When I dip , I focus on keeping my elbows tucked in close to my body to protect my shoulders as move through a slow controlled full range of motion. Flaring your elbows is not good for the rotator cuffs, especially when going deep into the movement. Tucked in elbows going deep into the movement avoids injury, trust me.
This is true for shoulders in flexion, such as for dumbbell shoulder press, but it’s not the same for shoulders in extension - otherwise the crucifix on rings would have a much higher injury rate than it has, since it’s the entire bodyweight on an extended arm with elbows directly to the side. Where did you get this impression?
Thanks man Appreciate it. I love on how you do in to detail and tells us the progression so we can build a solid foundation before performing the exercise.
There's a lot of valuable information in this video, thank you for providing it! I've been really loving these tutorials. Straight to the point approach is the way to go, imo.
Thank you for this tutorial! I have been stuck with my dip progression, I got some new info from this! And thanks for Shredded Sports Science for pointing me here :D
Zen says first of all I personally Thanks who can teach you dips on parelall bars. This is one of the most body weight exercises. Next to pull ups. So do it yourself
Should the shoulder blades be retracted throughout the whole movement? Dips are one of my strongest lifts/exercises at 3x6 @+55lbs with a bodyweight of 150lbs but I always try to keep my form as clean as possible since I don't want to injure myself and I've heard some people say shoulder blades should be retracted at all times and others say shoulder blades should be pushed down when in the top position. I have to admit this is one of the videos I was expecting the most from this series. Amazing content as usual Tom.
R.B., Yes. Internal rotation will increase chest involvement, but it can be dangerous as you are basicly closing the sub acromial space, putting the shoulders in a more volnrebable position. If you got the shoulder ROM and control, this can be great. Also, it is called Bulgarian dips.
Oh wow. Seeing you go so deep on those dips...hurt my rotator cuff just looking at it. Of course some people can get away with that but I'm definitely not one of them. I much prefer to lean forward a little and go til my upper arm is about parallel with the floor and back up. Takes a lot of stress of my shoulder joint.
I just knew it! I just knew you would not be happy with 100K. You want more. You have bigger plans you admitted to Nils Wittfoot. Fame is just not enough. Now I find you want to be valuable with great library/playlists. Next it will be taking over the world! haha Love your video as always.
60 years old, just retired, just getting back into a gym after years of too much work. In my younger days I was pretty jacked but these days I’m still fairly strong but overweight and dips worry me. Wondering if they will be tough on my shoulders. Thoughts ? Thx
When people say they cant stand half reps etc.. Everything has its place and purpose. Bodybuilding cannot be compared to this stuff, vise versa.. Toms body weight strong.. but doesnt weigh much.. None the less Great content
Hey Tom, great video - thank you. Loving this series ... very helpful. The one thing I noticed is that you do not mention breathing through the movements. Do I breath in going down or going up?
Thanks for the video. Great content. Quick questions : how much training per week do you recommand ? What about progression (how much time before moving from one to the next level of difficulty without hurting or plateauing)?
anonymous4525 training per week would be determined by the program free in the description. As I said in the video 8-12reps is enough to move onto the next
I always thought the supported hold was super ez but when I tried to teach other ppl to do dips, apparently, they would always swing violently when they try to stay on the bar.
In terms of the forward lean. I think you might have made some error. As you lean forward you increase the load on the pecs and shoulders As you lean back it gets significantly harder on the triceps (think like Russian dips and the impossible dip)
Hi Tom! I am trying the ring dips, but sometimes I have a tingling (like something touching a nerve not so good feeling) sensation. What would you recommend on how to grip the rings? Thanks for your valuable content!
Solid advice Tom!Very helpful for all,begginers and advanced alike. I have a question,regarding parallel dips. I have the Pullup Mate for my training.But the distance between parallel bars is 60 cm,which i feel is a bit too long for me. And i think that if it were shorter,i could do more reps.But it isn't adjustable. Can you tell me what is the ideal distance generally?Has this got anything to do with the length of our arms? Thanks!
Whether you're pulling up or pushing down the default setting is to have your hands below/above your shoulders. So the width should essentially be you shoulder width. There are variations of the pull up with wider and narrower grips but for the basics just do everything at shoulder width bro and don't stress about the exact centimetres.
