees of width.

 

[heavyhitter]

Getting a deep stretch is the worst thing you can do with dips because it can cause a severe shoulder injury. Going too heavy on dips can injure both the shoulder and tricep tendons. I believe it’s best to do higher reps with no additional weight added when performing dips. I also believe it’s more of a tricep exercise than a chest exercise.

If you stay upright then yeah it’s a tricep exercise. But if you do them properly the way Vince Gironda taught them with your legs out in front of you it’s definitely a pec exercise

 

[juggy38]

I was always too lazy to drag plates and the dip belt over to the station.

I always used it as the last thing I’d do before walking out the door on push day. Just body weight to failure 2-3 times.

And my shoulders are fucked and dips never felt good when loaded

 

[alfresco]

If you stay upright then yeah it’s a tricep exercise. But if you do them properly the way Vince Gironda taught them with your legs out in front of you it’s definitely a pec exercise

The real Gironda dip.

 

[alfresco]

The real Gironda dip.

View attachment 149084

I used to be able to do these when I was in my 20’s and had access to a V shaped dipping bar.

You had to be ungodly strong (I wasn’t but could knock off a few) and flexible. Never did them consistently enough, got good enough at them to reap the supposed rewards and don’t know anybody who did.

The foto of Larry doing them could have been for ‘editorial’ purposes as I do not claim to know what his chest exercises. I know Vince had a whole slew of unique exercises but in Larry’s case, I don’t think Vince was a big influencer in Larry’s training, i.e., he was not his trainer according to Larry.

 

[LATS]

Dips were my exercise.. I took them so serious I had a special dip bar made for my gym from a custom equipment manufacturer in louisiana.. it went narrow to wide ( 34 inches at its widest).. knurled grips.. stood high off the ground so I could have my legs straight and not touch the floor at full stretch.. they were my main exercise for chest.. 5 to 6 sets a shot.. very slow cadence.. but it did take its toll on my shoulders.. to the point I can't do then without quite a bit of discomfort.. but nothing built my delts.. chest and tris like dips

 

[Bio]

The gym I originally trained in had dip bars that were angled outward and were great for chest! I really miss old school equipment like that.

 

[alfresco]

Dips were my exercise.. I took them so serious I had a special dip bar made for my gym from a custom equipment manufacturer in louisiana.. it went narrow to wide ( 34 inches at its widest).. knurled grips.. stood high off the ground so I could have my legs straight and not touch the floor at full stretch.. they were my main exercise for chest.. 5 to 6 sets a shot.. very slow cadence.. but it did take its toll on my shoulders.. to the point I can't do then without quite a bit of discomfort.. but nothing built my delts.. chest and tris like dips

Cool.

I hope (suspect) that the bar was very very large in diameter. Makes a huge difference in comfort. I hate skinny bars! Just kills my hands.

 

[LATS]

Cool.

I hope (suspect) that the bar was very very large in diameter. Makes a huge difference in comfort. I hate skinny bars! Just kills my hands.

Yes.. very large tubing diameter.. I wish I could remember exactly..

 

[lookslikesausage]

Yes.. very large tubing diameter.. I wish I could remember exactly..

If I had a choice to do them I would prefer my legs hanging straight down (not being curled up and certainly not touching the floor). In other words, you having that Dip Stand custom-made high off the ground would be the optimal way in my opinion. Cybex made or makes a Dip/Chin Assisted machine with a foot bar and you can stand on it and do assisted dips and it feels so much better than when you curl your lower legs up (again IMO). For some reason, it made a huge difference for me. Still hurt my shoulders after my 20s but still felt more effective for my chest and shoulders.

 

[headtrainer]

If you stay upright then yeah it’s a tricep exercise. But if you do them properly the way Vince Gironda taught them with your legs out in front of you it’s definitely a pec exercise

Not for me it’s not. I’m tricep and front delt dominant. I can’t get my chest sore doing Gironda dips. Leaning forward during dips still nails my triceps and front delts. Same thing with close grip bench—some people feel them in their inner pecs. It’s all triceps and front delts for me. And a standard 30-45% incline bench press works my front delts and triceps a lot more than my upper pecs. Some COMPOUND exercises work better for me than others because of the way I’m built regardless of the form I use during the execution. But all ISOLATION movements seem to work just fine for me.