Dips...a lost exercise??

[JH34PG]

i love to do dips, but i never see them being done anymore...are they not that effective???

[lateralus1]

they are not as effective as alter boys

[Atheimetal]

Dips are useful and advocated by plenty of people here.. but you are right, many people seem to pass them over in favor of other things.

Then again, I almost never see anyone specifically working triceps or doing chest exercises other than flat bench and peck deck. People not knowing much about what they are doing probably adds to it.

[sennas]

people fear the dip

[ryanthestark]

dips pwn

[Dominik]

i love to do dips, but i never see them being done anymore...are they not that effective???

They're effective. I think the main reasons are 1) they're often seen as a "finishing" exercise where people will do them with bw only at the end of their chest workout, and 2) a lot of people are too lazy or tight-assed to fork out money for a dip belt so they can add resistance. And 3) some people are too fat or weak to do them. It's a lot easier to put 225 on a bar with a spotter and feel strong than trying to dip that weight by yourself if you're around that weight.

They're also seen as a "relative strength" exercise most of the time when instead you can focus on the total weight being moved (bw + belt weight) and treat them more like bench (decline) press.

Bottom line is they're a great exercise.

[johnsbod]

That's the first time I've heard that dips were out of style. Everyone does dips at my gym.

[Dominik]

That's the first time I've heard that dips were out of style. Everyone does dips at my gym.

I can count on one hand the number of people I've seen doing them weighted. I guess they're just seen as a bw exercise for "finishing" workouts, rather than being one of the main compound lifts.

[Lee.J.K]

I do dips but they aren't my preferred exercise because they can hit back and chest, and since I have a 'pulling/pushing' 2 day split it's something I try to completely avoid.

I think it's good if you try to do it completely with the tri's though.

[johnsbod]

I can count on one hand the number of people I've seen doing them weighted. I guess they're just seen as a bw exercise for "finishing" workouts, rather than being one of the main compound lifts.

Honestly, I see a ton of people doing them in my gym at home. It's even a University gym so you would expect to see most people benching and curling, but most people are actually pretty good about working their entire body. When I say I see a lot of people doing them, I mean weighted as well.

[Dominik]

Honestly, I see a ton of people doing them in my gym at home. It's even a University gym so you would expect to see most people benching and curling, but most people are actually pretty good about working their entire body. When I say I see a lot of people doing them, I mean weighted as well.

I believe you, it's just something I haven't seen in commercial gyms here. On BB.com everyone deadlifts, squats deep, and does weighted dips and chins. In the real world as far, as what I've experienced, it's rare.

[wildphucker]

I go to a Fitness First and we've got quite a few guys who do weighted dips. I think they rule but you need to make sure to lean forward if you want to hit more chest. I'm actually quite surprised at the amount of serious bodybuilders we have.

[Doenitz79]

Most people dont do them coz they cant do them for multiple reps.

[DJAuto]

It's just something I haven't seen in commercial gyms here.

x2. I've seen the occasional person try dips. Once they fail, usually, that's the end of that. No commitment to improve at their deficiencies.

It's also an exercise which is influenced heavily by culture itself. Nobody asks "how much can you dip?" That's part of the reason the common person doesn't perform the movement, or a ton of other exercises for that matter. It's always flat bench, flat bench and more flat bench. I think it's much more impressive to see someone doing weighted dips then any kind of bench press.

[Dominik]

x2. I've seen the occasional person try dips. Once they fail, usually, that's the end of that. No commitment to improve at their deficiencies.

It's also an exercise which is influenced heavily by culture itself. Nobody asks "how much can you dip?" That's part of the reason the common person doesn't perform the movement, or a ton of other exercises for that matter. It's always flat bench, flat bench and more flat bench. I think it's much more impressive to see someone doing weighted dips then any kind of bench press.

Good points.

And you know how lazy some people are, if they get a choice between having to move their body through space or move weight while lying or sitting down, it's no secret what they'll choose.

[Doenitz79]

As Brook Kubik asserts,most people in the gym nowadays are PRETENDING to train...and they are training for OTHERS,not themselves.

They see many people benching,hence they bench to get recognition.

[purplenemesis]

I can count on one hand the number of people I've seen doing them weighted. I guess they're just seen as a bw exercise for "finishing" workouts, rather than being one of the main compound lifts.

I believe I am the only person at my gym that does weighted dips. It was great because the gym actually had a dip belt to that nobody used. You could imagine my frustration when it disapeared a few weeks ago. I had to purchase a new one from this site. I cant wait until it arrives in the mail.

I also loved the looks I got from people when I was doing 80+ LB dips. I actually heard one jackass tell his friend that what I was doing was dangerous and I was going to get myself hurt. I have never once felt any kind of abnormal pain from doing weighted dips and I certainly have not hurt myself. People are just freaking stupid.

[GoJu]

I can count on one hand the number of people I've seen doing them weighted

X2 and that would include me, I actually get funny looks sometimes when I do my dips weighted.

[Curl Master]

i love to do dips, but i never see them being done anymore...are they not that effective???

