# Bench or Dips ?



## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I am currently looking into developing a workout system based around the 5x5 system and I have sorted most of the exercises but Im unsure about using either bench or dips. Both are compound movements and very good exercises but Im just wondering what your thoughts are on the difference between the two exercises and the strengths and limitations of each.

Iv always hated bench and find the movement doesn't suit me at all, also I train alone so there is the safety aspect of benching. On the other hand I do enjoy dips and they are far safer when training alone.

If there is a clear winner in this debate then I will go with whats advised.

Just for information the workouts will be:

Workout 1

Squat

OH Press

Bent Row

Workout 2

Deadlift

Chins

Dips or Bench ?


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

I do db press for 5x5, prefer that to bench atm. Absolute favourite is decline bench but we don't have a bench that declines atm.

Looking at your routine though I think dips would be good, only thing I'd say about them though is when you add weight strapped to your waist it's harder to lean forward and have to watch your form when you're fatiguing.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

Squat

OH Press

Dips

Workout 2

Deadlift

Chins

Bent Row

done .

i dont bench and havent for months .


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

2004mark said:


> I do db press for 5x5, prefer that to bench atm. Absolute favourite is decline bench but we don't have a bench that declines atm.
> 
> Looking at your routine though I think dips would be good, only thing I'd say about them though is when you add weight strapped to your waist it's harder to lean forward and have to watch your form when you're fatiguing.


I was thinking of DB press but our gym DBs go up in 2.5kg jumps and sometimes a total jump of 5kg it soo much. With a BB you can add 1.25 kg at a time which will be far better as I reach my limits. The same will also apply to dips.


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

aad123 said:


> I was thinking of DB press but our gym DBs go up in 2.5kg jumps and sometimes a total jump of 5kg it soo much. With a BB you can add 1.25 kg at a time which will be far better as I reach my limits. The same will also apply to dips.


buy some 1.25kg wrist weights like the yoga ones


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

or you could use resistance bands .


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

aad123 said:


> I was thinking of DB press but our gym DBs go up in 2.5kg jumps and sometimes a total jump of 5kg it soo much. With a BB you can add 1.25 kg at a time which will be far better as I reach my limits. The same will also apply to dips.


Ha, you're lucky... after 40s, ours go 45, 50, 60, 80 :wub:


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I had some 0.5kg & 1kg plates cut at work but some CU*T nicked them.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

2004mark said:


> Ha, you're lucky... after 40s, ours go 45, 50, 60, 80 :wub:


I dont think that will be a problem I will ever have. Not sure what ours go up to but there are some huge dusty DBs tucked away in one corner.


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## Muscle Supermkt (Nov 28, 2012)

I've recently started doing dips as my main upper compound. Excellent exercise and I'm noticing steady gains.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Bench has never really done it for me so hopefully the dips will work for me too.


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

I don't thing I'd be able to sleep at night knowing the only chest iv done is dips lol.....although I do love them


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

If you are going to perform just one exercise for the chest I'd definitely go for dips - IMO superior to any variation of the bench press. Have to be sure to use the correct form though - chin on chest, forward lean with torso etc... keep too upright and triceps activation is higher and pec activation lower.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Didn't know about the chin on chest thing, whats the reasoning behind that ?


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

bench gets the chest nicely


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## Vastus Med' (Sep 7, 2012)

if i train chest at gym i do dips...the stretch you get at the bottom is like nothing else.

if i train at home its Barbell or dumbells but this is coz i dont have dipping bars....yet.


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

im actually shocked everyones going for dips


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I never considered dips as a major chest development exercise, I used to do them at the end of a chest session but only as a finishing exercise and to tie in with triceps. As they say "you live and learn".


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Matt 1 said:


> im actually shocked everyones going for dips


Me to, but Im quite happy as Im not a fan of bench.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

aad123 said:


> Didn't know about the chin on chest thing, whats the reasoning behind that ?


It just helps the body maintain a more natural and consistent degree of forward lean.... google 'gironda dips' - other than the reverse grip (which I don't feel makes much difference) the form for those is pretty much perfect for the chest IMO.


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## Vastus Med' (Sep 7, 2012)

Matt 1 said:


> im actually shocked everyones going for dips


i just dont feel barbell press the same...i think i take too much on my front delts....horses for courses and all that shizzle ;-)


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

aad123 said:


> Me to, but Im quite happy as Im not a fan of bench.


yeh man, give it a go, everyone seems to rate it lol


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## littlesimon (May 24, 2010)

I prefer weighted dips and use them as my main chest/tri developer


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

> i just dont feel barbell press the same...i think i take too much on my front delts....horses for courses and all that shizzle ;-)


I have the same issue with bench, my shoulders seem to take over but I dont feel this on dips.


