tricep dips, am i doing them wrong?

daithi09

As part of my upper body training i'm doing four sets(six reps each) of tricep dips.. I started off with assisted tricep dips and now i'm doing the four sets unassisted. However in the last set i'm usually giving it my all, whilst i do feel my triceps working, last night i noticed my upper chest really getting a workout, am I just doing them wrong or should i be feeling it in my chest too?

deadlybuzzman

its normal enough to feel it there-it mainly depends on the handle spacing, the closer the handles are to your sides the more your triceps have to work rather than your chest, especially as you tend to be more upright and also vice versa.
Trying to stay upright by looking upwards and focusing on making your triceps do the work will help if thats your objective

Brian?

It's my understanding that the more you lean forward, the more your chest is working when doing dips.

gymsoldier

Youre shoulders and chest will be involved, especially the more you lean forward. Try to keep your body as upright as possible is my 2cents.

daithi09

thanks, yeah i was leaning forward, I remember balancing myself before i got started. now that i know I'l watch out for it and get my triceps working, not that I mind my chest doing a bit anyway..

The Davestator

briankeating wrote: »

It's my understanding that the more you lean forward, the more your chest is working when doing dips.

This!

Dips are a great chest workout as well as shoulders and triceps. I actually feel that dips dont get enough respect. nearly as good an exercise as chins etc.

Brian?

daithi09 wrote: »

thanks, yeah i was leaning forward, I remember balancing myself before i got started. now that i know I'l watch out for it and get my triceps working, not that I mind my chest doing a bit anyway..

I reckon the best thing you can do for your triceps is to get a bigger bench BTW.

gymsoldier

briankeating wrote: »

I reckon the best thing you can do for your triceps is to get a bigger bench BTW.

As in work up to a heavier bench press?

Gator

Yeah, dont lean forward too much, ended up doing my rotator cuff because of that

Brian010

Tricep dips work your chest as well. Your pecs, deltoids and lats act as synergists to help assist the movement and cancel out swaying. Try keep your head up and your body as upright as possible. If you lean forward then the motion is more like a push up. That's why you are feeling it more in the chest.

SanoVitae

Be careful with dips. While they are rightly referred to as the upper body squat, it's easy to hurt yourself badly, esecially if you lean into the movement at the bottom.

Here's what Dan John has to say about them:

http://www.davedraper.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/18802/

Brian?

gymsoldier wrote: »

As in work up to a heavier bench press?

Yup.

discus

SanoVitae wrote: »

Be careful with dips. While they are rightly referred to as the upper body squat, it's easy to hurt yourself badly, esecially if you lean into the movement at the bottom.

Here's what Dan John has to say about them:

http://www.davedraper.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/18802/

I get the most awful pain in my clavicles when I'm doing dips, I can't figure out where I'm going wrong!

gymsoldier

briankeating wrote: »

Yup.

Id feel you'd need to work the triceps independently in order to increase weight on the bench press, and not use the bench as the primary movement to increase triceps strength. Or have I completely misunderstood your post?

EDIT: Why is there an angry face above my post? I didn't put it there just in case you think so lol

gymsoldier

The Davestator wrote: »

Dips are a great chest workout

Sure the natural movement of the chest is horizontal adduction, which is pretty much what your imitating when you lean forward. So I agree

SanoVitae

discus wrote: »

I get the most awful pain in my clavicles when I'm doing dips, I can't figure out where I'm going wrong!

This is exactly why Dan John doesn't recommend them. He says his athletes were tearing their pics in the bottom of the movement.

Brian?

gymsoldier wrote: »

Id feel you'd need to work the triceps independently in order to increase weight on the bench press, and not use the bench as the primary movement to increase triceps strength. Or have I completely misunderstood your post?

EDIT: Why is there an angry face above my post? I didn't put it there just in case you think so lol

Nothing wrong with working the triceps independently if it leads to a bigger bench. My point was that if you neglect your bench in favour of throwing a load of isolation work at the triceps it's a mistake.

gymsoldier

briankeating wrote: »

My point was that if you neglect your bench in favour of throwing a load of isolation work at the triceps it's a mistake.

Completely agree.

columok

SanoVitae wrote: »

This is exactly why Dan John doesn't recommend them. He says his athletes were tearing their pics in the bottom of the movement.

His athletes are high school kids. He makes it clear that he recommends and does them with everyone bar high school kids due to reasons listed in the previous article.