Can The Dip Replace The Bench Press?

[Anthrax Invasion]

I know the bench press is a popular lift, for many reasons. It's always the lift people know, it's used as a test of strength and manliness among so many, and it's one of the three lifts PLers perform. That's not to mention that it gives you some serious gladiator pecs, if don't with a fairly wide grip.

The thing is, the bench press doesn't seem all that great, and I feel like it could be replaced with a much better exercise: The Dip.

Dips hit the same muscles as the bench press. In fact, I feel my chest and triceps more with dips. The deltoids come into play with them as much as they would with the bench.

The only arguement (if you can call it that) for the bench could be that it's in the horizontal plane, to couple it with the row. Dips and rows wouldn't go together as well. Really, though, plane of movement isn't a big deal. The muscles that oppose one another is the real issue. The whole idea of training equal movements in the same plane was to prevent imbalance issues, and to complement the other. With rows, dips can do just as well as the bench press.

Also, dips are safer for the RCs. It's also badass to hang tons of weight below you and do some dips, but that's highly subjective, so that shouldn't be a reason to choose dips.

Still, can anyone knowledgable (MC2, bignate, I'm looking at you guys) throw out at reason as to why dips couldn't replace the bench press? Dips just seem more functional and useful overall. Growth, strength, application.

 

[lardo5150]

I dont do bench, I consider it a more "complex move", like for football. builds strength in the chest, shoulders, back, etc.

I ALWAYS do dips.

 

[lifersfc]

Well at some point the feasible load with dips is not sufficient. You can't really hang more than about 4 45's off your waist, but bench is pretty much infinite in the weight you can add.

 

[lardo5150]

Well at some point the feasible load with dips is not sufficient. You can't really hang more than about 4 45's off your waist, but bench is pretty much infinite in the weight you can add.

very true. I prefer flat bench dumbells to bench though. Just my preference. I think bench will be debated till the end of times.

 

[Chambewy20]

Bench vs. dips, not really comparable in my opinion.

Bench is... like has been stated earlier a movement that encompasses a larger group of muslces than dips. Things that increase your bench include triceps, front delts, rear delts, lats and some but not all that much pec's. If your aim is to build pec's, instead of benching to chest or sternum, bench to collar bone or throat. You can also incline or do Db's, whatever you think.

Dips are a great accessory movement but are for younger folks, not folks that are or may be beat up.

Just my opinion, bench may be more the ego type movement because it's more widely recognize but isn't variety the spice of life?

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Uh, the feasible load on dips isn't comparable to that of bench. Who cares how much weight you can hang? It's an issue of quality vs. quantity. Besides, you're lifting your entire body PLUS the weight with dips. 4 45's is a lot of weight if you're 200+, plus the mechanics of the movement make it more difficult than the bench, so every pound with dips isn't equal to every pound with bench.

The dip involves all the same muscles as the bench, aside from the lats maybe.

Benching to the collar bone or throat further accentuates the rotator cuff issue involved with the bench press. That's just stupid.

 

[kethnaab]

"bench is... like has been stated earlier a movement that encompasses a larger group of muslces than dips"

I'll disagree with that one. dips hit a larger # of muscle groups, but because of the lack of overload once you get quite strong, dips have a limitation, as mentioned above.

"Dips are a great accessory movement but are for younger folks, not folks that are or may be beat up."

now THAT I agree with.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Yeah, why do you say that dips are better for younger folk? The bench press can wear on the body just like a dip can.

 

[Chambewy20]

How many guys who have been competing for any length of time in anything do dips?

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

What does that have to do with anything?

 

[Chambewy20]

The wear and tear that has been placed on the body. I'll guarantee that no professional bodybuilders ever flat bench or do weigted dips unless it's for a magazine.

Too much stress on the shoulders and too little of benefit, incline bench tops, dumbell bench, skull crushers, things like that.

No friggin flat bench or weighted dips, not worth the risk.

 

[bignate73]

I like dips but they do place a ton of strain on the anterior delts, just like elbows flared benching does.

as a full time replacement, no, i don't think so. The mechanics of a properly performed bench press places each muscle group in its strongest positions for the most part and not overly stretched. i think the dip places you in extremely stretched joint positions (shoulders and pecs mostly) as does an elbows flared bench press.

on the other hand, I don't believe the overhead press is sufficient either. multi planes/angles allow for varying degrees of stress to encourage well rounded gains in all muscle groups.

my suggestions:

-a body tilted dip, meaning torso isnt vertical. the trick to that is to tuck the knees in front of you and tilt forward slightly. if using weight, you grip the weight between your knees.

-a PL style bench press with a moderate grip

-an overhead press with elbows slightly tucked in front. basically you take a narrower grip and keep the elbows under your hands.

-an incline press with the same mechanics as the overhead press.

just my .02 on things.

 

[lifersfc]

In addition to the load issue, I find that dips are much harder on my shoulder and elbow joints, particularly the rotator cuffs. I too prefer dumbells, but when your gym only has 100 lbers, you're stuck with incline and flat bench.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I'll guarantee you that professional bodybuilders are absolute morons, and I wouldn't follow what they do - ever.

Bench press doesn't place wear and tear on the body, but dips do? Oh, okay...

