This is for the bros out there that lift (hopefully all of you).
​
weighted chinups is veiwed by many to be superior to pulldown and bent over rows, however the same bodyweight excercise done for chest is being placed last in most peoples workout (or not done at all).
I have been looking into dips and done them myself, here is why I think weighted dips are superior to bench:
- Better EMG activity of chest / triceps. (three times as much acitivity on the triceps as bench and also alot more to chest but less)
- You can dip more weight than you can bench because you use more muscles (you can do weighted dips with around 20-25% more weight than you can bench for better overload). Say you bench 280 for reps you can do dips for 340 for reps (including bodyweight).
- Russians found out half a century ago that excercises that moves your sternum through space activate more stabilizers and musclemass in general than excercises that does not.
- having replaced bench with dips I dont need to do any isolation for my triceps and my chest is far more sore, even if on a RPE scale it didn't feel as hard when I was doing the dips.
- The strongest natural bencher at 198 pounds, Marvin Eder was primarily doing weighted dips for his chest. He benched 575 pounds.
- You can make crazy fast workouts doing weighted chinups and weighted dips and then just doing deadlifts / squats / overhead press after without compromising quality.
- If you keep your form good the excercise will strenghted the serratus anterior and shoulder girdle over time instead of leading to impingement as bench is doing for alot of people.
​
I have been increasing my bench doing just weighted dips and put on size on my triceps, even as a relatively advanced lifter in a short period of time (couple of months). The only con I think the excercise has is that some people don't have the stabilisers to do the excercise without pain and you have to not go below parrallel as it can really fuck your shoulder girdle - form is as essential as on the bench so look up good cues - Have fun building bigger arm and chest!
/over and out.
​
​
tall_bacon 5y ago
I used weights/machines exclusively for the first year and a half of my working out. Results were slow, but still noticeable. I wanted something that was more effective.
Switched to bodyweight exercises primarily, with weights to supplement said bodyweight exercises, and BOOM my body took to that shit so fast, my physique and development took off at a much faster rate.
I learned that it was because closed kinetic chain exercises involve stabilizer muscles and multiple muscle groups to complete movements.
My buddy is always in the gym with machines and can bench and lift good amounts, but he doesn’t have any real physique or development. I try to tell him to focus more on CKC and bodyweight manipulation and he mostly listens to his trainer, although he occasionally does pull-ups, which is good.
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Zech4riah 5y ago
Why instead...?
Dips, normal vertical bench, over head press and all angles between those 3 have their purpose and develop different muscles and/or activate different muscles less/more.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
Because you cannot handle endless volume - one of the biggest mistakes I think most people is too much junk volume on bad excercises. The opposite of this is to remove anything useless - such as bench for people who can do weighted dips well.
Zech4riah 5y ago
So, because some people have flawed workout plans, you say to everyone that replace bench with dips...? I kind of agree with you but bench has it place and time. I haven't concentrated on bench for 2 years but it's still in my program - usually as a last workout for some pump with lighter weights. If you suddenly get big boost in results by doing dips, it means that your workout program was flawed in the first place but I wouldn't do universal suggestions to "most of the guys".
If someone does as you suggest, it wont take many months until the upper chest muscles, mid delts and especially rear delts will be under developed compared to other parts - unless you compensate that by doing certain type of pullups/incline rows but that's not something you mentioned.
And if you are doing push-pull (and legs), you will easily handle the volume of 3-4 different angles and keep everything in balance and additionally doing some isolating exercises if you are more advanced (like side raises, front raises, isolating tricep exercises etc.)
Don't get me wrong, doing dips and weighted dips are great and to some extent you can replace bench press with them from time to time especially if you are a beginner and doing Arnolds golden six (with a little variation) but I still wouldn't do it permantently. Maybe 50% of the time bench and other 50% do dips.
