Weighted dips are dangerous...

[Imported]

I think I may have torn something (pec tendon? feel it around my chest and it also affects my breathing) again. I have pretty much just recovered from a shoulder surgery for a torn tendon and I am pretty sure that was because of weighted dips.

 

I recently started doing weighted dips again and was feeling great! And started adding more and more weight like a total idiot. It just never feels too much and I think that is the danger. I feel great....right up to the point where I cause serious damage to myself. There's no warning that it's too much till after the fact. I'm getting too old for this. Gonna give it a few days to see if it'll feel better on its own before I go see the doc. Hopefully it's just strained and not torn, but regardless I am not doing weighted dips/pull ups again.

 

There's a commercial in the US where a truck is chained to a tree stump and is trying to pull the stump out of the ground, but instead the whole rear of the truck breaks off. I feel like that. There's a weak link and it's not the muscles.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Imported

[Emilia]

When I see guys doing this in the gym, I always wonder why. They aren't usually big guys so I'm uncertain as to why they don't do compound lifts instead. They just put more and more weight on chains around their waist, I always think there are so many better things you can do while using up that energy.

[thefooloftheyear]

Its a tough movement on the rotator cuff...I still do them, but use a heavy chain around my neck instead of the dumbell or plate attached to the weighted belt...More control and less awkward...And I don't go nuts on the weight any more..

 

But here is something to consider as well...

 

I dont know how old you are, but it seems like after 40, I just kept getting dinged in the shoulder and pec...Before then, I literally could do anything without injury..Now, its as if my shoulders just say "eff you!'" the minute I push past the limit on some stuff..Its a battle, no doubt..

 

 

The good news is that if its a small pec muscle tear and doesn't involve tendon damage, it will heal rather quickly...Ive had a few of those and I am usually back at full strength in 6-8 weeks...When it starts feeling better(couple of weeks) resist the temptation to test it... gradually work it back into shape..

 

Good luck and hope its not too serious...

 

TFY

[fitnessfan365]

Bad news about the injury! Hopefully it heals ASAP.

 

In general though, the dip happens to be one of the exercises I see horrible form on the most. This is why many people sustain injury while doing it. Wish we could do a form check in this case to see if bad form was the culprit here.

[Imported]

Emilia, I think it's not usually the big guys because (here) the "big guys" are actually really big and although they lift much higher than their "weight" on a machine or "free weights"........they can't actually pull or push there own weight as easily. Nevermind their weight +++. This is where I ......dominate. So yeah ok, I'm not a "big" guy.

 

TFoTY, I'm 46 and recently retired. For @3 more months I am completely and totally medically insured at no cost to me and I am thinking even if I feel better after a few days, I am going to see the doc and get an MRI. I actually ignored my shoulder injury like...forever and just made do. Now after the surgery and the long recovery....my shoulder feels great. If what I have needs surgery or will eventually to surgery, I want to get it done asap. From what I read, the fact you strained the muscle means it will be a chronic problem and well...yeah

 

Fitnessfan, I am not a fan of crossfit, but I do believe in knowing how to use momentum. I don't think form was a factor, but it'd be hard to argue against. I know I said "it never feels too much..." but I was in fact straining to move the weight. Although I felt good. Till it wasn't good

[Emilia]

Emilia, I think it's not usually the big guys because (here) the "big guys" are actually really big and although they lift much higher than their "weight" on a machine or "free weights"........they can't actually pull or push there own weight as easily. Nevermind their weight +++. This is where I ......dominate. So yeah ok, I'm not a "big" guy.

I'm not one of those that think you should train for size.

 

What I meant is that guys who do dips aren't big, ie they don't have to worry about being 'too big' by doing too much in terms of compound lifts. If you don't have to worry about your size, you have options. So I'm curious why you pick dips?

[Imported]

I do dips, pull-ups and deadlifts. Sometimes I'll do whatever lifts as well. I don't really plan it out. I like where I am performance wise and aesthetically. I don't really think it matters too much what I do, so long as I consistently go and do it...with intensity. And control my eating.

 

I always liked moving my own body weight as opposed to stacks of weight because it works out better for real world applications. Not sure if that's true with dips, but I see people all the time that can do their body weight and then some on a pull down machine, but can't do a pull-up if their life depended on it. People that can go all day on an elliptical machine, but can't run 1 mile at anything faster than a jog.

