Korean Dips - Cue help needed!

Hey everyone, 

Just wanted to see if anyone has any cues out there to help me with Korean Dips - maybe I just need to map motor skills, but they seem way more difficult than they should be for me. My shoulder mobility is pretty solid - I can hit full depth ring dips and have the strength to turn out, and started doing weighted dislocates. But Korean dips just seem to elude me. 

The following cues I found so far that got me to at least go thru the motions were: 

Keep your back super hollow after your glutes cross the bar --- however, i feel like my lower back and mid back and grinding against the bar

Almost do a reverse kip to swing your feet back and up, getting into the full depth (feel some pressure in my shoulders I'm sure that's normal - but any mobility advice is appreciated)

I just can't seem to string pretty reps together, Before i hit lockout i struggle with the bar clipping my lower back/glutes, and on the way down it's not nearly as fluid as it should be. Is this just something that comes with time? or are there cues you guys could send my way? 

Note: Most of the time i do these on a barbell in a rack, which i anchor with a bunch of bands to ensure it doesn't move - could the diameter of the barbell vs a paralell/pullup bar be the issue?? 

Thanks everyone! 

Hi Stigz,

Could you post a video? That will definitely help Coach and other experienced athletes provide specific cues and feedback.

Also, perhaps try to learn the movement pattern by lowering the bar and keeping your toes on the ground, "walking" your toes backwards then forwards as you dip. Then progress by using less and less assistance from your feet. Good luck!

Best,

Chris

You can make it easier starting out by using a bit of a swing to get a sense of the movement. You don't want to be bouncing hard off the bottom, but some momentum can help you get a sense for the move, but only to start.

See how he swings into a sort of bent arm back lever and swings out? It's not good form, but it should be a relatively safe way to start out to at least get a sense of the move. Once you get a better feeling of how to push your hips out, you can start to slow them down and do them properly.

I've also found a slightly wider grip can be easier to start.

This of course assumes that your shoulder mobility is in order. If you feel any discomfort or odd sensations, skip this move and focus on mobility.

thecolin said:

You can make it easier starting out by using a bit of a swing to get a sense of the movement. You don't want to be bouncing hard off the bottom, but some momentum can help you get a sense for the move, but only to start.

 

 

See how he swings into a sort of bent arm back lever and swings out? It's not good form, but it should be a relatively safe way to start out to at least get a sense of the move. Once you get a better feeling of how to push your hips out, you can start to slow them down and do them properly.

 

I've also found a slightly wider grip can be easier to start.

 

This of course assumes that your shoulder mobility is in order. If you feel any discomfort or odd sensations, skip this move and focus on mobility.

Thanks! I'll try walking my feet to get a sense of the move, and widening my grip a little bit. I actually found this video and thought the form to be a little risky - but not being an expert, i wanted to ask the forum. I'm going on vacation but when i get back I'll post a video and see if you guys can help me out some more. Thanks! 

Like I said, the key is to swing a bit for some assistance, but don't bounce off the end of your ROM.

Coach just shared this video on Facebook a few days ago:

https://www.facebook.com/dmcmanam/videos/10153332039367603/?pnref=story

Most people swing a bit for these dips, so I don't think it's dangerous. The goal over time should be to reduce the swing and gradually descend more perpendicular to the ground.

thecolin said:

Like I said, the key is to swing a bit for some assistance, but don't bounce off the end of your ROM.

 

Coach just shared this video on Facebook a few days ago:

 

https://www.facebook.com/dmcmanam/videos/10153332039367603/?pnref=story

 

Most people swing a bit for these dips, so I don't think it's dangerous. The goal over time should be to reduce the swing and gradually descend more perpendicular to the ground.

Thanks - I saw that vid which actually prompted me to give more attention to the move, and it was quite a gut check when I was flopping around lol. 

It may help you to place a platform for your feet to hit before getting hitting bottom position, rest briefly and press back up. Doing partial ROM will perhaps help you to control the movement better and then gradually reduce platform height until having none.

The best thing would be to have a good spotter to help you control the movement until you hit good form.

Despite having good shoulder mobility Korean dips require significant shoulder extension strength. If none of above help you may want to look into shoulder extension work.

Wait, you don't have to have to end each rep sitting on the bar? This balance/timing issue has been defeating me again and again, so if those linked videos are representative of acceptable execution, I'm closer than I thought I was.

I think you should be emulating the depth and body angle of the course video. But as long as you're locking out at the top, I don't think it matters if you actually sit on the bar.

thecolin said:

... as long as you're locking out at the top, I don't think it matters if you actually sit on the bar ...

Incorrect.  

Do not sit on the bar.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

My assumption was that Kasper was just referring to the way the athlete from the Foundation video places his glutes on the bar at the top of each rep as 'sitting'. Not the way you'd sit in a chair.

Be concise.  Brushing the bar is most definitely not the same as sitting on the bar.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Brevity is certainly not one of my strengths!

I fear this is becoming a semantic/metaphysical discussion on what it means to sit. If a bear sits in the woods, does it make a sound?

I guess the pertinent question is, are the back of the legs touching the bar at the top? Or do all parts of the body remain clear of the bar at all times?

Update: Thanks everyone for your comments and help on this - managed to get the motor pattern dialed in. Just some cues that worked for me personally, maybe somebody else can benefit from it: 

Strongly depress shoulders and retract scaps. 

Maintain a very arched back 

Let your feet guide you thru the motion when they come under and behind the bar

Maintain arched back thru movement and strongly lock out, grazing glutes on bar. 

I tried the cues above and did some more shoulder extension work in preperation/warm-up, this worked like magic.