PS. The disclaimer about shoulder girdle was a good addition. I know people who can't really do dips because they are hurting their shoulders even tho they don't go even parallel.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
Is it then just a coincidence the first guy to break 600 pound bench (Pat Casey) had periods where he mainly did dips, his inspiration was the all natural (before steroids) Marvin Eder that benched over 500 pounds as a 198 pounder.
​
The issue with the bench press besides being really bad on the shoulders of people with long arms compared to their height is that the front shoulder is the limiting factor in progression for alot of people, if you do all ques right that still might be the case depending on your anatomy. Even if the chest is the limiting factor for the lift (making it a good lift for your chest), it still has issues with too low triceps activation, then you add on top of that, that you can overload dips more than bench - often the free weight excercise you can overload the most is the best. add to that the things I describe here and you have why I feel dips are very underrated and bette than bench for alot of guys.
​
If you still want to show of your 2/3 plates on the bench, that is fine! But know why you are doing it.
I think lack of stabilizing muscles is the issue with people having shoulder pain on the dip, or lack of good form. The sternum thing or clavicular pain is an anatomical issue, if you got those with good form the dip is not for you.
​
As for rear delts, they are way more involved in stabilizing a dip than a bench, the same goes for the medial head of the delts. keeping your hands behind your body does that. I am not saying you should only do chins for back, just as I am saying you still need to do overhead press for pressing. I think bent over rows are amazing too and so are deadlifts for back.
RevolutionaryPea7 5y ago
I consider myself a natural dipper. I have really good shoulder mobility for some reason and I've just always been good at dips. I was pretty strong at bench but I've only been dipping for the past year or so and it's great. My normal workout is to strap 50kg to myself (80kg) for 5 reps. I did work up to 55kg before my summer cut. This year I might try to go for 60kg for 5 reps. Maybe I'll try doing bodyweight (80kg) for a double or triple too.
Dips are also pretty worthwhile to do unweighted and you can always find odd places to do them while you travel. It also looks pretty cool. At this level press ups are just too easy (should be able to do 60+ of them easily).
I complement dips with incline dumbbell press and overhead press.
Don't forget to always warm up your shoulders with a pulling exercise first. I always do my weighted chinups or rows before I do any type of press. At the very least do face pulls but you should be pulling almost as much as you press (so equally heavy weighted chinups).
lala_xyyz 5y ago
Bench press (flat) is one of the worst exercises for pectoralis major activation and hypertrophy. I immediately relegate anyone advocating it to the "ignorant" category. It's too heavy on your joints and it's best be used only as a measure of strength progress on other exercises.
Fulp_Piction 5y ago
Do both, watch your shoulders. Do rows and pullups.
Peter_B_Long 5y ago
Just do both. Cheat dips hit the bottom pecs. Do incline bench or bench with reverse grip.
viensviens 5y ago
I have been doing bodyweight exercises (pull ups, dips, push-ups) for almost a decade now, only during last 6 months I've been incorporating some kettlebells in my workouts. I agree with OP about dips (and weighted dips) being an excellent chest/triceps builder. People say I have a nice, full chest and I've never did BP or any other barbell exercises and I used to be a DYEL dude with zero chest development. From my personal experience, I can also recommend doing some narrow bench push-ups (almost looking like diamond push up, but with hand on a bench) for even more chest development.
Ptashing 5y ago
The best results I had was when I did both with main focus on dips.
trentrez95 5y ago
Good post but you ignore the massive risk of fucking up with weighted dips.. failure can mean your shoulders literally tearing out of their sockets. It is not a natural motion.
trentrez95 5y ago
I stick w/ bodyweight and use it as a finisher at the end of my workouts.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
thats why I am saying you need to have good form and don't go below parrallel.
bsutansalt 5y ago
The strongest I've ever been was when I was doing weighted dips and worked up to 100lbs at the end of my 5-3-1 cycle. I didn't do bench for the better part of a year and at the end of my 5-3-1 cycle I benched just to see where I was at and put up 325 for 2.
I went off that program and switched it up with dumbbells and worked up to 115s, but my overall flat bench max decreased. Dips are definitely where it's at. At least for me.
