probably time to revive our W&SS workout threads

This is my set up I use to add weight for dips and chins. I made the weight bar, you then just add the weights and the shackle to the top and then connect it to my weight belt.

Maisy is demonstrating how worn out it makes you when you use it !!!

P9280004-1.jpg
 
^ very nice (poor Maisy :))

I'm 99% sure I need to add weight to my dips, at what point should a guy (or gal) think about adding weight to pull/chinups? I'm probably a little shy of 20 for a max, typically doing sets of 12, sometimes a little higher (sometimes a little lower)
 
mtwarden said:
^ very nice (poor Maisy :))

I'm 99% sure I need to add weight to my dips, at what point should a guy (or gal) think about adding weight to pull/chinups? I'm probably a little shy of 20 for a max, typically doing sets of 12, sometimes a little higher (sometimes a little lower)
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I'd say you are ready for sure buddy.

I always believe variety is best when it comes to working out so mixing it up with weighted sets every so often keeps the body guessing !
 
mtwarden said:
I'm 99% sure I need to add weight to my dips, at what point should a guy (or gal) think about adding weight to pull/chinups? I'm probably a little shy of 20 for a max, typically doing sets of 12, sometimes a little higher (sometimes a little lower)
Click to expand...
Depends entirely on what you're working toward. I rarely added weight on chins, usually had someone stand over me and help me get started with real heavy lat pulldowns if I wanted more resistance there. I've added up to 65lbs. on dips when I was younger, but will not do so again. Dips can be rough on the shoulders and elbows if you go past parallel. Lots of torque on the joints.
I guess whatever keeps you in the rep range you want, but doesn't sacrifice form. When you start having to speed up to maintain momentum to complete reps, curving your back and lowering your head, or bottoming out because you can't control the descent, you've gone too far. This isn't the exercise you want to cheat on, IMO, and adding weight should be done gradually.

I googled "proper dip form", and this is pretty good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr1svs0wliI
 
^ for dips I'd like to stay in the 15-ish rep range, so I'll have to add some weight- good vid, I think that's pretty close to the way I'm doing them (I might be a tiny bit deeper- hard telling w/o seeing film :))

I like the idea of adding a little weight to my pull/chinups- just to mix it up some, the Spetsnaz are required to do 18 dead hang pullups w/ a 25# armor vest on- not too shabby :D
 
OwenM said:
Depends entirely on what you're working toward. I rarely added weight on chins, usually had someone stand over me and help me get started with real heavy lat pulldowns if I wanted more resistance there. I've added up to 65lbs. on dips when I was younger, but will not do so again. Dips can be rough on the shoulders and elbows if you go past parallel. Lots of torque on the joints.
I guess whatever keeps you in the rep range you want, but doesn't sacrifice form. When you start having to speed up to maintain momentum to complete reps, curving your back and lowering your head, or bottoming out because you can't control the descent, you've gone too far. This isn't the exercise you want to cheat on, IMO, and adding weight should be done gradually.

I googled "proper dip form", and this is pretty good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr1svs0wliI
Click to expand...

You know this just proves that everyone has to experiment and find out what works for them. In my younger days when I was training for size and strength I developed some serious shoulder pain. Being young and stupid I just tried to work through it and at first couldn't do Bench presses, then I couldn't do dumbell presses except with a parallel grip, then I couldn't do those and in the end the only exercise that didn't hurt my shoulders was dips !!!

Even to this day weighted dips are my main chest exercise. I do agree I'm probably in the minority as many find dips hard on the shoulders but for me they were a life saver !
 
turns out the gym has a 25# vest :) I used it w/ pulls/chins and dips- it knocked my reps back by ~ 25%, I think I'll use the vest for a week or two, go back to no vest and then just mix it up a bit from there

in other news, by sprints didn't go so well on Thursday- my plan was to mix the sprints up w/ some 220's, 440's and 100's- did my warmup per usual, did 220's w/o any problem, on my first 100 I strained a groin muscle about 3/4 of the way in- clearly I was pushing too hard, another lesson learned the hard way :( I was able to jog on it for ~ 1.5 miles afterwards, but it's more sore today than yesterday

I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but the running might be out for awhile- the sprints are definitely out for awhile
 
mtwarden said:
^ very nice (poor Maisy :))

I'm 99% sure I need to add weight to my dips, at what point should a guy (or gal) think about adding weight to pull/chinups? I'm probably a little shy of 20 for a max, typically doing sets of 12, sometimes a little higher (sometimes a little lower)
Click to expand...

YOu are ready on week 6.
Dips with the added weight is a much different animal. also my favorite exercise when I was a lad. I used to have triceps that could crack stone...now they look like jelly.
 
mtwarden said:
turns out the gym has a 25# vest :) I used it w/ pulls/chins and dips- it knocked my reps back by ~ 25%, I think I'll use the vest for a week or two, go back to no vest and then just mix it up a bit from there

in other news, by sprints didn't go so well on Thursday- my plan was to mix the sprints up w/ some 220's, 440's and 100's- did my warmup per usual, did 220's w/o any problem, on my first 100 I strained a groin muscle about 3/4 of the way in- clearly I was pushing too hard, another lesson learned the hard way :( I was able to jog on it for ~ 1.5 miles afterwards, but it's more sore today than yesterday

I'll see how I feel tomorrow, but the running might be out for awhile- the sprints are definitely out for awhile
Click to expand...

That sucks.
I have been just getting back on the horse...and man, EVERTHING hurts! I started crunches 3 days ago, and I still got it! turns out that at work, I must be working the midsection alot. my chest hurts like hell...push ups are killing my 38 year old body...my 21 year old mind doesn't care though.
Also, I guess living on a ladder seems to help the calves a lot. My wife says I have sexy calves...although to me they look like hairy apples. ..LOL
The goal for me, no more love handles by my next birthday..10 months.
 
^ sounds like your getting it started :) that usually is the toughest step, once a guy (or gal) gets going it seems like it just starts to roll

this is my #2 injury in ~ four months (strained a calf in early August that took away my runs for about two weeks) so I guess I can't complain too much. both injuries were probably preventable- first one I wasn't stretching enough and not warming up enough (doing it right takes so much damn time!), this one I simply over did it- I'll be much more careful next time
 
Regarding adding weight to chins/pullups. IME the back is a different animal compared to other muscles. Some people thrive on low reps with added weight, others are rep machines but suck with any added weight. Ofcourse there is variance, but most people tend to belong to one camp or the other. I'm better with low reps.
 
^ w/ a 25# vest my pullup reps have gone from three sets of 12 to three sets of 8, same w/ my chins

I think I'm going to alternate weeks for pull/chinups- one week w/ the weight, the next w/o; for dips I'm probably going to continue w/ the vest as I feel 25 reps is probably a little too high (~15 w/ the vest)

my injury appears to be healing decently- went for a walk this weekend (no running) and will try a gently run tomorrow (fingers crossed :))
 
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