The ideal width for p bars is the length from your elbow to end of middle finger. This is a common measurement you’ll see gymnasts do when setting pbars:)
Nice vid dude is there any way if I up load a vid you could critique my form lol been doing dips for about 6 months and recorded my self for the first time and some thing doesn't look right?
What if the front felt and upper peck is at the point of tight & popping!? So much so that I am now unable to do a pushup. I still have full mobility etc. But in the dip position which is really like a pushup I can't. It was probably caused by going to wide but now what?
Is it Ok to do chest dip with straight legs instead of bending and crossing 'em? Please help. I've always done it with straight legs, maintaining a straight line from head to toe.
Tom, as I work towards handstands - which look easy when you do them -- I am realizing my primary goal has to be being able to press my full body weight. When I try to go from headstand/tripod to handstand, I don't have the power. I'm slowing improving my dips and pike push-ups as a key strength builder... Any suggestions?
Another amazing video from Tom, nice dude. One question about your diet: Don't you start feeling kind of withered on a low carb diet? Like you have less volume, I don't know, when I try low carb or strict paleo for some time, I start feeling withered, like my muscles are not full, do you have this impression or something to tell about it? I'm really interested in your opinion on it, I love your vids about your diet and the food you've been eating. Thanks again for your good videos.
Bruno Montezano it varies from person to person. Experiment for yourself what you feel good eating. Despite being “low carb” I still consumed 250g+ a day
What about dips with feet on the ground? That's how I progressed easily to unassisted reps. Bc bands help you most in the bottom but not at top and with feet you get more balanced rep. PS. Did you count how many dips did you do in that session? :D
Dips always seem to aggravate my shoulders and feel like they cause impingement. Should I do them without going too deep or just forget about them altogether and sub in something else?
Tom Merrick hmm I can’t get my head around this one. Our handstand or overhead pushing patterns would obviously be shoulder flexion with no shoulder extension involved. Is the dip not completely opposite in that it’s predominantly shoulder extension in the same way the end range would be during tricep push ups? I know Steven Low puts it in the vertical category in overcoming gravity but I’m just struggling to see how it’s in any way similar to overhead pushing apart from the fact its uses some of the same muscles.
Hey Tom I'm temporarily going to exclude the dip from my routine during my strength/skill phase. Instead I'll do Planche Pushup Progressions and Handstand Pushups. Is this enough to maintain the strength and hypertrophy acquired through my former dipping so I can start where I left of with the dips once I include them into my routine again in a few weeks?
Quick question regarding locking out at the top of the exercise - I was told to always keep a very slight bend on your elbow? That way you don’t leave the weight on the elbow joint and your triceps are engaged throughout the whole exercise? Or is this totally wrong? 😕
If you ever want to progress it planche handstand etc then you need to learn to load the joint actively. I did mention this in the support position part. It’s not harmful :)
Tom Merrick cool, thanks! Whilst I have your attention, could I be cheeky enough to ask you another question? I watched your video on anterior pelvic tilt but still have one question that haven’t been able to work out. When you have ATP, your hamstrings are already elongated so you should strengthen them along with your core and glutes and stretch you hip flexors and lower back. My question is, should you never stretch your hamstrings while you have ATP? Even before an exercise or running to warm up, or afterwards for recovery? Literally watch so many videos and can’t get an answer to this :(
When i do dips, my whole body comes with my shoulders, so my shoulders dont really stick out and just go down and up. I think i lack the shoulder mobility or something, is that possible?
Da Xu Mhh, I think form is okay, but my wrists and also my elbows remain pretty weak. I mean, after 2 sets of 10 pull ups, chin ups and dips, I feel so much tension there that I can't even do negatives or statics 😓
-Ingwë9559 Ah I see. Are you doing wrkst stretches and warm ups before? Such as wrist push ups? Also, i find doing ring hold and handstand holds help w strenghtening thr wrist and the elbows.
xBaRtHeZ I had this too about 6 months ago, and the pain only went away after I stopped doing dips. If it's concerning you, see a doctor. If you're under 25, it might just be that your ribcage is not fully developed.