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Luckyluke23 5y ago
eh I do both when I do chest tris. might try do some dips unassisted next chest tris day but I weigh 95kgs so I don't get many reps.
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IllegibleWorkbook 5y ago
You should definitely get into dips with buckets
Jake_le_Dog 5y ago
Quality post! We haven't been getting many fitness related ones recently. I too plan on posting a review (and a recommendation) after I finish with Super Squats (week 4/6 here).
I stopped dipping a while ago, but you've made me interested in them again, especially because of the point about working the sternum. In the 20rep squat program, it is recommended to do a few sets of lightweighted pullovers/Rader chest pulls to expand your ribcage. They hit the sternum if done correctly.
I'll stand by dead stopped bent over rows though. If you're into the big 4, the bent over row is a must. It effects so much of the lower back and glutes besides the upper back that it's insane. Very handy for squat enthusiasts. Also satisfying to lift damn heavy weights and let them smash a little to the floor after the eccentric phase.
DeNovaCain 5y ago
Can I ask how you're progressing with Super Squats? I'm curious to see how it's like. What strength/size gains have you seen? What made you run that program to begin with?
Jake_le_Dog 5y ago
Yeah sure, I'll be happy to, although I'll definitely write a review once I'm done with it, the challenge in itself is just awesome.
So it was actually harder in the first two weeks, than now. I've been doing it three times a week, and already on the second week I decided to swap two of my days of squatting to do 5x5 power cleans, because I was super fatigued, and felt like I could easily get injured. Also on my first week I failed to do the 20 reps twice, so I was hugely disappointed.
4th week, second session in, and I've gained a little less than 8 kilos (~17lbs) so far. Most of it's gaining on my quads and glutes, but my ribcage might really be expanding. This I know assume because I've gotten two compliments recently about how my shoulders "look even wider somehow." Sometimes I can add 5kgs to the bar, sometimes only 2.5kgs (10 or 5 lbs respectively).
As for strength: I don't think it helps too much, if at all. Obviously my 10RM is increasing, but besides that I might only see strength benefits after I finish this thing.
I started because of how insane it sounded. I heard the program isn't for wusses, and I was like "I'm no wuss." Well fuck, now I believe it. Now I'm also in it for the bulk, as the noticeable size increase all around is super satisfying. Oh and I feel the testosterone, no joke... my nuts are bigger.
DeNovaCain 5y ago
Haha damn that's awesome! I'm def going to look into the program as I do want to maximize the size of my legs. I want that Trex look. Have you been eating on a caloric surplus while on the program?
Jake_le_Dog 5y ago
Yeah, and pretty religously too. I can't wait to eat less to be honest. Also a litre (quart) of whole milk a day (couldn't possibly do GOMAD).
Read the book, you can find pirated copies too, although you have to search a little. It's a good read. And good luck if you try, you might need it huehue.
DeNovaCain 5y ago
Def will search and give it a read. The iron will that's sharpened from this routine outweighs the risks by a long shot.
[deleted] 5y ago
I can sum up my experience with chest training like this :
Shoulder problems.
No gains.
Never felt contraction in my chest while doing the exercise even tho my form was perfect.
Unbelievable contraction.
Unbelievable gains especially in my upper and mid chest.
No shoulder pain or problems whatsoever.
Make sure to cross your arms when doing them.
Can be harsh on the shoulders but no where near the bench press, just make sure you don't collapse onto your shoulders when you go down.
Good upper chest gains.
Good contraction but no where near cables' contraction.
Good upper and mid chest gains.
Good contraction.
Make sure to angle your hands at more of a neutral position instead of horizontally to protect your shoulders.
randomTATRP 5y ago
How do you measure gains though? You did only those exercises for 3 mths?
dongpal 5y ago
bullshit, the higher the incline the more stress you put on your shoulders. of all the things you mentioned, this is the shoulder killer
duehvdke 5y ago
Making myself be able to do dips is one of the main things that gave me big pecs imo. Weighted is an extension of that and it turns the intensity up to 12 but I love it.
dongpal 5y ago
why do people always mention weighted chinups, why would anyone do them instead of weighted pullups?
