Is dips and pull ups hard for you guys?

[Feel Da Burn]

I just started out and its really hard for me to do dips and pull ups. My max body weight pull up is 8 and i weight 150lbs at 17%. And dips are really hard for me too. I just want to know if you guys were like this when you first started BB or i just have really weak muscles, because ppl make it seem like it is normal to attach weight when doing these exercises
Quick question how much does those short olympic ez bar weights? I know the long straight one is 45lbs

[$AJ]

8 is good, now add weight.

[R.O.D.]

yes.

[mc_marty]

I'm 4 weeks into working out, lost 10lbs so far. from 195 to 185 - 5'8"

My first week, I could only do dips on the assisted dip machine, with the assist set to 20 (Max assist, 112lbs.. the min is 1- 12lbs).

Now, on my 4th week, I'm doing assisted dips with the assist set to #14.


short olympic e-z bar weighs 25lbs

[DiamondDelts]

I just started out and its really hard for me to do dips and pull ups. My max body weight pull up is 8 and i weight 150lbs at 17%. And dips are really hard for me too. I just want to know if you guys were like this when you first started BB or i just have really weak muscles, because ppl make it seem like it is normal to attach weight when doing these exercises
Quick question how much does those short olympic ez bar weights? I know the long straight one is 45lbs

Everyone struggles on dips and pullups at first until you get accustomed to handling your own bodyweight. I could barely do 2 reps on each exercise when I first started them. Now I can throw my bodyweight around like feathers. Keep at them and you will get better. 8 reps is very good already. You might be ready to start adding weight already.

[JoeDirtBody]

is it normal to be able to do like 22 BW reps on dips but only like 10 shoulder width pullups? i weigh 215.

i always thought that it was a wierd imbalance. my pullup strength never seems to go up.

[DiamondDelts]

is it normal to be able to do like 22 BW reps on dips but only like 10 shoulder width pullups? i weigh 215.

i always thought that it was a wierd imbalance. my pullup strength never seems to go up.

Nothing wrong with that. I am NOT a believer of all these fluffy supposed strength "correlations" floating around here. Some people will be stronger on different exercises based on their indiviual builds. And I personally consider pullups to be the most difficult exercise to gain strength in. Especially at higher bodyweights.

[JoeDirtBody]

ya, u can worry about the imbalances to much, i think as long as u do equal amounts of pulling and pushing ur golden. i guess my real question was why the hell my pullup strength hasnt gone up. but u answered that too.

i also think it might have to do with gaining weight. like i started at around 195ish in may and i could do 8 pullups and now i can do 10 at 215, so i definetly got stronger, but in my head u dont really see it that way.

i just started to doing hammer grip, maybe that will help.

[Dominik]

Everyone struggles on dips and pullups at first until you get accustomed to handling your own bodyweight. I could barely do 2 reps on each exercise when I first started them. Now I can throw my bodyweight around like feathers. Keep at them and you will get better. 8 reps is very good already. You might be ready to start adding weight already.

^^^ What DD (aka Captain CELL-TECH) said. Everyone struggles with them starting out.

Just don't sacrifice proper form on dips to squeeze out an extra rep or two. Don't descend below parallel, avoid slumping the shoulders, keep the chest out and full of air on the way down, and don't swing or jerk around--keep it all strict. If you experience any pain around the sternum or collarbone area, back the weight off or stop. Take your time progressing with added weight.

[aqua-beowulf]

I just started out and its really hard for me to do dips and pull ups. My max body weight pull up is 8 and i weight 150lbs at 17%. And dips are really hard for me too. I just want to know if you guys were like this when you first started BB or i just have really weak muscles, because ppl make it seem like it is normal to attach weight when doing these exercises
Quick question how much does those short olympic ez bar weights? I know the long straight one is 45lbs

You're right, people here do make it seem like it's normal to add weight to dips and pullups. But in real life, I can count on one hand how many people I've seen doing weighted dips and pullups at commercial gyms. It's still pretty rare. They'll load up the lat pulldown machine but can't do 5 bodyweight pullups.

Anyway, don't worry too much about what others do. I do weighted dips and chins, but it didn't happen overnight. If you're doing 8 pullups already, then I'd add 10 pounds via a dip belt, and work back up to a few sets of 6 or 8 reps, and then repeat this procedure to infinity

Take Dom's advice on the dips... this is one of my favorite (and strongest) lifts, and I really have to control the urge not to progress too quickly. Slow and steady is best when adding weight to these.

[Zensuji]

Nothing wrong with that. I am NOT a believer of all these fluffy supposed strength "correlations" floating around here. Some people will be stronger on different exercises based on their indiviual builds. And I personally consider pullups to be the most difficult exercise to gain strength in. Especially at higher bodyweights.

amen to that.

when i first started i could just bench the bar. but on sldl i was doing 225

[adidamps2]

i can barely do any chin/pull ups but i crank out 12+ dips. my shoulder's don't like pull/chin-ups.