Externaly rotated. When the shoulder internaly rotate the elbows flare out, making any kind of forward lean impossible. Think about retracting the shoulder blades and pulling the elbows toward your body. Good luck! 💪
You think so? Just saying because you already start in an internal rotated position in a dip.. You will always be in an internal rotated position, i think, and you see the pectoralis increasing is ativation on that leaning
Workout Union, are we talking about the same thing? External shoulder rotation is when the elbow pits are facing forward, and internal shoulder rotation is when they are facing toward each other...
Surely (and of course depends always on the supination and pronation) but yes, when they are facing forward but also a little bit directed outside.. But if you feel the movement when "dipping" you can see that your shoulder rotates inward, otherwise it wasn't a chest exercise..
What happens if you can't preform dips with a neutral spine because you a small dip frame and your toes touch the floor with each rep. Do you bend your knees?
Soon! This series is something I wanted to produce because I wish I had it when I started. It’s not for short term but to be here for hopefully a good resource for years to come. More advanced stuff will be back to it in future videos and bodyweight basics series :)
That shoulder rounding's making me wince.
This Series will be very valuable and s great beginner library/playlist when finished.
Thx for your efford Tom!🤙
Nils Wittfoot - Body By Basics thanks Nils, is the plan!
When I dip , I focus on keeping my elbows tucked in close to my body to protect my shoulders as move through a slow controlled full range of motion. Flaring your elbows is not good for the rotator cuffs, especially when going deep into the movement. Tucked in elbows going deep into the movement avoids injury, trust me.
This is true for shoulders in flexion, such as for dumbbell shoulder press, but it’s not the same for shoulders in extension - otherwise the crucifix on rings would have a much higher injury rate than it has, since it’s the entire bodyweight on an extended arm with elbows directly to the side.
Where did you get this impression?
When I dip down I think about "triceps to lats" for keeping my shoulders in place.
Tom, if you dip, I dip, we dip!
One of those true test of progression 💪💪
Y'what?
my man thanks for your morning mobility routine i've found great improvements
Fuck off Lahey awesome! Happy to help
Thanks man Appreciate it. I love on how you do in to detail and tells us the progression so we can build a solid foundation before performing the exercise.
There's a lot of valuable information in this video, thank you for providing it! I've been really loving these tutorials. Straight to the point approach is the way to go, imo.
The Dangling Dip Tip 🤣
Love it! And soo important,
my shoulders say thank You
I wish there were an outside space like that near me, where I can get my dip on.
But maybe not beside a road because I would get hooted at.
You can shop dips parallel bars on Amazon, I bought a Yoleo's pair, pretty well made, and you can use it for other exercices.
Best progression dips workout
Thank you for this tutorial! I have been stuck with my dip progression, I got some new info from this!
And thanks for Shredded Sports Science for pointing me here :D
The super set man that's the difference between calisthenics and weight lifting that is why you get shredded in doing calisthenics
Zen says first of all I personally Thanks who can teach you dips on parelall bars. This is one of the most body weight exercises. Next to pull ups. So do it yourself
By far the best beginners vid on UA-cam!! Thanks, I’ve just subbed 👍🏻
Thx. Very helpful for a beginner like me, where Dips and PullUps are the hardest exercises. Looking forward to more videos like this.
Friedrich W. Awesome! Hope it helps with your progression!
Should the shoulder blades be retracted throughout the whole movement? Dips are one of my strongest lifts/exercises at 3x6 @+55lbs with a bodyweight of 150lbs but I always try to keep my form as clean as possible since I don't want to injure myself and I've heard some people say shoulder blades should be retracted at all times and others say shoulder blades should be pushed down when in the top position. I have to admit this is one of the videos I was expecting the most from this series. Amazing content as usual Tom.
Does it bloody matter?
Leonel Ortiz it will move from protraction at the top through into retraction at the bottom similar to push ups as the scapula is free to move :)
R.B., Yes. Internal rotation will increase chest involvement, but it can be dangerous as you are basicly closing the sub acromial space, putting the shoulders in a more volnrebable position. If you got the shoulder ROM and control, this can be great.
Also, it is called Bulgarian dips.
