How to Avoid Chest Pain while Bar, Bench Dipping
Chest pain from bar or bench dipping can be quite intense, or mild, or anything in between.
Though chest pain, in general, can be frightening, since it calls to mind the idea of having a heart attack, chest pain that occurs during dipping, or right after you complete a set of this exercise, is very much most likely caused by strain on soft tissue, rather than strain on your heart.
In fact, though a set of dips on a bar or bench can be made to be very grueling, it actually doesn’t place all that much stress on the heart.
I find that after performing highly intense sets of dips with significant weight loads, my heart rate is only minimally elevated at the conclusion.
To help avoid chest pain from bench or bar dips, here are guidelines.
Warm up properly.
I don’t treat dips as a warm-up any more than I treat bench press or deadlifts as a warm-up.
To me, this multi-joint triceps routine is as real a compound weight routine as are bench press and chin-ups.
My warm-up here is a shoulder routine, and even that has a warm-up.
Though dipping is primarily a triceps exercise, it taxes the shoulder joints, so before bench dips, I do a set of lateral raises.
GeorgeStepanek/creativecommons
This really warms up the shoulder joints including the rotator cuff, which gets hit during dips.
Any shoulder routine will do for a nice warm-up, or, if you prefer, warm up with a chest exercise.
This may be better for people who get chest pain from dips. A cold, stiff chest is more likely to be strained during dipping, than is a chest that’s warmed up with prior pressing motions.
And of course, do bodyweight-only dips before you do your heavier sets of this exercise.
If your heaviest bar dips are bodyweight-only, then do a few sets with your feet assisting; or, do seated (bench) dips as the warm-up.
Freepik.com
Some chest stretching motions will also be a good idea, and these can be done in between dip sets.
Control the negative.
Don’t drop down or let gravity assist you when lowering yourself. Control the negative as you would with the negative in a bench press or squat.
Don’t go too deep.
Freepik.com, prostooleh
I always tell my clients not to let their elbows bend more than 90 degrees. Or, to put it another way, don’t let the upper arm go past parallel with the floor.
For very trained individuals, a little past parallel is fine, but don’t overdo it.
Breathe correctly.
Inhale when you lower, and exhale when you push up.
Relax shoulders.
Don’t tense them up. Some people may do this out of nervousness when getting ready to do bar dips, or heavy-weighted bench (seated) dips.
Don’t place hands too far apart.
The further your hands are apart, the more chest muscle fiber is recruited; the more strain on the chest muscle.
Shutterstock/RomarioIen
Placing hands closer together than usual will more target the triceps and will help prevent chest pain during dips.
Don’t get ahead of yourself with increasing weight load with this multi-joint exercise. Yes, it’s so tempting to do this.
But don’t increase the weight load until you can do 12 reps. And then increase it just a little bit.
If none of these tactics work in preventing chest pain from dips, then take a break from this exercise for a few weeks or so, and focus on substitution exercises like very narrow-grip bench press and supine elbow extension with a barbell.
You may have an inflammatory process caused by injured cartilage. If rest still doesn’t combat the problem, see a sports medicine doctor.
If you experience chest pain from exercise in general, see a cardiologist immediately.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
Long Femur, Short Torso Squat Myths About Body Proportions
There’s some false beliefs out there about long femurs, short torsos and difficulty with squats that need to be cleared up fast.
It’s bigger than I thought, all this talk about long femurs and short torsos screwing up people’s attempts to perform a halfway decent parallel back squat, let alone a full back squat.
Let’s clear up some myths surrounding the anthropometrics of the long femur to torso ratio and how it relates to breaking parallel in the back squat, as well as just going parallel.
“Tall people necessarily have long femurs.”
Well, yeah, when you consider absolute length. But the whole issue of “long femurs” and the back squat has to do with relative length of the thigh bone to the length of the torso.
Note the exceptional “anthropometrics” here as far as squatting. This man can be any height, including 6-5. Femur length to torso length has nothing to do with overall body height.
People also forget to realize that with the tall person’s long femurs also comes a longer torso, and this typically balances things out.
Sometimes, long thigh bones go with short shin bones, but this ratio won’t interfere much with the back squat if the torso exceeds the length of the thigh bone.
A person can be 7 feet tall and still have a femur that’s much shorter than his torso, and also shorter than his shin bone.
So though the thigh bone is long in the absolute sense, it’s short in the relative sense.
“Disproportionately long femurs occur only in tall people.”
Wrong. Short people can have out of whack femur length to their body height, such as marathon runner John Kagwe (below) who stands 5-6.
Look around at your gym for further proof.
