Dips
darreneatschicken
Posts: 669 Member
So to tuck your elbows in or not while doing dips?
When I let my elbows flare out, which feels the most comfortable and most natural for me, I feel it in my triceps, but also a lot in my anterior deltoids.
When I force my elbows to tuck in, I feel it all in my triceps. It's way harder to do this obviously, you really have to focus on tucking your elbows in like you would sometimes during bench press. But isn't harder = correct?
Or are both forms correct? You just focus all on your tris by tucking in elbows. I'm just scared that if you let your elbows flare out, it will put stress on your shoulder joints like what happens when you bench press with flared out elbows and go down too much.
When I let my elbows flare out, which feels the most comfortable and most natural for me, I feel it in my triceps, but also a lot in my anterior deltoids.
When I force my elbows to tuck in, I feel it all in my triceps. It's way harder to do this obviously, you really have to focus on tucking your elbows in like you would sometimes during bench press. But isn't harder = correct?
Or are both forms correct? You just focus all on your tris by tucking in elbows. I'm just scared that if you let your elbows flare out, it will put stress on your shoulder joints like what happens when you bench press with flared out elbows and go down too much.
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Replies
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As someone with slightly messed up shoulders already, if I do either chest or tricep dips and let my elbows flare rather than keeping my forearms pretty much stationary and vertical, it's a great way to really, really aggravate my shoulders. If you've got strong and stable rotator cuffs it might not be as big a deal, but that's my experience.0
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In plank to Chaturanga Dandasana, we keep the forearms vertical to the floor and tuck in the elbow joints so they brush the rib cage as you descend and ascend. Harder on the triceps yes, but safer for the shoulder joints.0
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Dips are alot like squats you have to find the position that best suits your body mechanics, most important thing is keeping your body still and not swinging, that's one way to screw your shoulders up.
Don't worry to much about tucking elbows and all that stuff just do what feels right.0 -
Letting elbows flare out seems to be more "comfortable" and "natural" for me, but lifting shouldn't be comfortable. That's why I think I'm going to always tuck elbows in from now on: feels more challenging and prevents injury.0
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- sounds like a plan.
I can't say that everything I do in my yoga sequences is comfortable, but holding true to correct alignment pays off in the long haul.
A teacher of mine often tells us, "It never gets easier - you just get better at it".0 -
You should tuck them as much as you comfortably can. Just because something might be comfortable for you doesn't mean it's right. Depending one's flexibility the level of "tuck" can vary.0
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So to tuck your elbows in or not while doing dips?
When I let my elbows flare out, which feels the most comfortable and most natural for me, I feel it in my triceps, but also a lot in my anterior deltoids.
When I force my elbows to tuck in, I feel it all in my triceps. It's way harder to do this obviously, you really have to focus on tucking your elbows in like you would sometimes during bench press. But isn't harder = correct?
Or are both forms correct? You just focus all on your tris by tucking in elbows. I'm just scared that if you let your elbows flare out, it will put stress on your shoulder joints like what happens when you bench press with flared out elbows and go down too much.
Interesting. what is 'correct?' wouldn't it be more beneficial to mix it up? might be fun to try kissing your left hand, then your right hand as you dip, try them with knees tucked to chest or legs in a V. can you pop up, release the bar and re-grab?0 -
1. how far down should you go? i hear people saying you should go until arms are parallel but i also hear people saying you should stop when above parallel as to not put stress on your shoulders.
2. when i see people doing bench dips, some people use a stool to elevate their feet, while others don't. what's the difference?0 -
I got past parallel when I do dips.0
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1. how far down should you go? i hear people saying you should go until arms are parallel but i also hear people saying you should stop when above parallel as to not put stress on your shoulders.
2. when i see people doing bench dips, some people use a stool to elevate their feet, while others don't. what's the difference?
1. If you can hit parallel without hurting your shoulders, go ahead, I can't. If you really want to fry your tris don't go to full lock out at the top, keeping a slight bend in the elbows at the top will keep constant tension on them.