RevolutionaryPea7 5y ago
Uses more muscle so you can lift heavier weights. It's just a better all round composite movement and gets your biceps good. Pull ups are more of an isolation exercise for the back.
ArdAtak 5y ago
For any guys here over 40, as a former athlete my body is pretty torn up. I lift and I look great, at 7% BF. HOWEVER, I have to avoid a lot of lifts that are too hard on the joints. Bench and dips can both be hard on the shoulders. I still manage to isolate and punish my chest, shoulders, and tri's. But I do it with more isolation, stricter form, and cable / free weights.
To each his own, but just remember to take care of your joints.
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
Don't put natural and 575lbs bench in the same sentence if the guy is 198lbs, please. I don't think u understand how heavy 575lbs is.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
He did it before steroids were invented, he trained differently than most guys now and got different results. Also amazing genetics and obviously one of a kind.
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
Steroids were invented in the 30s or 40s. Marvin Eder was definitely on roids. He had the same physique as Steeve Reeves. Get real. Naturals don't get to look that fucking thick. The guy was STACKED! And dude, 575lbs bench at 198lbs???? Are u even thinking? Honestly do you even lift? Because I don't think you understand the amount of weight that is. A 450 lbs bench for a true natural guy who is 230-260lbs is truly an incredible feat of strength. 575lbs at 198lbs is IMPOSSIBLE for a natural unless he is amputated from the waist down and his arms weigh 100lbs themselves.
Training "differently" doesn't mean you get to rewrite your biological makeup. Muscle building is HORMONE dependant. That's why a woman can eat and train as much and as radical as she likes, but she can never match a man's strength. They just don't have the hormonal profile for that kind of musculature. Training "differently" doesn't mean you get to magically grow thicker and stronger than everybody else. We all have the same physical blueprint. You guys are too naive and foolish.
The last natural was Eugene Sandow.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
You got issues it seems. You can get big lifting naturally, also lean. I understand you can be frustrated if you haven't had cracked the code yet - That doesn't mean it's impossible. Genetics, food and training style all play a major role.
reluctantly_red 5y ago
Get freakin real -- the code is in a syringe.
adam_varg 5y ago
Arrogance of that guy is borderlining with stupidity.
'crack the code' lmao
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DocZTheRockstar 5y ago
Does he have his training regimen on YouTube? I want to get muscular and lean but not swole. I also want great strength like that.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
the guy is 85 years now so no, look him up. Marvin Eder. He was swole as fuck, but also lean.
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
You can't be both swole af and lean as a natural. The human body doesn't support the hormonal profile required to do that.
tlaatonmai 5y ago
Theres a skinny asian dude on youtube who is 150lbs and does 405 easy for reps, its changed my mind on the universe
[deleted] 5y ago
I saw the dude, he also pauses at the bottom, crazy strength.
DocZTheRockstar 5y ago
Seen him. Dudes a real life saiyan. Looks natty. If he is and that weight is real, dudes got crazy strength. Goes to show that size doesn't always equal strength.
cpk8080 5y ago
Yah and what most guys don't understand is that you have to work a lot of back to get stronger in bench. Weighted dips are good but these lightweight dudes lift a ton of back. Work 3:1 back/chest ratio and watch your bench skyrocket. Worked for me when i was a college athlete, thank God for DI athletic trainers who actually know what they're doing.
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DocZTheRockstar 5y ago
T-rex arms or not, dudes stupid strong to pause and then lift it up.
Atheist_Utopia 5y ago
u mean frank yang and he's not skinny lol, just light
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dongpal 5y ago
no, this guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l84vmuuuHRg
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HurricaneHugues 5y ago
I know who you're talking about, and I don't believe he is natty for 1 second.
