Which is better: pushups, dips or pullups?

H

Heartbreaker

#1
#1
Which of these is considered the better body movement exercise?

I do pushups with pushup bars, which make regular pushups too easy and can crank out 8 sets of 25 reps.

I do dips on a reverse dip machine, which are actually easier than the convential dip movement, but since volume is important, I do 20 sets of 25 reps.

I use the pullup machine that assists you by decreasing your bodyweight you pull up for about 32 LB and do 10 sets of 12 reps.
 
J

jayp67

#2
#2
It's not about better...

Sounds like you are doing ALOT of sets for your exercises - maybe too many...

8 sets of push-ups @ 25 reps? Try 4 sets and do 50 reps. You can also try doing them with one leg lifted a few inches off the floor for half the set and with the opposite leg for the other half.

You are doing alot of dips. Be careful as to not dip so low that your shoulders wind up below your elbows- your shoulder girdle is delicate and you might be pushing things a bit too much...

Try not using the pullup machine. You're doing alot of sets so you may want to challenge yourself by doing them without any assist.


So, as far as which is the better body exercise... push-ups are hitting your chest, shoulders and triceps.

Dips are hitting your triceps and chest

Pull-ups are hitting your lats and biceps (especially if your palms are facing you).

Good luck with things and be careful as to not overtrain.

Oh - and do you work your legs and or core at all?

Best,

jayp67
 
K

kimura

#3
#3
Heartbreaker said:
Which of these is considered the better body movement exercise?

I do pushups with pushup bars, which make regular pushups too easy and can crank out 8 sets of 25 reps.

I do dips on a reverse dip machine, which are actually easier than the convential dip movement, but since volume is important, I do 20 sets of 25 reps.

I use the pullup machine that assists you by decreasing your bodyweight you pull up for about 32 LB and do 10 sets of 12 reps.
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I don't bother with pushups because dips work the chest and triceps much better than pushups and they're more difficult to do which is good for me, but maybe not for the average joe. Pullups are great for back development, but once again, I won't do assisted pullups because I just don't believe in doing less than your own bodyweight. I add a 45 lb. plate to my waist with a belt when doing dips and I'll soon be doing the same with pullups once I get more than 10 reps with my own bw (I'm currently at 8 reps). Pushups are not a part of my calisthenics regimen.
 
H

Hobbyist00

#4
#4
your volume is really high. Why would you not choose to go with somthing using weights for added resistance?

Dont forget lifting is more than just muscles being worked out, your CNS is being workedout as well. Rest somtimes, and cut down on the reps...even if you insist on doing so many reps, change exercises, like different angles and what not...variety is key.

You can alter the following, reps, tempo, sets. do more or less in a row, faster, slower, fast/slow at different points, angles (changes loading profile) and of couse number of total sets. variety.

Another bodymovent you can add would be lunges and squats...yes i know they are girly exercises, but what girl doesnt enjoy grabbing some nice ass once in a while.
 
F

fumpton

#5
#5
if I'm pressed for time, I like to do dips over push-ups. I don't do more than 3 set of 8 or until failure for the last set. For me, I find I hit the chest better with dips than push-ups cause I have more range of motion with the dips. My body weight is enough resistance, so I don't wear a weight belt.

Push-ups are good to get that V-shaped back. I do 2 sets of 8-12 in addition to other back and shoulder exercises.
 
H

Hobbyist00

#6
#6
Push ups should not really have much to do with your back...perhasp some lat movement to stabilize (if you look at some real heavy benchers they have lats like whoa). But if you want V-back, pull/chin ups are the way to go.

With push ups you can also vary your hand positioning, the closer, the more range of motion, and more tricep recruitment...the wider, the more chest, and less tri it uses.
 
R

robnotbob

#11
#11
do your pushups on a medicine ball. The angle of your arms will hit your chest and triceps.

You could also do standing pushups with an exercise ball against a wall.
 
P

pilon

#13
#13
kunny said:
Pull-ups are the hardest exercise to do in my opinion.
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Definitely. Gravity is pulling down your body weight and you're required to have strong fingers, wrists, biceps, triceps, delts, back, chest, abs, endurance and finally vertical balance to body weight ratio in order to successfully execute the proper pull-up. I've seen some folks they toss their body upward by momentum during the swinging or kicking of their legs. I find that extremely humorous since they must think they're now strong enough for one of the toughest exercises there is.
 
kunny

kunny

#14
#14
How the fuck do you get better at it? No matter how much you do on the lat machine or barbell row, this exercise is a mother-fucker? Any practical ideas on how to get stronger at it?
 
S

studman

#15
#15
kunny said:
How the fuck do you get better at it? No matter how much you do on the lat machine or barbell row, this exercise is a mother-fucker? Any practical ideas on how to get stronger at it?
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Kunny, I know exactly what you mean! Been doing curls on a machine for biceps, lat pullups, etc. and other exercises for triceps to get stronger arms and decided to try a pull up. Could not lift my freaking ass up once!! How discouraging and embarassing it was. Many moons ago, i could do some and never went to the gym.
 
O

Ozzy

#16
#16
Sit ups have always been the better exorcise. Push ups and pulls up work upper body but do little for the mid section where most have a problem.
 
P

pilon

#17
#17
kunny said:
How the fuck do you get better at it? No matter how much you do on the lat machine or barbell row, this exercise is a mother-fucker? Any practical ideas on how to get stronger at it?
Click to expand...
Well, big arms alone can't get you there. The primary key muscles are delts and all upper back. The core where the abs are enable support to the lower body, another word, if one loses the belly, pull-ups are a lot easier to execute.

You'll be surprise but a lot of hanging with the arms type of exercises require a strong core, abs. With strong tight muscles in your abs, you can feel the entire body lighter, quicker and stronger. You can enjoy more at the gym with a set of good abs and with the providers you're seeing tomorrow.

:)
 
H

Hobbyist00

#18
#18
Core muscles are the most important and porbably the least worked on strength wise.

Core also includes your lower back muscles and your abs. I've known people who's lifts went down considerbly post-hernia surgery...

For the pull-ups i'd suggest doing assisted ones just so you can do them. Then go heavy for low reps on a lat pulldown to get your muscles(and nerves) use to really heavy weight (relative), get a spotter to help you out. Also lose weight if you're heavy...lean mass > useless fat mass w.r.t lifts.

Also switch up the routines once you start to stagnate on somthing, switch up the grips, or the tempo.

One nice variation i use to do were towel pullups. I'd toss two towels over the bar and grab them to do the pullups...you can also use the knotted rope that's used on cable machines as well.

Also when you do the rows/lat machines how's your form? what type of set/rep structure are you using?
 
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