Dips give too small a benefit, yet you're pointing out skull crushers? Okay, pal.

 

[lifersfc]

I'll guarantee you that professional bodybuilders are absolute morons, and I wouldn't follow what they do - ever.

Bench press doesn't place wear and tear on the body, but dips do? Oh, okay...

Dips give too small a benefit, yet you're pointing out skull crushers? Okay, pal.

Different movements affect different people differently. I wasn't implying that bench press doesn't also wear on the rotators. I was just saying that, FOR ME, dips place more strain on the RC than bench.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I was actually responding to cham, not you. You may be doing dips differently than I, 'cause I don't feel more of a strain on my RCs with them, when compared to bench.

 

[gstacker]

i believe you can push more force bench pressing (core strength) and that is not replacibale with dips, but after i hit the bench i usually do dips 4 sets of 20 at least thats my goal often i fall a lil short i want to start wheiting them down soon i never tried it, maybe put me back in the 6-10 range for sets

 

[Chambewy20]

I'll guarantee you that professional bodybuilders are absolute morons, and I wouldn't follow what they do - ever.

Sure you would say that to their face, stay behind your little keyboard and remain the wannabe that you are.

Bench press doesn't place wear and tear on the body, but dips do? Oh, okay...

Never said bench won't strain or hurt you, cost vs. benefit compared to dips, no comparison.

Dips give too small a benefit, yet you're pointing out skull crushers? Okay, pal.

Like I stated in my first post, dips could be an accessory movement like skull crushers for tri's.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Nice job, assuming I wouldn't "say it to their face". You know, because speaking things is so much more difficult than typing them. Wannabe? Wannabe what? I hope you don't mean bodybuilder.

What are the benefits of the bench press that outweigh those of dips, hm?

Good job on pointing out your first post. Too bad dips are a compound and skull crushers are an isolation movement. You can't compare the two.

 

[Chambewy20]

Nice job, assuming I wouldn't "say it to their face". You know, because speaking things is so much more difficult than typing them. Wannabe? Wannabe what? I hope you don't mean bodybuilder.

What are the benefits of the bench press that outweigh those of dips, hm?

Good job on pointing out your first post. Too bad dips are a compound and skull crushers are an isolation movement. You can't compare the two.

I'm sure you would say it to their face ole buddy.

Benefits of the bench that outweigh dips, see Anthrax Invasion's 5 X 5, he benchy more than he dippy...

Compound vs. isolation has nothing to do with accessory movement with which skullcrushers were referred to as..


....next!

 

[coolcolj]

dip is basicly like a decline bench, so.....

 

[coolcolj]

I will say that if you military pressed and dipped you will have far healthier shoudlers than benching

 

[bignate73]

I will say that if you military pressed and dipped you will have far healthier shoudlers than benching

i find that hard to believe. dips place the shoulder in way more stretch than a BP ever could (provided we are talking about a BP with good form).

 

[coolcolj]

if the shoulders are already healthy then you won't have any problems

there was a time where I was pressing and dipping heavy and had no problems - both lifts keep the scapulars working properly. Dips also hit the serratus (at the top) and help prevent scapular winging

then I stopped dipping and did benches, closegrip shoudler tucked style too, after a while I couldn't dip anymore bench benches f*cked up a lot of stuff! For one the scapulars are locked and this will cause firing problems. And then the ROM is quite shorter etc etc

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

All that said, then why do you still bench now, CCJ? You, being the functional guy, should be dipping rather than benching.

 

[coolcolj]

I haven't been benching lately - and I do dip, but just scapular stylee

I need bench for sprints - arm drive power

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

You really do have a reason for everything, huh?

What's a scapular style dip?

 

[bignate73]

an inverted shrug.

 

[Chambewy20]

My favorite is the cuff -hyper-raise....

 

[coolcolj]

dip with a shrug - medium grip

 

[cm23]

very good point. why not do dips and bench?? shazaam

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

very good point. why not do dips and bench?? shazaam

That's the conclusion I've come to, which is why I set up two versions of the 5x5 routine that could be cycled to give optimal aesthetic and functional development.

The word "optimal" might be a bit subjective here, but I see my variations as being pretty well-rounded.

 

[Tweakle]

When I couldn't bench last year I did dips only.. and my chest vanished. I feel the bench done correctly is the moneyshot for chest development but thats just me

 

[coolcolj]

flyes and dips would be a good combo then

 

[TheOak84]

depends... if u wanna just build a big chest, i guess go for what you respond to the best

if u wanna bench 900 pounds.. stick to the bench...

 

[stevius]

For an all round chest Dips couldn't replace incline benches for upper pec development.

I used to do bodybuilding although I stopped dipping at least ten years ago. The reason for this was that my chest grew absolutely massive, and my triceps were pretty good too. At my peak I was dipping with 70kg around my waist for 6 repetitions, and even though there was plenty of room on my rope for more plates (not that I could have) I realised that I was starting to look a bit deformed.

Probably spent about six or seven years in total dipping and aside from a slightly loose right elbow I haven't had any problems so far. I found the dip built a lot of thickness around the edges and those bulky bits haven't entirely disappeared to this day. Still, what limited upper body work I do is limited to pullovers standing military and incline bench press.