EL_Miore 5y ago
Fake weights. They're used all the time by IG models and such; especially those brazilian butt models acting like they're squatting 315 for reps. Yeah right. If the bar wasn't bending at 405, then they werw fake weights.
Otherwise, that is some super Human maximal force.
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
Nah he goes to regular gyms. I've seen how the weights feel being racked. Its deff real weight, but he's on PEDs.
f0ster91 5y ago
UPpwrliftr, I think he's natty but he only trains bench, and he does like 3 times a week since he's been in high school. He literally doesn't do anything else. So it probably is possible if he's dedicating all his time and energy into just increasing that one lift.
On the other hand there's dudes like Clarence Kennedy, who only weighs like 200 but fucking power cleans 500 off the floor; and squats like 700, deads over 800, bench almost 500...
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
Clarence is very open about his steroid usage. That's not even a secret. And even if he wasn't open about it, it's very obvious.
UPpowerlifter could train bench 3 times a week for 100 years if he wants. The numbers just don't add up. Plus the ease with which he reps those numbers at his bodyweight and low bodyfat percentage is just sketchy. I respect people's strength, but I'm also not naive. Natural strength has a limit, especially for a guy that's 150lbs.
ac_bro 5y ago
When you have the perfect build for a specific lift combined with above average genetics you can definitely get strong enough to where the numbers “don’t add up”, believe it or not some people are just freaks who will always outlift an average genetics bro no matter what .
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
I have a wider and bigger chest than he does and my best bench is 350lbs. I can't tell you what to believe really.
f0ster91 5y ago
It's possible he does juice, just making an observation. I'm with you though, I've been lifting for years natty and still can't put up 3 plates on a bench at 190 myself. It's hard not to be tempted...
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
What's your height? What are ur bench, dead, squat, overhead press? Body fat?
f0ster91 5y ago
I'm 5'9, 190. Probably 10-15% BF, gonna start a cut in January to hit below 10.
I do working sets of bench, squat, dead, (standing)overhead all 6 reps x 4 sets at 245, 315, 405, 150 respectively.
Those could be a lot higher, but I have a bad habit of taking months off at a time and always lose all my strength. Not going to make that mistake again though.
idrinkyour_milkshake 5y ago
I work out at a gym owned by Ryan Celli, who once benched 530 at 198 lbs in a powerlifting meet and was drug tested, so 575 is possible.
https://youtu.be/2l0jjlc__BA
adminsaregayniggers 5y ago
drug tested is not steroid free
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
This is Ryan deadlifing 635lbs for 6 reps like it was 385lbs: https://youtu.be/srrlhQUr5kg
My man, do I need to spell this out for you?
idrinkyour_milkshake 5y ago
There are plenty (meaning like 8-10) of 83 kg lifters in USAPL (which is tested) who can pull 700 lbs so I would imagine if they put on the extra 17 lbs they could pull 635 for 6 reps.
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
USPL has plenty of roid users. Jesse Norris competes in the USAPL. Give me a break.
idrinkyour_milkshake 5y ago
Sure but I doubt all the best 83 kg lifters at nationals are passing drug tests while using, maybe a couple but definitely not all
HurricaneHugues 5y ago
If you want to believe that, sure.
idrinkyour_milkshake 5y ago
Yeah you're really smart and everyone else is naive
adam_varg 5y ago
Nope just basically everybody who isnt in the circle is naive as you do.
Drug tests unless you are going to Olympics are breeze to beat. We call them IQ test for a reason lol.
And thinking there is anybody natural at elite level in strength sports... that is just ignorant.
idrinkyour_milkshake 5y ago
You're also really smart and everybody else is naive
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NASCARnormie 5y ago
If anyone has any sternum pain when doing dips then stop cause you can crack your sternum
A_Edgelord 5y ago
Absolutely. I always get sternum pain whenever I do parallel bar dips, no matter how good my form is. Some people are just not made to perform certain lifts.
