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Weighted Dips V Benchpress


patrickmeniru

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So I was wondering what people's thoughts are on weighted dips for shoulder, tricep and chest development (particularly strength rather than aesthetics) compared to benchpress. I've had a few shoulder injuries and last time I did bench it aggravated my left shoulder.

I pretty much decided that I'd rather not ever do bench, and instead concentrate on weighted dips, and potentially some dumbbells press to supplement it. Will I be losing out on potential gains or causing any imbalances by avoiding the barbell press? And does anyone have any tips when it comes to shoulder health and the benchpress (I'd quite like to do it if I can, if only so that I can have another lift to progress with).

At any rate, to give people an idea of where I'm at, I've hit 130kg for a single bench and bodyweight plus 75kg (170kg total) for a double weighted dip (shoulders below elbows at bottom of ROM). Would be interested too to hear if other people have similarly skewed numbers - I suspect that my shoulders are a limiting factor in my flat bench, but less so with the dips.

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Have you tried changing you grip width on bench? Sometimes bringing the hands in closer can take some stress off the shoulders.

You could also try out a sling shot

Edited by Tom Scibelli
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Unfortunately for me, BOTH flat bench and weighted dips aggravate my shoulder lol. But that being said, there was a time when I could hit the dips very hard and I feel that was when I was at my most strongest (and biggest).

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Weighted dips hit my shoulder more than anything. In my experience DB Press puts less stress on my shoulder than both dips and BB Bench.

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Having just started lifting again I had the exact same problem. After watching a bunch of how to bench videos and talking with a physical therapist I realized I was doing it completely wrong. It's all about grip width and where you are positioning your elbows. Lowering the weight, pretend you are squeezing grapefruits between your elbows and lats. That simple change made it pain free for me.

Talk to someone you knows their shit.

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This time last year I used to bench on the smith machine, safe to say the locked in movement it keeps you in buggered up my left shoulder. Ive been using a slingshot for a few months now and it has really improved my form and rehabbed my shoulders. I don't flare my elbows anymore, I keep in tight, powerlifting style. Hit a single of 150kg with the slingshot and 145kg without it after a few months of rehab!!

Give the slingshot a try or something similar, and you Anthony! :D

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Throw in some Clubbell work to warm-up the shoulder girdle too. Doing some light benching with plates or kettlebell's suspended by bands to create instability will help you build your shoulders back as well.

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I am by no means a bench expert but dips hurt my pecs and shoulders way more than bench pressing. Every time I tweak my torn pec it is doing dips...never benching.

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Dips hit one head in the tris. If you feel it In Your chest you're leaning to much forward. You will not build up chest doing this exercise. If your shoulders hurt tweak your grip, lighten the weight, use DB, or a shirt/slingshot.

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Wow, thanks for all the replies so far guys. A lot of what's being said makes sense - although I don't think my grip was much wider than shoulder width, next time I'll make sure I'm gripping the bar at shoulder width and try to get proper lat/trap activation to stabilise the shoulders better. I'll also keep the weight down until I've gained a bit more experience and do some work specifically for the shoulders. Unlike most I've never really done much bench-pressing because I have more of a bodyweight exercise background.

Edited by PatrickMeniru
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In my opinion it has some to do with the width but more to do with what your upper arm is doing with the eccentric (lowering phase) as Chops stated; you want your elbows to come in closer to your core versus flaring out to the side which will activate more triceps and reduce the stresses on your shoulders. You should also descend to roughly the nipple line (or just below). Dumbbells will allow you to move into a ROM that is pain-free for your shoulders while the barbell does not allow for that as easily. If you have access to a PT which could do a quick consult or a trainer that is familiar with the FMS they could do a quick screen to see if there a mobility issue which may be causing your pain that would be best.

Edited by Lucasraymond
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From my understanding, I am aware of two "methods" of benching. One method, the most common, is a shoulder bench. Throughout the whole ROM, your arms are perpendicular to your body. This hits your delts and chest. If you want to isolate your chest, you must bring your elbows in to point where your arms make a 45 degree angle with your body as you bring the bar down. Looking at the ROM from the side, the bar will not go straight up and down but slightly diagonal. As far as hand location on the bar goes, I felt that shoulder width works great. If not, an inch or two away from your delts.

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I'm with Rick on this one. Nothing has ever given me shoulder pain like dips. Way overrated movement IMO. I think close grip bench is better than dips at everything and I get ZERO pain from them.

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Many lifters are laughably tight in the internal rotators of their shoulders. It's even worse if they sit at a desk all day, and they've also lost mobility in their thoracic spine and upper back. They walk around looking like Neanderthals.

IMO, a lot of benching related shoulder pain is due to adding load on top of these two issues.

I've chosen to limit my pressing to incline dumbbells or overhead work only. I'm prone to both of the problems above, but I can do those lifts without pain. My strength isn't any better or worse since making the change, but my shoulders feel much better.