2. feet elevated is harder0 -
Man there was a huge debate on this awhile back. Here is one video that I remember standing out with some good info.
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Nice video. I usually do dips with a dumbbell held up with my feet. If I have no weight, I end up leaning forward and leaning over like a chest dip. If I have the weight held by my feet, I end up more vertical like he describes as a tricep dip0
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This is SUCH a good thread. Thanks for posting, OP!
An unassisted dip is still a dream for me, but I'm working on it!0 -
JeffseekingV wrote: »Nice video. I usually do dips with a dumbbell held up with my feet. If I have no weight, I end up leaning forward and leaning over like a chest dip. If I have the weight held by my feet, I end up more vertical like he describes as a tricep dip
I didnt know there was two forms for the dip when I was working on them. I did assisted dips on the machine and that was fine because it was one where you put your knees on the pad and it moves straight up and down with your legs under you. When I started doing them unassisted I kept my knees bent behind me, which caused the forward lean. When I started adding weight I put the dumbbell between my knees which continued the lean. Luckily I didnt have any problems. Lots of guys do them that way without problems so maybe its not a huge issue. Not sure this video is the definitive answer on it put I found it interesting.0 -
I see what you mean. His video is telling is if you want to work chest, chest dips aren't the best way. but I didn't see where the chest dips was more/less effective at working the triceps. I'd only guess that since a chest dip recuits more chest, it's assisting the triceps muscles more and putting less stress on the triceps?0
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Letting elbows flare out seems to be more "comfortable" and "natural" for me, but lifting shouldn't be comfortable. That's why I think I'm going to always tuck elbows in from now on: feels more challenging and prevents injury.
I always tuck.
*cue scene from silence of the lambs AND jay and silent bob*0 -
I don't think either is wrong. elbows in should focus more on your triceps then your chest and vice versa. unless you have some sort of orthopedic problem, I don't think you need to avoid one or the other. would also say the same about range of motion: go as far as you can if you don't have a physical limitation, unless for some athletic reason you want to focus on a certain portion of the lift.
personally it pisses me off when I see a little baby bend in the elbows and people call that a dip lol.
would recommend switching it up. typically i'll start with elbows in and they flare out as I struggle at the end because I'm a rep *kitten* when it comes to dips lol
try dips on rings0 -
Letting elbows flare out seems to be more "comfortable" and "natural" for me, but lifting shouldn't be comfortable. That's why I think I'm going to always tuck elbows in from now on: feels more challenging and prevents injury.
I always tuck.
*cue scene from silence of the lambs AND jay and silent bob*
I'd try to find a gif, but I might be flagged as abuse/obscenity
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levitateme wrote: »Letting elbows flare out seems to be more "comfortable" and "natural" for me, but lifting shouldn't be comfortable. That's why I think I'm going to always tuck elbows in from now on: feels more challenging and prevents injury.
I always tuck.
*cue scene from silence of the lambs AND jay and silent bob*
I'd try to find a gif, but I might be flagged as abuse/obscenity
and THAT'S why I didn't post it.0 -
the further i go down, the more pressure i feel being transferred to my shoulders0
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keep those elbows in.0
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yeah, i'm going to start only counting the reps where my arms are brushing against the side of my body0
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well, you don't have to tuck that hard, just keep those elbows in, and if you are hitting depth that hurts, cut the rep before you get that deep.
could be a myriad of issues, with the work you're putting in, you don't want to injure yourself and slow up your efforts.0 -
That is a poor view of exercise and lifting that could get you injured.Letting elbows flare out seems to be more "comfortable" and "natural" for me, but lifting shouldn't be comfortable. That's why I think I'm going to always tuck elbows in from now on: feels more challenging and prevents injury.
Natural & comfortable when referencing form is ok, you don't want to force yourself into a position not meant for your body mechanics.
Now pushing beyond comfort when you are tired or doing a difficult exercise is more when that is relevant.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wou-hbOIQBI
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