Super helpful vid, thanks very much for posting it!
Very high quality video production! I like it!
Thanks Tom. I needed this video today.
Just come across this, quality video. Cheers, Tom
i'd also point out the importance of soft lockout especially during the dips.
Oh wow. Seeing you go so deep on those dips...hurt my rotator cuff just looking at it. Of course some people can get away with that but I'm definitely not one of them. I much prefer to lean forward a little and go til my upper arm is about parallel with the floor and back up. Takes a lot of stress of my shoulder joint.
I just knew it! I just knew you would not be happy with 100K. You want more. You have bigger plans you admitted to Nils Wittfoot. Fame is just not enough. Now I find you want to be valuable with great library/playlists. Next it will be taking over the world! haha Love your video as always.
Thank you
This is a fantastic exercise I have never tried yet... now It is time 😅
brilliant videos thanks!!
60 years old, just retired, just getting back into a gym after years of too much work. In my younger days I was pretty jacked but these days I’m still fairly strong but overweight and dips worry me. Wondering if they will be tough on my shoulders. Thoughts ? Thx
Excellent video! Earned a sub :)
amazing tutorial!
Can you please recommend me strengthen shoulders excercise .
This is great! Thank you so much
When people say they cant stand half reps etc..
Everything has its place and purpose. Bodybuilding cannot be compared to this stuff, vise versa..
Toms body weight strong.. but doesnt weigh much..
None the less
Great content
doggy doop yeah partial reps are a common bodybuilding method but there are more effective options imo
Where's the ebook ?
Great video Tom
I actually started dips by doing ring dips. It was an uphill battle though.
Hey Tom, great video - thank you. Loving this series ... very helpful. The one thing I noticed is that you do not mention breathing through the movements. Do I breath in going down or going up?
I think I’m about 5 years late but I think you breathe in going down and out going up
Thanks for the video. Great content. Quick questions : how much training per week do you recommand ? What about progression (how much time before moving from one to the next level of difficulty without hurting or plateauing)?
anonymous4525 training per week would be determined by the program free in the description. As I said in the video 8-12reps is enough to move onto the next
I always thought the supported hold was super ez but when I tried to teach other ppl to do dips, apparently, they would always swing violently when they try to stay on the bar.
Thanks!
I like the Resistance Band, do you sell your own Work Out Mats
In terms of the forward lean. I think you might have made some error. As you lean forward you increase the load on the pecs and shoulders
As you lean back it gets significantly harder on the triceps (think like Russian dips and the impossible dip)
Emir EC definitely more delt heavy learning forward but it will still tax the triceps. Even brings some bicep into it as well.
Hi Tom!
I am trying the ring dips, but sometimes I have a tingling (like something touching a nerve not so good feeling) sensation.
What would you recommend on how to grip the rings?
Thanks for your valuable content!
Daniel Bolado is check neck and shoulder positioning. There is sometimes ulnar nerve interference in this position :)
Super 💪🏻
Should you bolt up like he does at 1:26 mark when you are all the way at the top? Shouldn’t it be very smooth up and down?
Great!
Super!!!!
I cant see the link for the ebook?
Solid advice Tom!Very helpful for all,begginers and advanced alike.
I have a question,regarding parallel dips.
I have the Pullup Mate for my training.But the distance between parallel bars is 60 cm,which i feel is a bit too long for me.
And i think that if it were shorter,i could do more reps.But it isn't adjustable.
Can you tell me what is the ideal distance generally?Has this got anything to do with the length of our arms?
Thanks!
Whether you're pulling up or pushing down the default setting is to have your hands below/above your shoulders. So the width should essentially be you shoulder width. There are variations of the pull up with wider and narrower grips but for the basics just do everything at shoulder width bro and don't stress about the exact centimetres.
The ideal width for p bars is the length from your elbow to end of middle finger. This is a common measurement you’ll see gymnasts do when setting pbars:)
Nice vid dude is there any way if I up load a vid you could critique my form lol been doing dips for about 6 months and recorded my self for the first time and some thing doesn't look right?
What if the front felt and upper peck is at the point of tight & popping!? So much so that I am now unable to do a pushup. I still have full mobility etc. But in the dip position which is really like a pushup I can't. It was probably caused by going to wide but now what?