AircraftWelder 5y ago
Yep. Every time I get back up to ~90 lbs on the belt my sternum acts up. Had to stop doing them recently.
Mrrpuss 5y ago
I feel a little tension in my clavicles. Does this parallel to what you said about sternum pain? And by pain, I’m guessing you’re hinting at something distinct from tension, for a pain is more urgent in nature, and for physiologically demanding reasons. Tensions are usually a phenomena that could be allayed through acclimation.
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BetaNuke 5y ago
Any anterior shoulder impingement/biceps tedinitis/laboral tears, for example.
DeadliftRx 5y ago
I came here to support and say this. I can avoid anterior shoulder pain as long as I am fully aware that I am activating my traps to pin my shoulder blades together. If I let my serratus anterior move my shoulder blades out of this anatomically healthy position, I will have anterior deltoid discomfort a few days later.
Furthermore, always do dips with a more horizontal torso angle to improve chest and lat activation throughout the range of motion.
colzod 5y ago
Dips and weighted dips are great, so is bench press. When doing any of them take care of your shoulders by being a complete form Nazi. You can't grow if you can't lift due to injury. Bro on
f0ster91 5y ago
Coming from a natty bodybuilder of on and off for 10ish years, don't replace bench with dips. You want to use them in conjunction with each other. Flat bench for overall strength and the middle chest fibers, incline bench for the top ones, and dips for the lower fibers. You want to hit all 3 if you want your chest to really grow. Supplement those combination press movements with isolations like cable crossovers, again changing the angle to hit all three parts of the chest muscles.
Also, you can go below parallel to the ground on dips, your hands just have to be facing out. If your hands are rotated in and you go too far down with weight on it, then yes you'll run into problems. Hands outward or at least neutral, never have had a problem. It's the same problem you'll run into doing upright rows (don't do those anymore if you are).
TheStoicCrane 5y ago
Thank you for putting it straight. I inntended to do the same but this reply covers it. This should be top comment. The only thing bar bench press(which I'm assuming OP is posting about) should be replaced by is either DB bench press or machine press to create shock with variance.
DB Bench press is actually the superior prech since the free range of motion recruits more fibers for balance and it creates a better stretch. Regardless switching between the three will help stimulate chest growth but they shouldn't be abandoned all together for dips that primarily target triceps.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
This is what the bros of the gym are already doing, and I feel strongly it's why they don't get results. Too little focus on the excercises that matter.
There are two camps of people in my gym getting results, the people that blast their bodies 6 days a week (I assume, They are always there when I am in) and the people you see much less frequent that do the big compounds intelligently. I have no quest for fitness to be my life and to get enough volume on 10 chest excercises is going to be a 6 day split and will interfere with your life. What I want is to excercise intelligently timewise and when it comes to body function and look.
I like Martin Berkhan's approach alot, though I think he is just a tad bit too down on isolation for the sake of it, I think largely he is right.
Have you actually tried doing 5-7 sets of dips each session with effort instead of the myriad of second tier excercises? like cable cross over? Because I started out training like you suggested and it lead nowhere as is the case for the majority. In my mind you want to reduce excercises as much as you can without losing stimulation. I feel dips do that for chest / triceps and front shoulder.
​
Chaddeus_Rex 5y ago
Guys dont get results cuz they dont lift consistently and dont eat pussy properly.
Jake_le_Dog 5y ago
good point breh. Addition: they don't eat, period. (if only they ate period..). Today I observed the local twink who's been frequenting the gym for more than half a year now, and he hasn't made any visible progress whatsoever.
I envy the little dude, such dedication even when he doesn't get results...
Chaddeus_Rex 5y ago
Eating is the hard part, not the lifting. Took me forever to start getting results, because i never realized the importance of eating and frankly hate eating
f0ster91 5y ago
Doing dips is fine but if you're going to start considering the bench press a second tier exercise I don't know what to tell you.
