Good Reasons to eliminate dips from your chest workout

 

Dips are a very effective exercise for building the lower chest and the triceps. Frankly, there’s no denying it. It is for this reason that so many people are absolutely shocked when I tell them they should never do dips when they exercise.

These people usually ask me the question “Why not?” 

They should begin by asking the question “Why?” 

Why is it that so many people are determined to include dips as a regular part of their chest workouts? If the answer has to do with dips being the best exercise for building the lower chest, I would tell the person that they’re wrong, and I would also provide them with the same response if they told me dips are the best exercise for building the triceps.

So, with that out of the way, now I can address why people shouldn’t include dips in their workouts. There are three simple answers to this question, and once you’re aware of them, hopefully, you will do the wise thing and remove dips from your training routines completely. 

Dips are very dangerous for your shoulders

 

When you train, it is important that you put yourself in the safest possible environment to cause the muscles being trained to grow into their strongest, most ideal form. In terms of the way they position the shoulder joint, dips are actually an incredibly dangerous exercise. 

 

During the dip movement, the shoulders start to roll forward at the bottom of each repetition, which forces the shoulder joint out of its socket during each repetition. Certainly, the movement has strength-building benefits for the lower chest and the triceps, but in the process of generating this stress, the movement is absolutely wrecking the shoulder joint over and over again by keeping it in a very dangerous position.

 

This danger is compounded by the fact that people often perform dips after they’ve done other compound movements, and the muscle groups around the shoulder joint are already fatigued. This results in the joint being even more susceptible to injury than it would normally be by the time dips are executed during training.

 

Even under normal circumstances, when you’re doing dips, you’re performing a movement that’s very unsafe. That’s why I can’t encourage anyone to do them with a clear conscience. Even though you might get some positive results from dips, the side effects and the negative consequences simply aren’t worth it.

There is a much safer way to build your lower chest

 

Now that I have dealt with the primary reason why dips shouldn’t be done, we can tackle the question of whether or not there is a better way to achieve the same muscle-building results as dips. Without reservation, I can tell you there are far better ways to build your lower chest like by using a chest workout machine.

 

I always talk about muscles being made in an arc formation, and that includes the chest muscles. So, whatever movement you do, you want it to be a movement you can control, and a movement that works your muscles within the arc formation they were designed in. Chest workouts are commonly thought of in terms of pushing and pressing movements, but the rotational motion of the shoulder is the primary force that results in the chest contractions that truly build the pectoral muscles. 

 

When the shoulders go back and then push forward and down, it works a lot more of the lower pectorals. The most effective way to achieve this motion is with cables as opposed to dips. When you do a cable crossover, you can focus specifically on the lower pectorals. When the shoulders go back, it forces the entire pectoral region to get involved, and when you finish the rep by pushing low and down, it forces the lower pecs to do the majority of the work.

 

Remember to bring your shoulders back and then forward and down. The backward movement opens and stretches the pectorals, and then you should squeeze forward and contract downward to finish each repetition.

There are much better ways to train your triceps

 

Training the triceps is fundamentally about straightening the arm by contracting the tricep muscles and extending the forearm out or down. No matter what method is being used to train the triceps, this way to build muscle in them is to extend the forearm and straighten the arm through a contraction.

 

When you keep this in mind and then analyze the dip, you see that the tricep isn’t placed in an optimal position to contract before the arm is extended. And since the chest assumes so much of the burden involved in stabilizing the body and pressing the weight, the benefit to the tricep comes primarily from flexing the tricep muscles at the top of the movement while it is holding up the bulk of the body’s weight. 

 

The other problem with dips is that they make it impossible to mentally focus on the work being done by the triceps, because the triceps aren’t the primary driver of the movement, and you can’t really think about them until the movement is 75% complete. In practice, most people are so focused on simply manipulating their body positioning while they’re doing dips that they aren’t thinking at all about what the targeted muscles are doing.

 

If you want to train your triceps in a safe manner that allows you to give them your full attention, and in a fashion that allows you to maximize the focus on the triceps by contracting the muscles and keeping them squeezed throughout the movement, almost any form of tricep extension is more effective and efficient than dips. This includes cable tricep extensions, seated tricep extensions with the machine, tricep kickbacks, and any other tricep movement that enables the shoulder joint to remain in its socket while the triceps are being trained.

 

key takeaway

The key takeaway here is that dips are extremely bad for your shoulder joint. You may really love dips, you may have done them for a long time, and you may feel that you have extremely strong triceps because of them. You might even be able to do dips with the weight belt that hangs down and allows you to add a lot of extra weight, which is an impressive way to show off your strength to anyone who might be watching.

Source - https://ironchestmaster.com/blogs/posts/good-reasons-to-eliminate-dips-from-your-chest-workout

Top 7 Push-Ups for A Bigger Chest Muscle

Push-ups are great for the upper body and a strong core. However, if you lack the right posture then you won’t see any results and your muscles would likely be sore. Most people don’t pay close attention to abdominal muscles while doing push-ups. For perfect push-ups, you should build up muscle connection. You can include chest push up in your workout routine and you will see amazing results after a few months. If you’re a beginner then it might be difficult for you at first, however, you can try the basic ones then move onto the intermediate level and finally the advanced level. In this article, we will look at 7 Push-ups for a bigger and defined chest muscle. 