 

Honestly, I just like doing dips lol

 

 

I'm feeling better, but still too much pain when I breath deep. Tried running, but it's very difficult when to when I have to take only shallow breaths. I think this is actually going to take at least a week to recover from enough to where I can lift again. Really disappointed since I'll be in Hawaii at the end of the month.

Edited June 9, 2016 by Imported

[sorano]

Do you go to therapy often? The reason why I ask is because lots of people weight train but do not get therapy done. It's like a formula 1 car never going in the pit stop.

 

I prefer A R T THERAPY. Breaks down scare tissue and helps heal any injured muscles. Makes you more flexible and keeps you going. If you weight lift, it's a must. And it doesn't get easier with age.

 

If you get hurt doing a specific workout, why go back? There are other workouts you can do. I'm sure you know this.

 

I got hurt flat benching and doing bent over rows. Kept blowing out my back and tore my pec muscle. Thank god my doctor does A R T so my chest healed so fast my GP doctor was even shocked. I haven't flat benched and done bent over rows in 7 years and I'm bigger than ever. Sometimes people get in a routine and think workout x is the only way.

 

My friend phil is 50 years old and is a pro body builder. He puts 20 years Olds to shame. All natural. 21 inch arms cold and that's being on stage. Not even off season. He gets beat up but he told me at times you have to change your workouts and stop training like your 20. If a certain workout hurts, walk away, think about the movement and what muscle you need to target and hit it with another approach. He also does A R T, goes to mike bluff and mike camp. If anyone is into fitness and pro body building you all should know the names I gave.

 

I say, get therapy done often, change your approach, go lighter and work around your injuries. I bet art therapy will heal that injury anyway.

 

Heck, I have three herniated disc, torn shoulder labrum, yet I still train and building back up with no problem. Therapy and going light and changing my workout to suit my needs and not injure that body part again.

[Imported]

I don't think I am getting hurt because of any specific thing. I think it's just because I used too much weight. The point where I damaged myself wasn't even using a weight I haven't tried recently. I was already moving that weight for the last 2 weeks. I had shoulder surgery in July 2015 and @a month ago was when I started feeling really good in my shoulders and started pushing myself on stuff that I have been limited in doing for years now prior to the surgery. Improvement came very fast probably because I use to lift a whole lot heavier before tearing my shoulder. Unfortunately I didn't think about anything and was happy to be able to see improvement that...I just kept going. I am definitely going to scale down on the poundage no matter how much I feel I can do more. I know I don't actually have to lift that heavy to get/stay at the body type I want, but I like being able to lift as much as I can at the body weight I limit myself to because ability is important too. I actually gain and maintain muscle real easy.

 

Yesterday, I was finally able to take a deep breath without feeling much pain in my chest (it's a specific spot on my chest...right upper probably right where it attaches to shoulder). I decided to go to the gym and run and then swim if I feel good. All I did was run 1 mile before I started having problems breathing again because of chest pain, so I stopped at 1 mile and just walked a couple more miles and went home. Wake up today and the pain is worse than it was yesterday to point I am back to only shallow breathing because a deep breath hurts too much. I'm gonna give it a couple days and then limit myself to just walking on the treadmill and stair steppers while holding onto the rail with my right arm to limit the arms movement.

 

Wish I could postpone my Hawaii trip, but my friends there already have their days off planed for my visit and I already paid for everything and didn't get a money back insurance anyway. Arriving there all ripped and vascular isn't going to happen, oh well. I just hope I'll be able to enjoy activities in the ocean.

[Bantosm]

Driving without a seat belt is dangerous. Doing is weight dips nah. I've been doing them for years, no problems. I think the problem comes when people try to add too much weight too fast but that will result injury with any lift.

[Imported]

Driving without a seat belt is dangerous. Doing is weight dips nah. I've been doing them for years, no problems. I think the problem comes when people try to add too much weight too fast but that will result injury with any lift.

 

I agree with the bolded, but would also say that pressing/pushing movements are the ones where most people may injure themselves, more so than any other. But especially dips. I think it's the angle, it just always feels like you can do more. At least it does for me. And ya, I went up in weight way too fast, because I use to do a lot more before. Shoulda known better.