Is it Ok to do chest dip with straight legs instead of bending and crossing 'em? Please help. I've always done it with straight legs, maintaining a straight line from head to toe.
Tom, as I work towards handstands - which look easy when you do them -- I am realizing my primary goal has to be being able to press my full body weight. When I try to go from headstand/tripod to handstand, I don't have the power. I'm slowing improving my dips and pike push-ups as a key strength builder... Any suggestions?
Love the videos long time fan , question what do you use to record/ edit?
Den-Mark Carter thanks! shoot with a Sony A6300 and edit on Adobe Premiere Pro :)
Where do you people find these great calisthenics parks?
I've heard that dips are dangerous for the sternum.
Do you breathe through your nose or mouth when doing calisthenics?
Another amazing video from Tom, nice dude. One question about your diet: Don't you start feeling kind of withered on a low carb diet? Like you have less volume, I don't know, when I try low carb or strict paleo for some time, I start feeling withered, like my muscles are not full, do you have this impression or something to tell about it? I'm really interested in your opinion on it, I love your vids about your diet and the food you've been eating. Thanks again for your good videos.
Just inject clenbuterol into your muscles to fix any lost volume.
Bruno Montezano it varies from person to person. Experiment for yourself what you feel good eating. Despite being “low carb” I still consumed 250g+ a day
What about dips with feet on the ground? That's how I progressed easily to unassisted reps. Bc bands help you most in the bottom but not at top and with feet you get more balanced rep.
PS. Did you count how many dips did you do in that session? :D
ricericemaybe yeah this is an option. I’m a big fan of the jump dips to negatives. Work well for sure. And like 50 sets. Good 3 day shoulder DOMs....
I dont have p bar. But i buy ring. The dip is reakin impossible to me period
7:40
And what are you doing with the legs??
Dips always seem to aggravate my shoulders and feel like they cause impingement. Should I do them without going too deep or just forget about them altogether and sub in something else?
Tom - wouldn’t the dip be a horizontal pushing movement? Almost identical to the tricep push up pattern.
Ricky Butler no it’s definitely more vertical in terms of loading. It’s a unique one though
Tom Merrick hmm I can’t get my head around this one. Our handstand or overhead pushing patterns would obviously be shoulder flexion with no shoulder extension involved. Is the dip not completely opposite in that it’s predominantly shoulder extension in the same way the end range would be during tricep push ups?
I know Steven Low puts it in the vertical category in overcoming gravity but I’m just struggling to see how it’s in any way similar to overhead pushing apart from the fact its uses some of the same muscles.
i noticed when i retract my shoulders in dips i feel my triceps much better
Hi tom,make a video of your bloopers,hi from USA
Jose Vargas don’t think that would be super interesting 😂
Hey Tom I'm temporarily going to exclude the dip from my routine during my strength/skill phase.
Instead I'll do Planche Pushup Progressions and Handstand Pushups. Is this enough to maintain the strength and hypertrophy acquired through my former dipping so I can start where I left of with the dips once I include them into my routine again in a few weeks?
mrnaizguy yeah for sure. Will all transfer over. It’s not essentially but useful :)
Tom Merrick thanks for the answer I appreciate it!
👍👍👍
Hey Tom, is that the new Oura ring I spy in this vid?
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes it is...but the sizing tester for it. looking forward to getting the real thing. You have one?
Tom Merrick Thought it must have been a sizing one. I’m waiting for the sizing kit now. I have one coming for review :)
🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷❤️️👀 sempre acompanhado seus conteúdos Merrick, são muito bons e detalhados.
2:52
Quick question regarding locking out at the top of the exercise - I was told to always keep a very slight bend on your elbow? That way you don’t leave the weight on the elbow joint and your triceps are engaged throughout the whole exercise? Or is this totally wrong? 😕
If you ever want to progress it planche handstand etc then you need to learn to load the joint actively. I did mention this in the support position part. It’s not harmful :)
Tom Merrick cool, thanks! Whilst I have your attention, could I be cheeky enough to ask you another question? I watched your video on anterior pelvic tilt but still have one question that haven’t been able to work out. When you have ATP, your hamstrings are already elongated so you should strengthen them along with your core and glutes and stretch you hip flexors and lower back.
