Weighted dips

John said:

While performing weighted dips, I feel a tightness and pulling in my sternum
as I reach the bottom. I am doing it the old fashioned way between two
benches. Am I looking for an injury doing this, or is it due to a lack of
ROM?

I haven't really been doing weighted dips lately, but in the past I
have noted that when going really heavy they'd hit the bottom portion
of my pecs really hard, and they'd be sore later. I dunno, maybe it's
a flexibility thing, but there was a definite localized effect.
There's other muscles that get involved, though, so maybe serratus?

Nothing ever felt like it was going to injury there, though. Seems
like it was more stress on the shoulders than anything.

-----------
Proton Soup

"Thanks for noticing that I didn't actually say anything." - Mike Lane

John said:

While performing weighted dips, I feel a tightness and pulling in my sternum
as I reach the bottom.

How far are you going down John?

Remember, you are using a lot of weight (your bodyweight for each rep)
and if you deviate from proper form, like leaning forward and going
too low, it is quite possible to cause problems mid-chest through
over-stretching.

Quoted message said:

I am doing it the old fashioned way between two
benches. Am I looking for an injury doing this, or is it due to a lack of
ROM?

I prefer to do dips using bars, but if you use proper form you should
have no problems using benches.

John said:

While performing weighted dips, I feel a tightness and pulling in my sternum
as I reach the bottom. I am doing it the old fashioned way between two
benches. Am I looking for an injury doing this, or is it due to a lack of
ROM?

If I'm picturing this right (you with your feet up on one bench, hands
on the other behind you) you're stretching the shoulders (and chest)
much more than on a regular dip, and it sounds like you're staring to
feel the pulling. It's not a loack of range of motion, because at the
shoulder there's a greater range of motion with this variant. Did you
mean lack of flexibility? If so, it could be, but if it were me I'd
trade up and avoid the injury potential.

Cheers,

Ari

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spodosaurus said:

John said:

While performing weighted dips, I feel a tightness and pulling in my
sternum
as I reach the bottom. I am doing it the old fashioned way between two
benches. Am I looking for an injury doing this, or is it due to a lack of
ROM?

If I'm picturing this right (you with your feet up on one bench, hands
on the other behind you) you're stretching the shoulders (and chest)
much more than on a regular dip, and it sounds like you're staring to
feel the pulling. It's not a loack of range of motion, because at the
shoulder there's a greater range of motion with this variant. Did you
mean lack of flexibility? If so, it could be, but if it were me I'd
trade up and avoid the injury potential.

Cheers,

Ari

I would not recomend Bench dips, and definatly not recomend using extra
weight for bench dips. Bench dips cause you to have to push with your
shoulders in some wierd alignment (too far back) . I don't know much
about anatomy, but If it dosn't feel like a natural position I don't
think you should add weight and try to push hard in that position.

Dips on parallel bars feel more natural, everything seems to line up
better. Do regular dips.

--Falooley