When you workout your chest, there's different motions that activate different parts of it. Fixed-hand position exercises like dips and bench will never be able to get the same contraction of the muscle that an exercise like a crossover does. They're both good for different things. If you don't want to do them, live your life, but coming from a bodybuilding standpoint they definitely add fullness to the muscle.
I'm not sure either where you're getting that you're going to be wasting your time on a 6 day split. I only do 4 exercises for chest (flat BB bench, incline DB bench, dips, and crossovers) and it takes less than 45 minutes, after which I do supplementary tricep work. Not in the gym longer than an hour, and I only do it every 4-5 days.
Do what works for you but just doing one exercise is going to get you plateaued pretty quick especially if you aren't juicing.
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
I don't consider bench a second tier excercise, but I consider incline, cable cross overs and other machine excercises second tier. Look I am not saying if you have been working out doing basics for say a year and you notice an area lagging that you shouln't include some isolation for that area, but most guys have not tried to reduce their exercises intelligently. I have no gaps in my physique doing basics and a little arm and shoulder isolation.
Most guys problem isn't to gain 5% in an underdeveloped bodypart after having gained alot of mass - most guys problem is to get the mass to start with.
replepok 5y ago
Yeah if you have perfect (normal?) form then bench and dips is where it's at, I used to do both and never thought twice about it. Concentrate(flex) more on your chest while benching and on your triceps while doing dips. Maybe lower your max bench weight (If not overcome by ego).
You don't want a flat chest (Surfboard)
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nebder 5y ago
My bench has always lagged behind my other lifts. Never really understood why.
My top lifts are 340 1x5 dl, 310 1x3 squat, 165 1x5 bench. 5-10 160. I’m running maintenance lifts now at 3 plates pull, 2 plates squat, 1 plate bench. I’ll add in the dips to see if that help.
Zech4riah 5y ago
You should get couple of more reps to your DL and squat so numbers could be like 340 1x7 and 310 1x5.
mw291 5y ago
Just a warning, this might trigger costochondritis in some of you that work desk jobs and don't do thoracic spine stretches. At least for me, doing weighted dips triggered my costo to the point I couldn't work out for a couple days.
zfrogo 5y ago
Dips are great i agree , but i prefer starting with incline movement for dem aesthetics.
nzjbruh 5y ago
To anyone about to go do ego lifting dips with a 45lbs plate make sure you use proper form to not snap your shit up.
kylerosa21 5y ago
You don’t and shouldn’t really be looking to make your muscles sore. I’ve been properly training over the last month, having weight trained for over a year, and I haven’t felt truly sore in forever. Despite that, I’ve progressed on every single one of my lifts. Judging effort by RPE is fine, but not by your soreness.
Besides that, everything else is basically solid information. Remember that dips are also a compound workout so I believe they could be used in place of your bench if you find yourself plateauing or something.
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GardenofBeden 5y ago
I’ve shyed away from doing dips faithfully because of form but this really has me curious. I’m gonna test this out for a few months and see how things change
Unrealenting 5y ago
You need to work your way up and do shoulder presses and extensions to increase flexibility in the blades and cuffs as well as strengthen the isometric stabilizers so you can push straight up from parallel.
Revolv0 5y ago
Anyone do guillotine presses? I’ve read those provide more pec activation than regular Bench press.
Fulltilt_Ronny 5y ago
i feel Dips too hard in my triceps. good way to finish off my workout from time to time, but i feel nothing in my chest when dipping. cool when it works out for you, tho.
DocZTheRockstar 5y ago
Are you doing it like a pushup? Athlean-X has a great video on it. You should definitely feel it in your chest as it's like performing a pushup with your body weight.
carkeys11 5y ago
Weighted dips on gymnastic rings.