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

I can't remember the last time I benched. Dips for me...


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

im always scared to go to low reps on dips cos of all the horror stories about shoulders blowing out.

curiously it doesnt bother me on bench which is probably resposible for its fair share of injuries!


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

JANIKvonD said:


> I don't thing I'd be able to sleep at night knowing the only chest iv done is dips lol.....although I do love them


maybe thats why your chest is lagging


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

http://www.t-nation.com/strength-training-topics/dip

this has helped me understand the movement a little more.


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

ewen said:


> maybe thats why your chest is lagging


haha was waiting for that 1.....where the fuk u been :lol:


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

JANIKvonD said:


> haha was waiting for that 1.....where the fuk u been :lol:


building a 50 inch chest on dips


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## Bull Terrier (May 14, 2012)

If you do a set of bench press with 100kg for 10 reps, then you know that you've done exactly that.

If you do a set of dips/chins then are you supposed to weigh yourself first every time to know exactly how much you're dipping? I mean my weight fluctuates quite a lot in the course of the week. Some days I wear more clothes. So basically each time I would (hypothetically) dip the weight would always be different.

I assess my progress partly based on mirror, but probably mainly on how much weight I move and for how many reps. I think that when you do dips/chins it is much harder to judge progress like this.

I'm not saying that anybody should take what I'm saying as necessarily good advice but personally I prefer to do other great compound exercises on which it is easier to monitor progress.


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

ewen said:


> building a 50 inch chest on dips


aye sweet n sour dips with ur chicken selects ya cvnt :lol:


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## Vastus Med' (Sep 7, 2012)

Bull Terrier said:


> If you do a set of bench press with 100kg for 10 reps, then you know that you've done exactly that.
> 
> If you do a set of dips/chins then are you supposed to weigh yourself first every time to know exactly how much you're dipping? I mean my weight fluctuates quite a lot in the course of the week. Some days I wear more clothes. So basically each time I would (hypothetically) dip the weight would always be different.
> 
> ...


if youre a bodybuilding purest you should only concern yourself with what you see in the mirror so the amount of weight you dip with isnt really an issue.

Saying that dips arent performed in powerlifting meets but lifters use them as a great accessory exercise.

everyones a winner :thumb:


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## littlesimon (May 24, 2010)

TalKing of dips, tonight... 

+52.5kg @119kg


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

Nice lifting there. Im still suffering from tuesdays dips.


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## Fat (Jan 2, 2010)

littlesimon said:


> TalKing of dips, tonight...
> 
> +52.5kg @119kg


Are you the same guy on the 5x5 website?


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## MRSTRONG (Apr 18, 2009)

littlesimon said:


> TalKing of dips, tonight...
> 
> +52.5kg @119kg


and your a natty .

you should get some gear fired in you`ll dip over 100kg .


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## RockyD (Oct 8, 2012)

If I had to choose one , bench, but can't remember last time didn't have dips in weekly program.

You have bent rows and chins , If I had to choose I would prefer to lose the bent rows and include dips and bench, as your deads will hit all back well anyway. Horses for courses I spose.


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## littlesimon (May 24, 2010)

ewen said:


> and your a natty .
> 
> you should get some gear fired in you`ll dip over 100kg .


 :lol: cheers buddy, yeah still a tree hugging natty.

100kg is the eventual goal


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## littlesimon (May 24, 2010)

Fat said:


> Are you the same guy on the 5x5 website?


yeah mate, used to be on sl 5x5 before the big fallout


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## faultline (Feb 5, 2010)

I always thought dips were a tricep exercise till I stumbled upon a vid on YouTube, I think it was Kai Greene, showing it for chest, so next session I tried it and I had DOMS in chest n shoulders for 4 days! 

I'm not a fan of bench as it trashes my shoulders n tris n I don't feel anything in my chest, that being said decline bench I feel it abit more in my chest, but dips will be my main chest exercise going forward


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

RockyD said:


> If I had to choose one , bench, but can't remember last time didn't have dips in weekly program.
> 
> You have bent rows and chins , If I had to choose I would prefer to lose the bent rows and include dips and bench, as your deads will hit all back well anyway. Horses for courses I spose.


I need to focus more on my back at the moment as it is by far my weakest area. I really struggle with lat exercises but the 5x5 chins seem to have done the trick so Im hoping the bent rows will also work as well.


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## rsd147 (Nov 14, 2012)

Bench for me but I do include dips


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## justin case (Jul 31, 2012)

Do both, they are two of the most rewarding exercises in this game and it would be a crime to exclude either.


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## Strongr (Oct 4, 2012)

Rotate the exercises, month one bench, month 2 dips, after several rotations you'll know what develops you best then you decide.

I use to do 10x5 dips but now the only dips I do come with my crisps


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