Ok, I see from the link to the Bill Hartman thread in the upright row thread that bench dips have a very poor risk-benefit ratio. I have always substituted bench dips for standard dips, as I can only do a few of the latter at full bodyweight, and do not have an assist machine. I am fairly careful about not going too low on the bench dips, and I do them with my feet on a ball and a plate on my belly.
If one was to look for a different exercise, are pushups with the hands placed closer together a good substitute, or does this have the same risk benefit ratio as the bench dip? I could do close grip bench presses, I guess, but I always figured the bench dips were hitting a bunch of muscles the bench press did not get, especially with the feet on the ball.
db bench press on a decline bench is the closest you'll come to sub for dips.
The risk is in the extremely compromised shoulder positioning with your arms on a bench behind you. Put your feet on a ball, so you're even less stable? Not good.
Ok, Ill switch them out for the pushups or the db incline bench presses.
Call me anal, but I'd recommend sticking with the diamond pushups instead of the decline pressing. If you are at a stage where you cannot do good sets of bodyweight dips (whether it's lack of strength, stabilization or some sort of pain), then you need to work on an exercise with free scapular movement, and one which requires stablization of your entire body.
Overload can be achieved with bands or chains, or even have a friend hold a plate on your back if you have to (try for the other two first, it's safer!)
With the decline press, it's just too damn easy to let your arms do all the work, to lose good form and let your "core" just lay there. The pushups kind of force you into doing the right things.
Oh yeah Diamond Push Ups. I never thought of these. I should put them in my workout too; however, its an upper body horizontal push, while a dip is an upper body vertical push or is a dip actually considered an upper body horizontal push depending if you are bent over doing a dip for the chest or not?
Oh yeah Diamond Push Ups. I never thought of these. I should put them in my workout too; however, its an upper body horizontal push, while a dip is an upper body vertical push or is a dip actually considered an upper body horizontal push depending if you are bent over doing a dip for the chest or not?
Call me anal, but I'd recommend sticking with the diamond pushups instead of the decline pressing. If you are at a stage where you cannot do good sets of bodyweight dips (whether it's lack of strength, stabilization or some sort of pain), then you need to work on an exercise with free scapular movement, and one which requires stabilization of your entire body.
Overload can be achieved with bands or chains, or even have a friend hold a plate on your back if you have to (try for the other two first, it's safer!)
With the decline press, it's just too damn easy to let your arms do all the work, to lose good form and let your "core" just lay there. The pushups kind of force you into doing the right things.
Yeah, I find the pushups to be a whole body exercise. That was one reason I liked he bench dips, with the feet on a ball and a couple 25 lb. plates on the belly, I felt like a lot of muscles were involved just keeping it stable. I probably don't need any added resistance for the diamonds, except for shorter sets, especially if I elevate my feet. ( I pull a lot better than I push, but that is another question for another thread). I do have a three year old who likes to climb on my back when I do regular pushups.
Call me anal, but I'd recommend sticking with the diamond pushups instead of the decline pressing. If you are at a stage where you cannot do good sets of bodyweight dips (whether it's lack of strength, stabilization or some sort of pain), then you need to work on an exercise with free scapular movement, and one which requires stablization of your entire body.
Overload can be achieved with bands or chains, or even have a friend hold a plate on your back if you have to (try for the other two first, it's safer!)
With the decline press, it's just too damn easy to let your arms do all the work, to lose good form and let your "core" just lay there. The pushups kind of force you into doing the right things.
Bench Dips out?
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