Weighted dips?

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JeffseekingV
JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
Been trying to change things up a bit to try to get some better bench lifts.

I've slowly upped my weights on the dip bar. I have to hold a dumbell inbetween my feet and then peform the dip. Last night, I got up to a 45lb dumbell and did 6-8 reps.

For reference, my best bench so far is just aroud 225lbs for 1-2. I just did a 215lb bench for 4 reps this week so hopefully I'll be able to do 225lbs for 3-4. Signaling a strength change.

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  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
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    I just started doing these along with weighted pull ups. I find weighted dips are much easier with a dip belt instead of the dumbbell balancing act. A great investment if you ask me.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    Good advice. I want to start weighed pull ups also
  • TheMattyExperiment
    TheMattyExperiment Posts: 178 Member
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    Agreed! The weight belt is soooo much better :) I would bruise my legs trying to squeeze the weight before. Keep it up! I've built my body mainly using only the weighted chins, dips, and leg presses.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    I'm going to see if I can modify my weight belt to be used both as a normal weight belt and for weighted dips/pull ups etc... Just need some length of chain and a few climber's clips
  • stphnstevey
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    Backpack?
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    I think a back pack would tilt my lower body under too much. I'll just hold the dumbells with my feet until it gets too heavy
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
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    The best improvements I've seen on bench were from doing paused reps to build strength off the chest. And for assistance I like high rep DB presses (incline/decline/flat).

    Everyone is gonna benefit from different assistance lifts. If I had a way to do dips, I'd do them. They're a great movement.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    The best improvements I've seen on bench were from doing paused reps to build strength off the chest. And for assistance I like high rep DB presses (incline/decline/flat).

    Everyone is gonna benefit from different assistance lifts. If I had a way to do dips, I'd do them. They're a great movement.

    Nice advice. I'm back to volume/high rep vs high weight/low rep so I'll give the pauses a try.

    Funny story. I start with 135lbs as warm up. I unrack and immediately sit it on my chest. More than one guy has almost ran over thinking I was trapped. Once I start repping it for 8-10, they go "oh". haha
  • dstromley1
    dstromley1 Posts: 165
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    use chains if you have access to them, shifts your center of gravity forward and punishes ur chest.. PLus it looks badass
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    haha. My gym is the YMCA. That's a bit too hardcore for them
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    I love weighted dips, a very underrated exercise, IMO.
  • StaticEntropy
    StaticEntropy Posts: 224 Member
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    You can also try the Hammer Strength Dip Machine if you have access to one, especially if you start progressing into much heavier weights and don't want to bother with belts and chains (or dumbbells between your legs).
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    That would be cool but alas, the Y isn't geared up for any hardcore stuff. I have to improvise alot of it.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    You could always switch to doing harder types of dips.

    A straight bar dip is substantially more difficult than a parallel bar dip. Due to needed to curl yourself around it like a C to balance, it also hits the chest hella hard. Smith machines work great for straight bar dips.

    Ring dips are the same way, especially done in an L-sit.

    These both can be further made more difficult by dropping the elbows when in the hole, shifting from upper arm parallel to lower arm parallel. Have to go slow with this, only little bits of the ROM at a time, could be very rough on the elbows at first since its such a huge load on the triceps at an extremely bent elbow angle.

    And if you are strong enough, you can do planche pushups in a dip station. Instead of leaning forward a little bit to do a chest dip, lean forward a lot, so that your hips are at the same level as your shoulders, and hold your back parallel like that throughout the rep. Takes a ton of chest/shoulder strength to even hold the rotated position. Kinda like a super chest dip. Tucking your knees into your chest makes them easier, but even the most basic variant is a very advanced exercise.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    ^^ good advice.

    I like L sit dips personally (if I can't do weighted) as you can do them on pretty much any kids playground. Was doing them on a small seesaw the other day. Stability was challenged a lot!

    Just be careful not to go "too" deep as it really can be a stressful movement on the shoulder.