“Short people can’t have relatively long femurs.”
See above.
“People with long femurs can learn to squat upright by developing other efficiencies.”
This is a grey, fuzzy area, because some athletes can squat virtually upright due to femurs much shorter than their torsos.
His femurs appear to be HALF his torso length!
On the other hand, “upright” to many athletes does not mean “vertical.” It means a straight back (not rounded), albeit somewhat leaned forward.
Honing hip and ankle flexibility will allow the long-femur person to lessen the vertical lean, but they will never have what is considered an upright posture during the back squat unless they use a good Sumo stance or heel elevation.
“People with long femurs should avoid doing back squats.”
There’s no reason why they shouldn’t do back squats as long as they execute excellent form and never round their back.
Having longer femurs than the torso is not a handicap (just ask any competitive cyclist, kickboxer or high jumper).
“If the femurs are longer than the torso, this is no excuse to struggle with back squats.”
Yes it is. If you can’t understand why, try this experiment. Sit in a chair at the edge where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Lean forward and keep an arch in your lower back.
Stop when your shoulders are vertically over your ankles.
No problem, right? This assumes you don’t have “long femurs.”
You shouldn’t be that much leaned forward.
Now, to understand what someone with “long femurs” experiences, imagine that your knees protrude out a few inches more, beyond your shoulders.
This would make your ankles a few inches further from the chair. Thus, in order to align your shoulders over your ankles, you’d have to lean forward more.
Pretend, and lean forward more. And more. Keep your lower back arched.
Can you appreciate what someone with long femurs to torso must go through?
If you’re not really feeling it, then add a few more imaginary inches to your upper legs.
If you have short (relatively!) thigh bones, you may have to imagine six extra inches.
“Those with long femurs that interfere with back squats should wear Oly shoes.”
Unless you’re training for competition in which these shoes are required, there’s no need to spend all the money.
One-inch shoe inserts (targeted to people who want to appear taller) will suffice.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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Source: marathonchamps.com/a-JohnKagwe.html
Why Obese Women Can’t Lose Weight on a Treadmill
Just because you haven’t lost weight despite all the time you’ve spent walking on a treadmill doesn’t mean that you can’t change this outcome.
I’ve worked with many heavy women who wanted to lose large amounts of weight, and the treadmill is an inviting mode of exercise.
What I’ve also noticed, in my years of working out at many health clubs, is that almost every obese woman who uses a treadmill…HOLDS ONTO THE MACHINE.
This very act—holding onto the treadmill—is what’s preventing you from losing weight.
Now, if previous to using the machine, you were very sedentary, and then you decided to walk an hour on your new treadmill (or the one at the local gym) every day after work, replacing an hour of TV or computer time, then of course there will be some weight loss.
But have you noticed it only went so far? It stopped after 10 pounds, maybe only five?
Maybe you lost more, but it then halted, and you’ve continued walking that hour, day after day, month after month after month … and the scale has not budged, even though there’s a lot more weight to be lost.
What’s going on? You’re holding on. (If you’ve been swinging your arms and have hardly lost any weight, I’ll explain that soon.)
Obese women who hold onto a treadmill should expect very little weight loss from specifically this exercise.
Shutterstock/ LightField Studios
If they’re also doing intense, compound strength training and sticking to a sensible diet, they’ll lose a good amount of weight.
But the time spent on a treadmill, holding on, will serve almost entirely to waste time or as a social platform to chat with other treadmill users. But don’t count it in as a weight loss station.
Why does holding onto a treadmill sabotage weight loss?
You use far fewer muscles. The act of holding on eliminates most of the workload from the core muscle group.
It also subtracts work from the legs. Don’t be fooled by the calorie display. If you stepped off the machine and let it run empty, the calorie display would continue showing rising numbers!
You may think that an hour a day on a treadmill, even if holding on, amounts to a lot of exercise, but just think about something for a moment:
How can something SO easy melt off excess weight? Yes, you put the time in, but time is meaningless if the workload is meaningless.
In order for the obese woman to force her body to burn fat for fuel, she must add an activity to her baseline that forces her body to adapt.
The activity must shock the body and force it to change. The activity must be easier for a slim body to perform than an obese body.
Holding onto a treadmill does not meet any of these criteria. Put aside all the science of human kinetics, kinetic chains, gait patterns, biomechanics and all the other mumbo-jumbo, and repeat to yourself these four simple words: YOU ARE HOLDING ON.
Say these words enough and you’ll soon have powerful insight into why this sabotages the weight loss plan.
What is the obese woman’s baseline?
