If you have been to Korea, you may have noticed that there are many places in Korean cities with outdoor exercise equipment. They are free, open-air public gyms.
Such places are not just in cities. They are also on the hiking trails around the cities. And we Koreans humorously call them ‘Sansjang.’ Literally, it means gyms(‘jang’) in the mountains(‘san’).
Last Sunday, I went to Gubongdo Island, which has walking trails where people can enjoy the forest and the beach at the same time.
As expected, I found a mountain gym, and there was a parallel bar among the exercise equipment.
I have done dips from time to time, but I recently made up my mind to add them to my exercise routine to pair them with pull-ups, which I’ve been doing for a couple of years.
My pull-ups statue: Stuck at 11 pull-ups for nearly a year
What Dips and Pull-Up Have in Common
* Both are highly effective, compound body-weight exercises. Calisthenics in other word.
* Both are closed-chain movements. Your hands are fixed to an object (pull-up bar or parallel bar) while your body moves vertically. I like the simplicity of movements.
* Both primarily target the upper body and build significant muscle and strength.
* Equipment-dependency is minimal. Just pull-up bars and/or parallel bars. Both can be performed in gyms, or playground(open-air) equipment like ‘Sansjang’. And, there are many optional simple equipment items to exercise at home or in the office. I have one.
* Easy progression. Our own weight acts as a resistance. If you need assistance, you can use elastic bands with different resistance. And if you want progressive overload, there are weight belts with different weights
Differences between Dips and Pull-Up
Pull-ups focus on pulling muscles; on the other hand, dips focus on pushing muscles. That is, the two exercises are in opposition, namely forming an antagonistic relationship.
Therefore, while vertical pulling muscles(including the lats, upper back, shoulders, and biceps) work, the opposite vertical pushing muscles(including the chest, triceps, and front shoulders) can rest. Active recovery could occur, which means workout time efficiency.
This perfect balancing and combination could be a great way not only to maximize muscle growth but also to build well-proportioned upper-body strength.
Setting pull-ups and dips together is an excellent exercise combination that’s worth giving a try, even if you’re over 60.
However, if you are over 60 like me, don’t obsess over increasing the number of reps. Guys over 60 are well aware of the limits of our age, right?
Leave a Reply