I found that Weighted Triceps Dips are the most effective triceps exercise for increasing the overall thickness of the tricep. Nothing can touch it.

[dizi24]

I love doing chest dips. I'd venture to say that they are just as effective as building chest as a flat bench press. And they also put a lot more weight on secondary muscles like triceps thana bench press.

No one ever asks what you dip, but you can deffinetly get some stares doing dips with a plate or two.

[WillDeadliftForFood]

Very few people in my gym do dips; even fewer do them weighted. Of all of the exercises I've done in a gym (some pretty wacky ones back in the day) nothing has drawn more notice than weighted dips.

I don't know why people see it as so unusual. Dips have always seemed to be more of real-world applicable exercise than bench.

[Dominik]

No one ever asks what you dip, but you can deffinetly get some stares doing dips with a plate or two.

Exactly. Someone I hadn't seen for a few years asked me the other day "so how much are you benching?" I said I did weighted dips, DB inclines, some Hammer Strength incline instead and he looked really puzzled.

I'll tell you this much, if I see a big dude dipping 2-3 plates for reps, I know he's strong. This for example (215bw + 200) is every bit as impressive as a 400lb bench press to me.

[AxlTurwalt]

x2. I've seen the occasional person try dips. Once they fail, usually, that's the end of that. No commitment to improve at their deficiencies.

It's also an exercise which is influenced heavily by culture itself. Nobody asks "how much can you dip?" That's part of the reason the common person doesn't perform the movement, or a ton of other exercises for that matter. It's always flat bench, flat bench and more flat bench. I think it's much more impressive to see someone doing weighted dips then any kind of bench press.

Amen to that. A guy at my gym was doing weighted dips. Impressed me more than the guy who was pumping 300lbs on the bench next to him. The guy doing the dips was a big guy, around 220lbs or so and he strapped another 135lbs to the belt. Was doing 10x3s. That inspired me to do dips also, and since I started I never once looked back. It really pumps my chest hard.

Which reminds me, does anyone have any advice on how to keep myself stable whilst performing dips? I tend to shake a little towards the end and sway around a bit.

[Skwidward]

I love dips. I used to workout at a right dive of a gym. There were two big black dudes that used to dip, and that was it.

I injured myself doing dips. I used to dip by sticking my elbows out to the side as far as I could and leaning forward etc. all trying so hard to hit my chest. I believe it was doing this crazy form with weight that caused my injury.

During my rehab, I have been so reluctant to dip again, especially seeing as during my injured time pushing myself up off the couch was really painful. Anyway, thanks to motivation from Nainoa, I started off with chair dips (sitting and standing in an arm chair) about a year ago and am now doing full body weight dips 3x15.

The only difference is now I keep my elbows tucked at my sides and do not let my shoulders shrug AT ALL. As far as I'm concerned, this form will hit my chest plenty. I'm not gonna go out of my way to try and stick myself in some odd ROM just to target chest more. Just thought I'd share that.

EDIT: I think it's awesome that you can build a decent body and totaly neglect the flat bench

[DJAuto]

Which reminds me, does anyone have any advice on how to keep myself stable whilst performing dips? I tend to shake a little towards the end and sway around a bit.

Sometimes if I go a bit fast on the decline, I begin to sway. Try controlling the decline portion of the movement.

[SwagMorris]

X2 and that would include me, I actually get funny looks sometimes when I do my dips weighted.

You get funny looks playing Power Rangers with 7 year olds, not from doing dips.

[Dominik]

I injured myself doing dips. I used to dip by sticking my elbows out to the side as far as I could and leaning forward etc. all trying so hard to hit my chest

I found doing them completely upright, elbows in, mainly as a triceps exercise, aiming for around parallel, hasn't caused any problems. That's how I do them when I go heavy. To hit the chest more, I'll use less weight, still stay upright, and just flare the elbows more and go a little deeper, no leaning forward.

I think a lot of problems come from people going too deep and not breathing properly which helps stabilize the chest and keep the shoulders from slumping. Just my 2 cents anyway.

Which reminds me, does anyone have any advice on how to keep myself stable whilst performing dips? I tend to shake a little towards the end and sway around a bit.

More practice, descend under control, and avoid taking sets to failure or trying to dip too much weight. Keep your form tight.

Some shaking is always going to be there, especially when you go really heavy. I can feel my arms shaking a little when I train near my 3-5RM, but I've asked training partners if they can see it and they say it's barely noticeable. watching other guys dipping a lot in videos backs up my feeling that it's always going to happen a little when going heavy.

[Defiant1]

i love to do dips, but i never see them being done anymore...are they not that effective???

Nah they are not lost.


Hell, a few months ago they were being short stroked all over the site....


They are a good exercise. Part of an arsenal.

A good basic size builder for the lower pecs for many people.

[CRyan64]

I either can't really finish a set or it hurts doing them lol

[SwagMorris]

I either can't really finish a set or it hurts doing them lol

Does it hurt because you're a bitch, or it actually hurts your RC or something else?