What am I doing wrong with my dips?

[jukka]

Hi all:
I think parallel bar dips are rather a good exercise
(feel free to utilize the fruits of my profound training knowledge...)
but I've never really been able to do them properly to see how much
they might benefit me, because:
I always seem to target my anterior (front) delts in a wrong way,
it feels like I'm pulling my shoulders off their sockets when I dip.
Dips also hit my triceps really hard, obviously,
but the searing, tearing sensation in my front delts + the fact
that I don't seem to be able to target my chest and/or side delts at all
is what keeps me from doing them.

When I dip, I pull my shoulder blades together, as with your regular
bench press an keep them together throughout the set, and I try to lean forward from the waist (maybe I don't lean far enough?).

I try to descend as far down as possible, but maybe that's wrong, should I only be going so low that my elbows reach approx. 90 degree angle?

Has anyone else any dipping issues?

[rangers97]

nope no issues for me, and they are one of my fav exercises...I would say you are going down too far if your shoulders hurt...i mean i never feel it in my shoulders, only my tris and chest....lean forward if you want some emphasis on the chest, stand more straight if you want tris, but DEFINITELY DO NOT go too far down, that is gotta be what is killing your shoulders. 90 degrees sounds about right, but do it by feel, that is the best way to do it, go down far enough to where there is no pain, and stop there. I do bodyweight +90 now, so I think I am doing something right on them

[Khaine]

Originally Posted by rangers97

DEFINITELY DO NOT go too far down, that is gotta be what is killing your shoulders. 90 degrees sounds about right,

Pretty much.... At some point beyond those 90 degrees it seems like the weight moves to your shoulders, putting too much stress on the joints.....

[Axion]

I defintly can't go lower then 90 degrees without pain.

[jukka]

okay, thanks for the tips!
I guess I was worried that if I don't go as far down as possible,
I make like those dudes who squat only to 5 inches above parallel...so I went overboard.
I'm so interested in dipping 'cos no other exercise makes my triceps
feel like someone attached a hose on them and is trying to make them
explode by pumping so much blood in them.
Even when I try and target the chest, the triceps are the first to go.

body weight + 90, Hesus, dude, that's incredible!!