UW_Husky88
Rookie
The title says it all
Why is doing dips perhaps better than doing push ups?
- Thread starter UW_Husky88
- Start date
Rickson
G.O.A.T.
You want a better looking chest, don't you? Dips are more difficult to do than pushups and they give you more overall upper body development than pushups. If you have trouble doing dips then you can do some pushups until you get strong enough to do dips, but keep that in mind. Yes, there are those who can do pushups and not dips, but there are no people who can do dips, but not pushups.
Taking the actual weight lifted out of the equation (which, of course, dips wins by default), the actual angle is better at developing triceps and the stretch component (which itself better predicts how much that exercise can stimulate real growth) upon both lower and upper pecs is better. Finally, because the body moves with less restriction through space, your grip has to be firmer for the dip. That in turn increases the neural drive -- again all other variables being equal -- which translates to more active motor unit pooling and thus real-world strength gains.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
What are you guys referring to when you say "dips?" The "dips" I am thinking of are not very hard, so you must be referring to something else.
chess9
Hall of Fame
Are those the guys you are dating CinSin?
Look for the hard ones next time. LOL!!Here's an animation of an assisted dip on a machine. Better to use a free standing bar, but many people use the machine and get a pretty good result. http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/ASTriDip.html
-Robert
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Ah, OK. The "dips" I was thinking about use no equipment. You sit on your butt on the ground with your legs in front of you. Then you put your hands on the ground kind of under your shoulders and raise your butt/body off the ground. Lower and raise until muscle failure.
Yeah, the dips in the video are wicked hard, for sure. Thanks, Chess!
Yeah, the dips in the video are wicked hard, for sure. Thanks, Chess!
CGMemphis
Rookie
Any weightlifting/body exercise where you must stabilize the weights, i.e. free weights is going to give you a better workout versus something on a machine or a pushup. Pushups are great though, but dips are better, not only are you working more muscle groups, you have to balance your body and stabilize it. Machines such a deadlift/squat and the circuit machines at a club take that away from you. They have their purpose but good old freeweights and dips are far more advantageous. You can bench 250 on a machine but only 200 with freeweights? Thats because your body is balancing and working more muscles, dips are killer too!
Geezer Guy
Hall of Fame
Is there a good way to do dips at home, or do you need to go to a gym?
Would two chairs back to back be sturdy enough and provide enough "dipping" space?
I spose I could experiment at home tonight, but I'm at work now. (and all the chairs are on wheels)
Would two chairs back to back be sturdy enough and provide enough "dipping" space?
I spose I could experiment at home tonight, but I'm at work now. (and all the chairs are on wheels)
Moves
New User
Rickson,
So do dips target the entire chest about equally? How does it differ between a perfectly centered push-up?
Thanks,
Moves
Rickson
G.O.A.T.
Dips will target your lower chest more than pushups, but you'll get better overall chest development from higher intensity because you'd obviously be pressing a greater weight.
Moves
New User
chess9
Hall of Fame
If you use chairs, have someone heavy sitting in each one and wear padded bike gloves or lifting gloves to protect your hands. Bend your knees and cross your ankles. Should work.
-Robert
superman1
Legend
Chairs would tip over, try two couches instead. Your legs will touch the ground but try to lift them up as much as you can. This is actually what I used to do when I was younger and had never heard of dips.
Rickson
G.O.A.T.
I used to do dips with 2 chairs and it worked out just fine. I got an even better workout when I cut a hockey stick in half, put the 2 halves across 4 chairs (the chairs had grooves), and put black electric tape on the sticks. You could be quite inventive when you don't have a gym membership like I didn't at 19 years old. Anyway, there's a lot of stuff you can buy now on the net so check out this little gizmo which I posted on another thread. It's only 60 bucks and unless you're Patrick Ewing's height, you should be able to do dips on this thing.
the ultimate body press
If someone would like to follow a good pushups program, it can be found here: 100 pushups for breakfast.
This program can help you achieve 100 pushups at once, regardless how "strong" you are at the moment.
This program can help you achieve 100 pushups at once, regardless how "strong" you are at the moment.
blubber
Rookie
Another reason why dips are good is that they put less pressure on the rotator cuff. I think I read somewhere that the bench press also puts alot of pressure on the rotator cuff.
I have deltoid/rotator cuff trouble so I often have a hard time doing a lot of push ups. However, I have no trouble with dips.
I have deltoid/rotator cuff trouble so I often have a hard time doing a lot of push ups. However, I have no trouble with dips.
boojay
Hall of Fame
The 'dips' I was thinking about involve chips and salsa so you're still ahead of me.
0range
Hall of Fame
Actually, if you're not strong enough to do dips you can use two benches to get the bennefit of dips; both hands on one bench and feet up on the other. It's what I do and my arms feel like jellies afterwards.
Dips develope lower chest more.
dips way harder then push ups. i could do 23 dips at over 13 stone in weight. not that amazing but if you do a proper dip ie all the way down and back up its amazing how tough it is. i remember years ago brian jacks did over a 100 dips but using a kind of cheating technique which initself is difficult, but if you can do it well saves energy. strong guy nonethless.
Rickson
G.O.A.T.
Hose it goin, eh? Dips are all abote the power.
0range
Hall of Fame
Yep that's the standard version. The one involving two benches is the modified, easier version. Both works in the similar way.