Acrimont 5y ago
I usually focus on upper chest, my favorite exercise currently is incline dumbell bench press, I dont really do much normal bench anymore
waking-life 5y ago
Why not both? My chest day is usually incline bench, cable flyes, bodyweight or weighted dips.
wholewheatdirtydog 5y ago
I do both but I do feel more activation when doing dips
BobbyPeru 5y ago
Dips isolate the lower chest. It depends on how you want to shape your chest. I used to do them, but I get a better chest shape from incline press,flys, and bench press... but that’s just my genetics. I think the best move is to work with your genetics when shaping your chest.
Also, pro-tip, again for me personally, I add a chest day with lower weight close grip bench. I find it shapes the inside of my chest nicely, and it simultaneously works my triceps like crazy... thus increasing my overall bench press.
So for chest, 2 days a week:
Day 1:
5 x 5 bench press
5x3 incline press
10 x 3 flys
Day 2: 5 sets close grip bench
Pegovic 5y ago
Dips don’t “isolate” the lower pec... rather they put more emphasis on it than say an incline or flat bench press. Also it depends on how your pec fibers run across your rib cage ie how your muscle is “shaped”. As an example a person like me has a majority of pec fibers running diagonally from the humerus to the sternum and the lower ribs and I find to push more weight with dips and a really arched bench than a friend of mine who can bench press the world with a relative flat arch, who incidentally has a lot of “horizontal” fibers. A part of exercise selection is also about what fits your physique from a bio mechanical standpoint. I recommend you follow Omar isuf and the whole 3DMJ team. Also I’ll leave this video for reference for y’all https://youtu.be/RooDueEZvec
Scandinavianredpill 5y ago
for some people I think you can make a point for inclines (though EMG activity actually shows that decline bench, closegrip and dips are equally or more effective for the upper portion of the chest).
I am a quality over quantity kind of guy, I like as few excercises as possible with the highest quality (where I need to do the least amount of isolation). I think weighted dips do that for the chest, triceps and front delts - whereas weighted chinups and deadlift does it for the back.
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Overload is extremely important, just because you don't "feel" an excercise doesn't mean it isn't slapping on muscle.
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Anyway if you feel you need incline, I think dumbells are the most effective.
TheShearerComplex 5y ago
It depends. If you’ve been hitting the gym more than 2 years then high volume is key for building muscle.
There’s a reason the top bodybuilders don’t just smash 45 minute high quality sessions.
NorthLocation12 5y ago
Would assisted dips be equally as effective as weighted dips?
Jake_le_Dog 5y ago
No. Unless that's the highest intensity you can bare. If so, you have no other choice until you can do bodyweight and then bodyweight+ ones.
officerkondo 5y ago
Why would putting less load on the muscle be equally as effective as putting more load?
ValuePrestige 5y ago
Well, there are some people who can't do bodyweight dips (yet).
officerkondo 5y ago
So what? Some people can't bench 225. Would you, therefore, think to ask, "would benching 135 be equally as effective as benching 225?"
ValuePrestige 5y ago
Dude please. Are you serious? If your 10RM is 225 and my 10RM is 135, then yes, 135 is as effecient to me as 225 is to you. Benching 225 and not getting 1 rep would have no use for me.
officerkondo 5y ago
That sounds like a personal problem. I recommend getting your testosterone levels checked.
ValuePrestige 5y ago
Thanks for showing everyone that you're a kid who spews bullshit once he realises that he's talking nonsense.
officerkondo 5y ago
Thanks for showing your ass. My question for you, which you pretended not to see, was "would you, therefore, think to ask, 'would benching 135 be equally as effective as benching 225?'" If you can't answer that, what else can't you do?
Having pretended not to see it, you went on about what was "efficient for me". Who said anything about what was efficient for anyone, let alone you? Not everything is about you.
And yeah, most major cities have testosterone clinics these days.
ValuePrestige 5y ago
I answered that question already, can you even read? Benching 135 is equally effective as benching 225 or 1000 as long as it's your 10 Rep Max or whatever. Holy shit. Maybe you should've visited a school instead of clinics.
officerkondo 5y ago
Can you? The question called for a "yes" or "no", not a story about your weak bench.
Hush, my wee one.