My question is, should you never stretch your hamstrings while you have ATP? Even before an exercise or running to warm up, or afterwards for recovery? Literally watch so many videos and can’t get an answer to this :(
are those the 70$ fei yue's ? Are they any good ?
Miguel Han no haha, some eBay knock offs
When i do dips, my whole body comes with my shoulders, so my shoulders dont really stick out and just go down and up. I think i lack the shoulder mobility or something, is that possible?
Jan Rump sounds potentially like poor shoulder extension. More mobilisations there should help :)
Tom Merrick Thank you#
I hate dips so much, I can only do them on a straight bar, and they put a lot (too much) pressure on my wrists >_>
Time to increase your wrist mobility and strength! Luckily Tom has videos on that too!
R.B. saint Tom
U might wanna check ur grip. Ur wrist shouldn’t be bent. It should be straight and locked.
Da Xu Mhh, I think form is okay, but my wrists and also my elbows remain pretty weak. I mean, after 2 sets of 10 pull ups, chin ups and dips, I feel so much tension there that I can't even do negatives or statics 😓
-Ingwë9559 Ah I see. Are you doing wrkst stretches and warm ups before? Such as wrist push ups? Also, i find doing ring hold and handstand holds help w strenghtening thr wrist and the elbows.
I feel pain in my sternum while doing dips. Also my sternum cracks a lot during a day. Am I alone with this?
xBaRtHeZ I had this too about 6 months ago, and the pain only went away after I stopped doing dips. If it's concerning you, see a doctor. If you're under 25, it might just be that your ribcage is not fully developed.
I used to feel pain also, but it went away as I progressed.
@@jasonpierce3968 My sternum still pops and I thnik it wil to rest of my life. I stretch pecs and don't do dips
at 6:38, while leaning forward, what will be the shoulder position??
Is it internally or externally rotated??
Internally rotated Arindam Naskar! ;)
Externaly rotated. When the shoulder internaly rotate the elbows flare out, making any kind of forward lean impossible. Think about retracting the shoulder blades and pulling the elbows toward your body.
Good luck! 💪
You think so? Just saying because you already start in an internal rotated position in a dip.. You will always be in an internal rotated position, i think, and you see the pectoralis increasing is ativation on that leaning
Workout Union, are we talking about the same thing? External shoulder rotation is when the elbow pits are facing forward, and internal shoulder rotation is when they are facing toward each other...
Surely (and of course depends always on the supination and pronation) but yes, when they are facing forward but also a little bit directed outside.. But if you feel the movement when "dipping" you can see that your shoulder rotates inward, otherwise it wasn't a chest exercise..
killer areoli there Tom!
gothops lel
*areolae :P
What happens if you can't preform dips with a neutral spine because you a small dip frame and your toes touch the floor with each rep. Do you bend your knees?
Yes. Bend the legs if necessary
Will 100 push ups give me 1 dip ? Haha cause I can knock out 100 strict too
8 pack huh😳
Archer Ring Dips ;)
Chokwe impossible :)
Chokwe well I can do 8-10 archer ring dips (4-5 per side) so whats the problem?
Chokwe lol I thought that you meant that archer version is impossible. Have a nice day ;)
Maciej Okuniewski better than me haha
Wait, you seriously carry a dumbbell in your gym beg?😦
Sincerely want to know your weight and height 😂
Wearing Kung Fu shoes!
yo tom do you plan on doing some advanced shit in the near future. I am not interested in the basics
but he can mantain a decent level without watching videos about the basics. #nohate
Soon! This series is something I wanted to produce because I wish I had it when I started. It’s not for short term but to be here for hopefully a good resource for years to come. More advanced stuff will be back to it in future videos and bodyweight basics series :)
Tom Merrick keep up the good basic work! Also would you gonna upload a basics routine? Thx
Patrick Bateman this is what the ebook is for. There are 3 programs in there for free :)
Tom Merrick thanks. I’ll look into the ebook!
Focus man, you’re going round and round w the tutorial...so much talking,
6:12