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Thread: Dips in lieu of Bench Press...

  1. #1
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    Default Dips in lieu of Bench Press...

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    Due to the particular circumstances at my gym, I can't bench press safely. I have then started to do dips on a machine. Are dips like pulldowns where high reps are better? Are there any precautions I must be aware of doing dips?

  2. #2
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    You will at some point have to weight the dips to get stronger and dips can be rough on the shoulders of many people, so this is where the concern is. I would definitely start out with body weight with lower reps (5s) and add several sets over time (ending at 4-5 sets per session). Then push the reps slowly up from 5s to 10s and then start doing some weighted. This should give your shoulders enough time to adapt to the stress - which can sometimes be quite substantial depending on the angle of the dip bars (some are angled away from your torso).
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  3. #3
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    Bench with dumbbells ?

  4. #4
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    Because dumbbells are so much safer than a bar?

  5. #5
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    ChessGuy, all the alternatives are so suboptimal you are really best finding a new gym where you actually can bench press safely.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Because dumbbells are so much safer than a bar?
    I was thinking of the guillotine vs dropping the dumbbells to the side. Marginal I suppose, as dropping a heavy dumbbell on ones face is going to be nasty.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hayden-William Courtland View Post
    You will at some point have to weight the dips to get stronger and dips can be rough on the shoulders of many people, so this is where the concern is. I would definitely start out with body weight with lower reps (5s) and add several sets over time (ending at 4-5 sets per session). Then push the reps slowly up from 5s to 10s and then start doing some weighted. This should give your shoulders enough time to adapt to the stress - which can sometimes be quite substantial depending on the angle of the dip bars (some are angled away from your torso).
    Heck, I'm not even able to do bodyweight dips yet. I do them on a machine with counterweghts. I know they are tough on the shoulders. One thing I'm careful about is to not go below parallel.

    Thank you for the tips

  8. #8
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    Dips are in the blue book. Sometimes I wonder why I wrote the goddamn thing.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Dips are in the blue book. Sometimes I wonder why I wrote the goddamn thing.
    I thought so. I wish I hadn't misplaced mine.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Dips are in the blue book. Sometimes I wonder why I wrote the goddamn thing.
    Wait!, there's a book?

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