I'm looking for links on proper for various weighted dips. Just read a bunch on it and some people claim they are better for adding mass to arms and chest than bench press. Arms, maybe. Chest, I'm not so sure. In any event, I won't take them at their word but am certainly willing to give weighted dips a shot.

I've never really done them before save for shortly before my shoulder injury. Any pointers are helpful (e.g., form, how to get weights into position, any tips from people w/shoulder injuries / separations).

Since no one else has posted...

Dips have been great for adding mass to my triceps. The only advice I have is to be as careful as you can be.

Steps:

1. Decide whether you're using dips to focus on triceps or chest.
2. If triceps, you can bench dip or you can parallel bar dip.
3. If chest, you can parallel bar or v-bar dip (with body lean).
4. Learn proper form for these exercises.
5. Find out which ones feel more effective as well as safer.
6. Accustom to dips through unweighted sets at first.
7. Slowly add weight, finding a rep range between 6-12.
8. As you accustom to weighted dips, decide if you want to work in a lower rep range.

I've been using a half-ladder thus far:

10x(B), 10x(B+I), 10x(B+2I), 10x(B+3I), __x(B+4I)

where B is the base amount and I is the interval at which I increase my weight from set to set.

Each workout I try to rep more than the last on my last set, working up to 10 reps. When I'm able to rep 10 on the last set, I rep to 12 on every set, before increasing my weight. I rest 2:30 between sets. So it may look like:

Workout 1: 10x50, 10x75, 10x100, 10x125, 6x150
Workout 2: 10x50, 10x75, 10x100, 10x125, 8x150
Workout 3: 10x50, 10x75, 10x100, 10x125, 10x150
Workout 4: 12x50, 12x75, 12x100, 12x125, 10x150
Workout 5: 12x50, 12x75, 12x100, 12x125, 12x150
Workout 6: 10x50, 10x85, 10x110, 10x135, __x160, starting over again and striving to reach 10.

And that's all I do for triceps, except for an occasional two sets of lying tricep extensions in Max-OT fashion.

Thanks for the usefu note. Just got done doing some bench dips. I've done these in the past but never (1) w/my feet on another bench, or (2) w/weight in my lap. Can really feel the burn!

I'm at the end of my tri workout so don't have juice for a lot of weight, but am looking forward to starting off w/these on my next tri workout (after warm-up of course).

Does hurt my shoulder a bit...concentrating on going slow.

With bench dips, remember your back and butt should be as close to the bench (that has your hands on it) as possible and your back should remain close to perpendicular to the floor throughout the lift.

Your elbows should not flare out and your upper arms should go no farther than parallel to the floor; don't lock your elbows at the top.

Try to have a slow descent (eccentric) and explosive or at least fast ascent (concentric). Unless this bothers your shoulders. Look forward and keep your eyes on an object in front of you. Breathe in during the descent, and expel air in the ascent.

Place your feet at a comfortable width apart (perhaps shoulder width to a little wider). Tilt your toes outwards a bit, so that you are duck footed, as it will help stablize you if you have larger amounts of weight on your lap.

Have someone place and take the weight off your lap. (I have to have help above 90#s, but I really should have help at about 70.)

Make sure those shoulders and triceps are warm!

Excellent tips. I just did 50 lbs and found my right leg going to sleep (maybe it's bored). Don't think I want to do much more weight tonight, or by myself. Not sure my wife is up for lifting heavier plates and setting them on me....may have to start working out at gym.

I noticed that the bench dips put more pressure on my shoulder than the parallel bar dips. Probably because of the arm position. When doing parallel bar dips I try to keep my upper body as vertical as possible. I've noticed that when I begin to lean forward, I feel more pressure in my shoulder. Hope this helps.