Dips or benches?

[Jay]

I'm trying to do a really high volume workout lately (like minimum of 30 sets per exercise) and I really don't have time for dips, benches and military presses. So I just want to do two (supersetted but with rest time inbetween) and haven't been able to definitively decide which two to do.

 

If you had to choose one or the other, which would you choose?

 

Pro dips

1. You can move more weight with dips.

2. You can hit your tris much harder.

3. You get a really nice defined cut between your chest and mid torso.

4. Maybe it's more of a functional exercise then laying on your back and pretending a bus fell on you...?

5. Also expecially with 30 sets, it's a pain getting on and off the bench over and over again.

6. I lift alone and dips are not as potentially dangerous as benches.

 

Pro benches

1. It's more a exercise to brag about if you can do a lot.

2. I've got bands now so I can hit my tris pretty hard with benches anyway.

3. Can hit shoulders a bit more with benches than dips, but personally I'm already doing military presses though, so that isn't a concern.

4. Maybe I could defend myself in a fight (not that I get into fights) a little better with the muscle from benches.....?

 

Cons

Both can hurt shouldres. Benches have been bothering my left shoulder just a little lately. Dips haven't bothered my shoulders lately but have in the past.

 

It seems like dips are the way to go but I just got these bands that I really want to use with the bench. Really love the way the bench feels with the bands.

[Bigbwii]

Dips

[Jay]

Maybe there's a lot of crossover anyway? I mean if I get really strong at dips and military press maybe I'll improve a lot at bench without even doing it.

 

But I really want to mess around with the new bands I got.

[Bigbwii]

That's what happened to my buddy! he started doing dips and his bench went up!

[Daywalker]

Dips.

 

For all the reasons you alerady listed, plus they combine better with military press.

[wannalift]

i used to love dips, but after i hurt my shoulder i just couldn't do them. looking forward to doing them again someday. as far as the bands, there is no reason why you couldn't use them for dips. anchor it to the floor or machine and loop it around your neck and i'm sure you could get a great top heavy dip going.

[willpeavy]

Dips, because you don't have to bother with a spotter or worry about getting crushed if you fail on a rep

[Gorilla]

I'm trying to do a really high volume workout lately (like minimum of 30 sets per exercise) and I really don't have time for dips, benches and military presses. So I just want to do two (supersetted but with rest time inbetween) and haven't been able to definitively decide which two to do.

 

If you had to choose one or the other, which would you choose?

 

Pro dips

1. You can move more weight with dips.

2. You can hit your tris much harder.

3. You get a really nice defined cut between your chest and mid torso.

4. Maybe it's more of a functional exercise then laying on your back and pretending a bus fell on you...?

5. Also expecially with 30 sets, it's a pain getting on and off the bench over and over again.

6. I lift alone and dips are not as potentially dangerous as benches.

 

Pro benches

1. It's more a exercise to brag about if you can do a lot.

2. I've got bands now so I can hit my tris pretty hard with benches anyway.

3. Can hit shoulders a bit more with benches than dips, but personally I'm already doing military presses though, so that isn't a concern.

4. Maybe I could defend myself in a fight (not that I get into fights) a little better with the muscle from benches.....?

 

Cons

Both can hurt shouldres. Benches have been bothering my left shoulder just a little lately. Dips haven't bothered my shoulders lately but have in the past.

 

It seems like dips are the way to go but I just got these bands that I really want to use with the bench. Really love the way the bench feels with the bands.

 

Dips supersetted with military presses will bring you a lot of gains. Word.

[Kathryn]

Dips are certainly more functional, which is a big plus, unless your goal is to do your heaviest bench press.

 

What about push-ups? Less potential stress on the shoulders, and very functional. They work the chest, anterior deltoid and triceps, as well as the core, including back and hips somewhat. And you can vary intensity by doing declines, or "pyramid" push-ups (hands so fingers and thumbs touch), or 1-armed push-ups (with feet spread wide), or 1-legged push-ups, or staggered-hand push-ups (one in regular push-up position, on close to body by mid-chest).

[Jay]

Regular pushups are too light. One arm pushups are really hard on the shoulders especially for the high volume I want to do. Also with one armers it's really hard to gauge progress as if you do them slightly different from day to day it really changes the difficulty.

 

I think I will do dips. Maybe just a couple of band bench presses at the end.

 

I don't see doing dips or military presses with bands because I usually fail at lockout already on these two exercises (more so with doing really high volume) so if I add bands I'd have to really reduce the weight for the rest of the movement which I don't want to do.

[kylie]

wow, 30 sets per exercise...that's a lot. that's like cardio for you, huh? I would switch them up, like do dips one day and bench the next time. I think weighted dips are more effective for the lats, tris and shoulders and bench is more effective for the pecs...so it really depends on what parts you want to work. good luck

[Jay]

wow, 30 sets per exercise...that's a lot. that's like cardio for you, huh?

Nope. For strength. Been lifting 15 years and just trying something different.

 

I would switch them up, like do dips one day and bench the next time. I think weighted dips are more effective for the lats, tris and shoulders and bench is more effective for the pecs...so it really depends on what parts you want to work. good luck

Thanks.

[Aaron]

3. You get a really nice defined cut between your chest and mid torso.

 

I just did dips today for the first time in ages. I'll have to watch for this as I keep doing them.

 

I could use a little more cut there.

[Over40]

Dips are cool. Mike Mentzer refered to them as the upper body squat. They work everything from the belly button up. Add weight, don't add weight. I have an ex-brother in-law who was in the USMC. All he did were curls and dips and he had one of the most impressive upper bodies you'll see on anyone. At least he did, I haven't seen him in 12 years.

 

Jon

[Over40]

Dips are certainly more functional, which is a big plus, unless your goal is to do your heaviest bench press.

 

What about push-ups? Less potential stress on the shoulders, and very functional. They work the chest, anterior deltoid and triceps, as well as the core, including back and hips somewhat. And you can vary intensity by doing declines, or "pyramid" push-ups (hands so fingers and thumbs touch), or 1-armed push-ups (with feet spread wide), or 1-legged push-ups, or staggered-hand push-ups (one in regular push-up position, on close to body by mid-chest).

 

Kathryn,

 

I like push ups, yea, they can be "light" but they are functional (which you've already typed I see) and can be done anywhere (Unless you're Cool Hand Luke in that little tin box.). My wife and I cruised a couple of years back (which I might have posted already). I'd go up in the morning and walk the track, and then go back to the cabin and do push ups. Some of the best "pumps" I've ever had were from push ups. Although Arthur Jones said, "The pump means nothing!" (Paraphrase...).

 

I used to be able to stand on my head and do handstand push ups. Worked my way up to 25. Then I got old.

 

Jon