I remember reading the bodybuilding rags as a kid and they always said Dips are the Squat of the Upper Body, and I don’t disagree. In fact, I actually agree pretty strongly. But what if you can’t do even one? Are you doomed to be puny and weak?
Nope.
Let’s begin with a few things about dips.
First, we hear all the time (or at least we used to) that dips are bad for your shoulders. That statement has as much credibility as squats are bad for your knees. Any exercise that you do incorrectly, too heavy or with bad form will probably injure you.
It’s not the tool. It’s the carpenter dummy.
I’ll add that some bodyweight exercises like dips and pullups may not be the smartest choices for raw beginners either. But that goes back to it’s not the tool, it’s the carpenter. Use the right tool for the right job. So, no dips are not bad for your shoulders unless you do them wrong, too heavy or are too weak to even hold your body propped up in the start position.
Which leads to my next point about Dips: The Squat of the Upper Body
I’m not being sexist here so don’t get all riled up. Every fully grown man should be able to do pushups, pullups and dips. Mastering your bodyweight is a basic skill that you may need to live. And it’s a measure of strength. So, if you can’t do pushups, pullups and dips, skip the super conjugate bands and chains and specialty bar and get strong(er) with basic exercises.
Going further with Dips: The Squat of the Upper Body, they are because they can be programmed just like any other exercise for any result and they are scalable and loadable.
AND!
They are a big, compound exercise that use a lot of muscle mass. That makes them perfect for adding mass and strength.
I’m not going to go into all the different ways that you can do dips, but I will give you a way to do them if you aren’t strong enough to do one.
Dips: The Squat of the Upper Body
What if you can’t do even one?
Are you tired of using bands to do dips? I know I am.
Setting up the bands for dips is a pain in the ass and they get in the way of the movement for many.
So what’s the solution Murph?
Use a Slingshot.
Slingshots are perfect for dips.
Pro Tip: you can use them for pushups too.
And, Slingshots come in various resistance levels, just like bands, so you can start with a heavier one and progress to lighter ones as you get strong(er).
Another great thing about using a Slingshot for dips is that you can use them as a warm up if your shoulders and elbows are a little old and cranky like mine OR you can use them on hypertrophy days to get extra reps.
So, if you can’t do even one dip, start using a slingshot.
Watch the video below to see how.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
March 24, 2022
