Sternum Pain during dips

[JFP]

Well i love dips and feel that their a good end to my chest routine. But the problem that has gotten so bad lately is that really bad pain right between my pecs. Is their anything i can do for this. Thanks for any help

[aqua-beowulf]

Well i love dips and feel that their a good end to my chest routine. But the problem that has gotten so bad lately is that really bad pain right between my pecs. Is their anything i can do for this. Thanks for any help

Hey bro! Possible form, as in going too low. Stop when your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Or maybe, if you're attaching weight, you may be using more than you're sternum is ready for.

[Dominik]

Well i love dips and feel that their a good end to my chest routine. But the problem that has gotten so bad lately is that really bad pain right between my pecs. Is their anything i can do for this. Thanks for any help

Like Aqua said, keep an eye on your form. Don't descend too low (below parallel) or let your shoulders and chest slump. Also make sure you warm-up properly.

The pain you mentioned is quite common with dips (I experienced it too in the beginning) so take your time adding weight and stop if it becomes too sore. Your body will eventually adapt to it.

[LatsMakeTheMan]

Dips can be very stressful on the upper body. I also had this pain when I first began doing them, but it went away after 2 or 3 workouts.

[irishrunt]

i also had this pain as well as a pain in my collarbone when i would quit doing a set of dips and eventually both pains went away. i would say give it a short time and the pain should go away....mine did anyway

[Rokk]

I quit doing weighted dips a while back (about a year ago) after something popped in my sternum area. Now, every time I clean a weight or some similar movement, there is the feeling of something popping. If I had to guess, I'd say I was stonger than my sternum, at that point. Although I could do the weight, I wasn't ready to do the weight. Unfortunately, the only way to learn that lesson may be the hard way.

[$AJ]

goign too low probably or too much weight

[Dominik]

goign too low probably or too much weight

You never experienced that pain starting out with weighted dips? I've heard a lot of people mention it so it seems quite common. I think the general consensus is after a few workouts it goes away.

To summarize:

* warm up properly (body weight first)
* don't go below parallel
* don't let your shoulders slump
* take your time increasing the weight

[_Lifter4Life_]

You never experienced that pain starting out with weighted dips? I've heard a lot of people mention it so it seems quite common. I think the general consensus is after a few workouts it goes away.

To summarize:

* warm up properly (body weight first)
* don't go below parallel
* don't let your shoulders slump
* take your time increasing the weight

Ive experienced that pain as well, mainly because when I 1st started 'dipping' not training, I thought a plate would "look" cool, little did I know. This has caused me to feel this pain as you described. But after a solid 7months dipping I feel no pain what so ever, Dips are my fav excerise.

Lifter,

[$AJ]

You never experienced that pain starting out with weighted dips? I've heard a lot of people mention it so it seems quite common. I think the general consensus is after a few workouts it goes away.

i don't think so, then again i don't remember much from 13+yrs ago, heh

i suppose it's possible, since the sternum isn't usualyl stressed like that IRL, so i wouldn't rule it out.

[Powerbuilt]

Dips can be very stressful on the upper body. I also had this pain when I first began doing them, but it went away after 2 or 3 workouts.

Took about two months for me (8 sessions +/-) but like he said, they do go away.

[Dominik]

i don't think so, then again i don't remember much from 13+yrs ago, heh

i suppose it's possible, since the sternum isn't usualyl stressed like that IRL, so i wouldn't rule it out.

Seems quite common and I think you're right about the stress. I guess it's similar in some ways to biceps curls and forearm pain... it's something most of us experienced early on and it eventually passes.

13 years... over a decade of stubbornness

[Powerbuilt]

Seems quite common and I think you're right about the stress. I guess it's similar in some ways to biceps curls and forearm pain... it's something most of us experienced early on and it eventually passes.

13 years... over a decade of stubbornness

My brother started training with me 4 months ago. That forearm pain is now in full swing on him.

[Dominik]

My brother started training with me 4 months ago. That forearm pain is now in full swing on him.

Damn, it was terrible for me and lasted over a month or two. I've heard some people say you should rest or avoid biceps work... I just worked through it.

It's all part of the anatomical adaptation process I guess. Like AJ said, they're not exactly movements that the body is used to in every day life with those kinds of loads. Forearm pain with curls, sternum pain with dips... thankfully it passes.

[MarlboroMan]

i had the same pain, it goes away in a few workouts, do dips for 15 reps, weight is really not required in my opinion for dips, 3 sets of 15, and your good,

[Powerbuilt]

Damn, it was terrible for me and lasted over a month or two. I've heard some people say you should rest or avoid biceps work... I just worked through it.

It's all part of the anatomical adaptation process I guess. Like AJ said, they're not exactly movements that the body is used to in every day life with those kinds of loads. Forearm pain with curls, sternum pain with dips... thankfully it passes.

Took me about three months to work threw. I remeber the pain when you set the bar down after a heavy set of preachers. As soon as you loosen that grip. Boom.

[Powerbuilt]

i had the same pain, it goes away in a few workouts, do dips for 15 reps, weight is really not required in my opinion for dips, 3 sets of 15, and your good,

You may be surprised. 15 rep range is pretty high. Start adding weight and get that range down to 6-8 and you may pack on some fast mass and strength. As soon as I added a few plates and moved dips to the front of my triceps routine, I started jumping up in mass in a matter of a month, this was awesome considering how long I had been stagnant on arm development.

[$AJ]

Seems quite common and I think you're right about the stress. I guess it's similar in some ways to biceps curls and forearm pain... it's something most of us experienced early on and it eventually passes.

13 years... over a decade of stubbornness

[Dominik]

Took me about three months to work threw. I remeber the pain when you set the bar down after a heavy set of preachers. As soon as you loosen that grip. Boom.

That was exactly it. What helped a little was avoiding all barbell work and with dumbbells, doing hammer curls instead. Hammers were the only type of curl that didn't leave me in agony when I let go of the weight.

weight is really not required in my opinion for dips, 3 sets of 15, and your good,

Can't agree there. Some people see some excellent gains at lower reps and you'd be surprised what your triceps are capable of when you train them hard. To me it's not much different to bench so I warm up with my bodyweight for 12-15 reps and then focus on around 5-8RM with a few plates. There's no ego involved, my triceps are just quite strong and unless I'm hitting them with a lot of weight, they don't grow.

I sometimes get the feeling some people just stick with bodyweight for dips because they couldn't be bothered buying a dip belt. I started out just holding a DB between my ankles and then took it more seriously and bought one.

[JFP]

The thing is that it will hurt even if i dont add any weight. I go to parralel and back up. I think im going to lay off them for about a month then ease my way back into them. Thanks for all those replies guys. If i had some more rep i would rep ya.

[Abstraction]

i also had this pain as well as a pain in my collarbone when i would quit doing a set of dips and eventually both pains went away. i would say give it a short time and the pain should go away....mine did anyway

i found that pain in my collarbone area was a sigh that i wasn't pushing my chest out enough. when doing dips, try to lean forward slightly and keep you chest out and shoulders back a little, that'll keep the stress off your collarbone. I had the same problem doing decline benches as well. just keep your shoulders back and your chest out and you'll be fine.

[moot]

When I do dips, I find I get cramp in my legs, dos anyone else have this problem? it is rarther annoying thinking I could have done more reps only to find that my LEGS give in.