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I did heavy benches for over 20 years. I've also done dips throughout the years. I can do both without pain.

My thoughts are: Dips are better for my goals. I also "feel" stronger when using Dips vs bench.

It's been almost a year since I stopped benching, and I "feel" a lot stronger since I took bench out, and put dips in.

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Most people take too wide a grip on bench and even more people flare their elbows, especially when struggling for a max.

I used to take too wide a grip with index outside the rings even. But now I usually have my ring finger on the rings and concentrate on keeping elbows close. My pressing is much more stable then years past. I also have no issues with dips either though.

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Dips are awesome Vince gironda apparently got rid of all bench pressing for his clients including himself in favour of dips to sculpt his chest that covers mass and if you look at Dave Tate he is a huge advocate of weighted dips which covers power. I love the pump I get in chest from leaning forward on v bar dips. If you ever see someone flexing chest or tensing on stage they use a downward squeezing pose which is basically same motion as dips.

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Personally i get way more shoulder issues benching with a BARBELL, dumbells never gave me any issues, dips have always been my preferred pushing movement and ive gone heavy with no problems at all. Everything depends on the individuals leverages, history and not to mention size. I sure as hell cant dip with an extra 150, so i cant blame a big fella for havin some issues with the movement.

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Dips may give you a imbalance though. I primarily did tricep dips(unkowingly) when I was between 21-23 when I was semi-serious. I had to stop working out due to sleep issues for about 4 years and started lifting about 1.25 years ago.

Anywho, my chest got way imbalanced. My triceps and shoulders were more normal, but my chest was small. So, doing them tricep style will not do anything for your chest. When I started working out again, I had to get my chest up. I did dumbell benches and lots of sets of flys, and my chest is back in unison with the rest of my body. I cant go heavy on the weighted dips anymore. I can, but I broke my collarbone when I was in 8th grade. This was never a problem when I was younger. I was about 180, doing dips with up to my max of 80lbs for like 5-6 reps. So that would be about 260lbs total stress on my collarbone. I wasnt eating right, smoking a lot, and probly not getting nearly enough calcium or sleep when I stopped. Now I got to do dips with 50-70 lbs and I can do it, but have to stop at like 5-6 reps because I feel like my collarbone is gonna snap but feel that I could make it to 12 or whatever. This was when I was 180-190 that I noticed it. I'm 205, did do some dips with 20 lbs yesterday just fine, but think that 250 and I'll start feeling it in my collarbone. I've been drinking about 1 gallon of milk a day though.

So, suppliment with flys if you decide to primarily do dips for chest/tricep. I also really do avoid barbell bench press because of rotator cuff, and shoulder related injury and always have steered clear of benching. But, as far as strength I know that people that bench will be stronger, and have likely bigger chests. I got mine up pretty good. ANother thing is how big your arms are going into these movements. For example, my triceps were pretty good before I did weighted dips or any form of bench pressing. I always was doing the work with my triceps. So I have always been imbalanced. I worked my was up to and can still do the max of 225 on bench dips(5 45's stacked). Now, I feel it in my collarbone @ 225 on bench dips as well, which kinda sucks.

I do like dumbell bench because of the freedom, less risk of shoulder injury, and because I primarily train for mass in chest vs strength, but........................I'm gonna workon a additive tool that I can use as a dumbell spotter that when I go to gyms I can rig up to the barbell at a bench press station. This way I can do heavy negs, and otherwise dumbell bench weight that is hard to get up and get in position on your own. My current 5 rep max weight is 75, 80 for 1 or 2. I do a modified fly(straighten at top only) with 60, 65 for reps which is pretty close to my db bench leading my realize that since I havent been doing dips, maybe the triceps are falling behind?

But, if I were you with goals similar to peeps on this forum, I'd keep learning about bench pressing, yuor form and shoulder issues. There are some good tips here and other places on the web.

I was talking to a younger guy at the gym becnh pressing last week though. His left side was way down compared to the right, and I asked if he wanted me to put a finger on it or something. He just had shoulder surgery 1 month beforehand. He should possibly be avoiding benching for a little bit.

Hey man just wonderin, you cool? You got lotsa questions as well as answers. You seem like a cool cat but you go fast after introduction. Just askin.

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Weighted Dips are a healthier exercise then benching but benching involves a lot more musculature. Its really dependent on your goals

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It all depends on what you want out of the exercise. Dips primarily work lower pecks but if you do them with feet in front of you and narrow grip it will work more triceps. If you work them with feet behind and wider grip it will work more lower and outer chest. As far as carryover for bench strength I never really saw much since I worked up to easy sets of 5 with body weight plus 200 pounds and didn't increase my bench but still a great exercise, they say equal to the squat of the upper body.

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