Russian Dips, HBP/PE11

Hi guys,

 

I tried searching but couldn't find much of anything on russian dips so thought i would start a new thread here.  I find these quite difficult.  I have only been doing them for a couple weeks, so it may come, but I'm having trouble getting up off my forearms unless i use body momentum to do so, which i'm assuming is bad.  I have good strength on the pushing maneuvers, and korean dips (PE9 and 10) were not too challenging.  Is this a technique thing? A mobility thing? or am I needing more wrist strength to push off the forearms.   Any advice/pointers from those who've been through the same would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

Momentum is fine to begin with, but as you go on you should try to eliminate it as much as possible.

I got some good advice from Zach in a form check thread on these; can't readily put up the link on my phone but you should be able to find it easily

That's great you guys. I appreciate it. Jon, you're correct, that form check of yours is very helpful. I'm attaching it at the bottom of this note so others can be directed to it if they come looking.

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/12138-form-check-hbp-fl-rc/#entry117582

How slow should we be aiming for on the Russian Dip transition? Seems like the athlete in the video uses a bit of momentum.

 

I can do fairly slow negative transition, but definitely need a kip (bit more than the video) to get back up.

 

I've been using a band to assist which allows me to go very slow through the concentric phase as well.

Well I just did 2 more sets of 5 with the band (skinny red one), then did some straight arm false grip hangs (just got wooden rings, couldn't do straight arm on my plastic rings so I'm loving playing around with it)...and I just smashed out 4.5 reps of russian dips without kipping. Yeewww.

 

Couple more weeks and they should be golden.

Art Vandelay said:

How slow should we be aiming for on the Russian Dip transition? Seems like the athlete in the video uses a bit of momentum.

I can do fairly slow negative transition, but definitely need a kip (bit more than the video) to get back up.

I've been using a band to assist which allows me to go very slow through the concentric phase as well.

Instead of kipping, try pushing your body back, then rapidly forward when you're in the bottom position. It helps with getting out of the hole, and eventually you don't need much of a thrust. Think protraction, then retraction.

Ravn said:

Instead of kipping, try pushing your body back, then rapidly forward when you're in the bottom position. It helps with getting out of the hole, and eventually you don't need much of a thrust. Think protraction, then retraction.

 

That's right!

 

I tried it for the first time this week in my former gym where there are real parallel bars. Initially I was totally unable to do them, like my brain had no idea what to tell to the body to do...

 

Then the guy teaching gymnastic in this gym told me the same tip and I was able to do 3 reps....still is a quite difficult move at the beginning, and on top of that I came back home with huge bruises on the inside of my arms!

It's very important to ensure a fluid movement to lock the lats at the bottom so that the scapulas could not elevate to much. some people proabably cannot perform it correctly due to lack of strength in depression when falling back from the dip.

i got the same problem at the beginning, i don't know if it was lack of control or a mental problem, i simply add 1 sett of upper arm support depression - elevation before to start! it has a good impact of the following depression!

alex87 said:

It's very important to ensure a fluid movement to lock the lats at the bottom so that the scapulas could not elevate to much. some people proabably cannot perform it correctly due to lack of strength in depression when falling back from the dip.

i got the same problem at the beginning, i don't know if it was lack of control or a mental problem, i simply add 1 sett of upper arm support depression - elevation before to start! it has a good impact of the following depression!

Yes, I had this experience too. Actively lowering my upper arms to the bars rather than just falling down, and pressure in shoulders wanting to rise that I could push against to transition to bent arm support. Particularly helped when I focused on relating the dips to muscle ups-- thinking elbows up, elbows down, elbows back up.

(Hope that makes sense...)

Some very useful information here - Peronally I've had to break the reps up into three phases to build the strength & technique on these (in particular my left elbow which feels pathetically weak in the push phase from support);

1. slow negative to bent arm support (no falling)
2. bent arm support shoulder protraction to retraction reps 
3. push phase to top of dip

I'm running these at the week 9-12 volume with my toes on the floor to scale them down a bit and to get familiar with the movements. I'm on the fourth week now and only need to briefly assist with my feet during phase 3. Seems to be getting there.

 

Quick question though - I seem to have better leverage in the push phase when my hand is more on top of the bar (first two fingers almost pointing down the bar). Is this a deal breaker for mastery in the long term?