Push-Ups to Get Bigger Chest Muscles

1) The Classic Push-ups 

If you’re a beginner then classic push-ups would be perfect for you. Classic push-ups are great for building a bigger chest muscle. Don’t rush and try to do four-five sets at once. Try to concentrate on your form and overtime when you would master it then you can proceed with your sets. Focus on your abdominal muscles, your core should be tight, your hands should be underneath your shoulders, and raise your hips.

2) Wide Arm Push-ups 

Wide arms push-ups are great for the chest. It lessens the involvement of the triceps, shoulders, and moves focus to the chest. We advise you to focus on the form as opposed to the number of times you’re performing it. Lower your torso to the ground slowly if you want to avoid the risk of injury. Don’t place your hands far apart. Your neck and head should stay tight while you’re doing wide arm push-ups. Wide arm push-ups for the upper chest be can be performed on a regular basis for excellent results. 

3) Triangle (Diamond) Push-ups 

Triangle or diamond push-ups are perfect for strengthening your upper and core. Your hands should be together angled inward at 45 degrees. Make sure that your fingers and thumbs touch each other to form a triangle. The triangle should be below your chest the entire time you’re doing the push-ups. 

4) Archer Push-ups 

First, place your arms wider than the width of your shoulders. Bend your one arm towards the ground during this exercise. The other arm must have a slight bend in the elbow. 

5) Clap Push-ups 

Clap push-ups can be quite challenging for a beginner. Over time, you can try this. To avoid injury make sure that you land with soft elbows after each clap. However, this move requires a lot of core control and ensures that you’re focused on muscle connection. 

6) Feet on The Walls Push-ups 

Just find a comfortable wall and try this push-up. Place your feet on the wall, slowly move your body back while you’re facing the ground. Once you’re able to maintain a straight position, tighten your core, and then slowly lower your body towards the ground. Feet on the walls push-ups for the chest can be performed for several months for better results. 

7) Cross Body Push-ups 

For cross-body push-ups, you need to focus on the shoulders, core, and hip flexors. As you lower your body, you need to pick up one leg and cross it beneath your body. Now you need to rotate your hips towards the ground. Get back to the previous position and repeat the same thing with your other leg. Do it at least 10 ×2 reps. 

The Bottom Line

Chest Workouts are considered to be difficult. If you’re new to fitness then push-ups can prove to be quite challenging for you. So, start with the classic ones then move onto the difficult ones. Remember that it’s not important how many times you’re doing it but how perfectly you’re doing each set. That really counts. 

Source- https://gumroad.com/noopur/p/top-7-push-ups-for-a-bigger-chest-muscle

Top 6 Benefits of Incorporating Push Ups in Your Workout

 

Push ups are the last option if you don’t have any machines or dumbbells. It is one of the most convenient ways in which you can get proper muscle growth. Whether you are at home or at the gym, push-ups can be done with ease. In this blog, you will get a glance at the benefits of Push Ups. This blog will provide information on why you don’t need to buy any pushup machine or equipment and get the whole-body workout.

Benefits of Push Ups You Should be Aware of

1) Increase the Strength of Your Body

As you start to do this exercise, at some point of time or after 15-20 repetitions, you feel the burn in your muscle. One of its greatest benefits is that the push up offers the right versatility you need. Every major part of your upper body is being trained and you don’t need any Push up equipment also. Push-ups are always easier to manage, affecting the major parts such as biceps, triceps, deltoids.

2) Improvement in Your Cardiovascular System

Push Ups are called a compound exercise where multiple muscles are joined together. It improves your Cardiovascular System, which keeps your heart healthy and removes stored body fat. As you do the exercise, you are delivered with oxygen-rich blood to every muscle tissue, which enhances your heart to pump properly while keeping you healthy.

3)  Helps in Attaining a Better Posture

In our office, we often sit back for a long time on a chair, which in turn directly affects our posture. An improper posture is created by weak muscles, which can destroy our health. As you do Push Ups, your body stays in the vertical position for a few moments. Your muscles are strengthened, so is your posture. If you do it regularly, your body gets the proper posture.

4) Saving Time with Developing Body

Majority of the time, we overlook our health and don’t exercise. Push-ups on the other hand offer convenience, and enable us to develop our body with its own pace . There are many variants of this exercise for various angles.

5) No cost and specific place

Sometimes, even with dedication to exercise, we often end up with utmost dissatisfaction. We may lack a chest machine at our home but trying free hand push-ups is the best way to go without a push up machine . You can do it anywhere at a convenient time with the whole-body exercise.

6) Increment in Testosterone level

As we age, the level of hormones starts to decrease. For men, as the testosterone level
decreases, they face some issues like feeble bones, skeletal system disorders such as
Osteoporosis. To stop these issues, Push Ups can be helpful to maintain the testosterone
level in your body. According to research, Push Ups increase testosterone production, which makes your body healthy for men and women. It makes bones stronger and removes
Osteoporosis.

The Bottom Line

Gaining so many benefits from this exercise, your life will be healthy and fit without going to the gym or spending money. In fact, it is imperative to understand that free hand exercise comes with its own sets of advantages. The people who haven’t tried it yet can try their hand at it, but the people who have already got results know the benefits of this exercise. One of the age-old exercises is still popular and used by everyone.