[JCVP]

When I first started lifting several years ago, I could only do 7 BW Dips in one set. From just two years of lifting, I upped the amount to 23 dips in one set. My pullups amount generally reaches roughly 10, which is not a tremendous amount.

[blackughal]

I could do no dips and no pullups when I started.

[Mad Dog162]

I could do no dips and no pullups when I started.

How many can you do now?

[blackughal]

How many can you do now?

About 7 pullups with 5lb added. About 5 dips with 2.5kg added.

[chalado2121]

I have had the fastest gains on these two exercises. I went from only being able to do about 4 pull-ups in october to 3x8 w/10lbs added now. With dips I went from 3x10 w/ bodyweight to 3x8 w/50lbs now.
I think just getting used to these exercises is a huge part of the gains.

[.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.]

at first i could only do 2 wide grip chins ... now i can do 11
i really only do tricep dips but i use a 25 pound plate for ~ 8 reps

[Avila]

i lack pull.

right now i can only do 4-6 pullups
while i can do parallel 15 dips

[Uriel_da_man]

Nothing wrong with that. I am NOT a believer of all these fluffy supposed strength "correlations" floating around here. Some people will be stronger on different exercises based on their indiviual builds. And I personally consider pullups to be the most difficult exercise to gain strength in. Especially at higher bodyweights.

I'll second that. I struggle to get 10bw REAL pull ups (none of that partial stuff) (the last two inches are realy damn hard, I think it's because of my weak rear delts) but I can do like 20 dips as nothing but a warm up. Funny thing though is that dips never gave me much mass gains.

Weird is that I'm actualy a stronger puller than pusher. I'm pretty good at rowing but suck at benching.

My body's all ****ed up

[DiamondDelts]

I'll second that. I struggle to get 10bw REAL pull ups (none of that partial stuff) (the last two inches are realy damn hard, I think it's because of my weak rear delts) but I can do like 20 dips as nothing but a warm up. Funny thing though is that dips never gave me much mass gains.

Weird is that I'm actualy a stronger puller than pusher. I'm pretty good at rowing but suck at benching.

My body's all ****ed up

I hear ya. Dips are just too easy to me once you get the hang of them. I have to pile on so much weight before I really feel anything. They are an okay exercise, but have never been the godsend for me like some claim. To each their own though.

[kethnaab]

I like to do dips last. I do sets of 20. They're easy, because I have short arms

pullups and chinups are the same way. short arms = easy exercise.

some people are just wired differently though.

I can do heavy chinups, but I probably couldn't get past 20 if I tried with only bodyweight. that's just the way it is.

[Dominik]

I hear ya. Dips are just too easy to me once you get the hang of them. I have to pile on so much weight before I really feel anything. They are an okay exercise, but have never been the godsend for me like some claim. To each their own though.

If you have strong triceps, you have strong triceps, and you'll need to use a lot of weight regardless of what exercise you're doing. Dips, presses, extensions, pushdowns... makes no difference. What more can the exercise do? When it's too easy you crank up the weight. I don't hear those big guys bitching about piling on a whole stack of plates for deads. That's life.

Sure it'd be convenient to do kickbacks with a little pink dumbbell and be done but the reality is I need to add lots of weight on dips to keep the tris growing. No complaints here.

[blackughal]

Is DD really 9.25 inches long?

[Dominik]

Is DD really 9.25 inches long?

That's what you get when you hang plates off it instead of using a dip belt.

[blackughal]

so he's long and thin?

[DiamondDelts]

so he's long and thin?

Nah. It's long and thick bro. 9.25" of chocalatey, nutty goodness.




http://www.laurelfoodsystems.com/Ima...%20Goodbar.jpg

[DiamondDelts]

If you have strong triceps, you have strong triceps, and you'll need to use a lot of weight regardless of what exercise you're doing. Dips, presses, extensions, pushdowns... makes no difference. What more can the exercise do? When it's too easy you crank up the weight. I don't hear those big guys bitching about piling on a whole stack of plates for deads. That's life.

Sure it'd be convenient to do kickbacks with a little pink dumbbell and be done but the reality is I need to add lots of weight on dips to keep the tris growing. No complaints here.

Point well taken. But the fact of the matter is dips(no matter how heavy) don't do **** for my triceps so why bother. Now true chest dips(overhand grip) have given my chest some decent gains. But regular dips don't anything but boost my ego. My tri's laugh at them.

[kethnaab]

with an overhand grip, how far apart are your hands? are they in front of you? is this almost like a decline close grip for you?

[Texasboy7]

I dont have a dip belt where I'm at so i dont ever add weight, I just have to do a normal routine of going until fatigue. 40 Dips, and 15 pull ups