Dips for chest. How deep?

[hardrock]

Ok I've been doing dips for tri's for long enough to know how to do them, but have recently added chest dips as well. I hurt my shoulder 6-8 months ago and have gently eased back into pressing movements over the course of the last 4 months. Strength is near 100%. Well I did some dips for chest the other night for a finisher. Felt great, no pain during or after. Now 3 days later I wake up and I can't raise my arm straight out to my side. I'm wondering if I hurt it again (god I hope not). I'm a little over 2 weeks into a cycle and have been goin up in weight on every lift too. I suppose I could have slept on it wrong as well.

My question is how can I effectively do chest dips, while putting the least amount of stress possible on the joint? I though elbows in, and not too deep might help, but I really can't afford another injury.

help me out bro's!!

 

[ZGzaZ]

i've found that the amount you lean in to the dip has the most to do with working the chest, straight up and down with elbows tucked kills the trics, but lean in a bit, and you get a good chest pump.

 

[hardrock]

i've found that the amount you lean in to the dip has the most to do with working the chest, straight up and down with elbows tucked kills the trics, but lean in a bit, and you get a good chest pump.

Without trying to be a dick; did you even read my post? I know how to target the pecs and get a good pump. What I wanna know is HOW CAN I MINIMIZE STRESS ON MY ROTATOR CUFF, while still hitting the pecs.

Should I just give them up all together?

 

[casualbb]

You'll sacrifice some chest stretch by going more shallow, but your rotator cuff is more important anyway. Try just going to upper arm parallel to ground. If it still hurts, go less deep.

-casualbb

 

[hardrock]

yeah thats kinda what I was thinkin. Thanx for the input cas.

 

[gonelifting]

Try pre exhausting the pecs with dumbell flyes supersetted with the dips. The theory would be that the pecs still get a good wo while the other muscles are stronger. just a thought...

 

[casualbb]

Prefatigue unfortunately doesn't do much. All that really matters is the tension on the muscle fiber, not how fatigued it is. Prefatiguing only serves to diminish the amount of weight you can handle on a given exercise, reducing the growth stimulus.

-casualbb

 

[DEEZEL]

"Doctor, it hurts when I do this..."

Doctor: Well then, don't do that.

 

[Jxaxsxe530]

i think dips for chest is over rated. i do them occasionally but i wouldn't credit much of my gains to dips. if i was you, i'd just drop it all together until ur shoulders are fully healed.

 

[Fatty4You]

"Doctor, it hurts when I do this..."

Doctor: Well then, don't do that.

ha ha.... but seriously, treat the problem, not just they symptom.

-Fatty