That’s the level of activity your body is used to, that it’s adapted to and efficient at.
This includes the normal walking you do in day-to-day life (on the job, at stores, around the house).
If you step onto a treadmill, only to hold on while your feet glide along with the moving tread…you’ve just taken yourself a notch BELOW your baseline.
This is because your baseline consists of walking around without holding onto anything for support (on the job, at stores, around the house).
A downgrade in baseline! Repeat that: a downgrade in baseline activity!
You may still rationalize by thinking, “Well, at least it’s more activity than sitting in front of the TV.” Yes, it is, you’re correct.
But is it enough to accomplish your weight loss goal? No, no, no.
Do you want to simply make comparisons to the energy expenditure of watching TV? Or do you want to lose a large amount of weight?
How can an obese woman lose weight with a treadmill?
Take your hands off the treadmill and walk at a pace that your body is not used to. This will put you ABOVE your baseline.
Shutterstock/ Ljupco Smokovski
Your body will go, “Hey! What’s going on here?” It will be forced to adapt. Forced adaptation raises your body’s energy needs. Translation: weight loss!
Make the session challenging. You should be breathing heavily, and hot and sweaty. It should be uncomfortable. This will force adaptation. Your body will dip into fat stores to accommodate this new demand.
Keep your hands off the treadmill!
- Don’t go setting the incline at 15 percent and the speed at 3 mph, and then say you can’t walk without holding on.
- Settings like this are far beyond your capacity.
- Be realistic.
- Even 2 mph at 15 percent, sustained, is pretty stiff.
Obese women who haven’t lost weight with the treadmill must remove their hands from the machine.
If you’ve already been swinging your arms and have not lost much weight…increase the speed and/or incline to force more adaptation—but no matter what you do—swing your arms.
Hold on only to steady yourself while drinking water, taking heart rate or changing the settings.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Creativa Images
What Does a Tiny Dark Spot in a Mole Mean?
Can a small dark spot inside a mole possibly mean melanoma?
Unfortunately, the answer is YES — it can be an early sign of this deadly skin cancer that can sneak up on people.
“Any area of excess pigmentation in an existing mole can be an early sign of skin cancer,” says Dr. Rebecca Tung, MD, a
“Similarly focal bleeding or scabbing can also be worrisome signs that a mole is undergoing malignant change.
“Getting this mole looked at by a dermatologist would be a good idea to find out whether or not the mole is okay or not.”
You should have a dermatologist check your skin, including your scalp, on an annual basis.
Even if your primary care specialist performs a skin check, they don’t have the training that a dermatologist has.
What to Do
Ideally, have both your primary care doctor and dermatologist perform the clinical skin exam, because two pairs of medical eyes are always better than one pair.
The doctor will not only check all throughout your scalp, but on the soles of your feet and between your toes.
Request that your dermatologist use a “dermatoscope,” sometimes also called a dermascope.
This device provides lighting and magnification, enabling the doctor to get a much more detailed look at moles and other spots on your skin.
Dr. Tung’s
specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/metamorworks
Small Moles Growing Together: Melanoma or Benign?
Here’s what a dermatologist says about small moles growing together and the possibility of melanoma.
“Sometimes a normal existing mole (round and regular in shape) may seem to morph into a larger, irregular lesion,” says Dr. Rebecca Tung, MD, a
Dr. Tung explains, “There are a few possible scenarios that may be in play:
“1. The mole may have undergone change into an atypical (dysplastic) mole or even skin cancer (melanoma).
“2. Sometimes adjacent freckles grow darker with sun exposure and seem to join up with a nearby mole.
“In either case, it is a good idea to have that concerning mole checked out by a dermatologist.
“He or she will examine the spot visually, and possibly with a special instrument that magnifies called a dermatoscope.
“If the lesion looks suspicious, a skin biopsy may be recommended to view the cells and architecture of the skin under the microscope.”
When in doubt, have it checked out.
Dr. Tung’s specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/LightField Studios
Punch Biopsy for a Mildly Atypical Mole
What does a dermatologist think about a punch biopsy for a mole that’s slightly atypical?
An “atypical” mole means it’s more likely to morph into melanoma than is a typical mole.
“A suspicious mole can be biopsied (sampled) in a variety of ways: a punch biopsy, shave biopsy or excision,” says Dr. Rebecca Tung, MD, a
“After the skin is numbed with local anesthetic, the lesion in question can be removed with a circular scalpel (punch biopsy) and closed with a stitch or two.
“If the mole seems more superficial, a special scalpel called a dermablade can be used to remove the mole.
“Alternatively, if a deeper biopsy is needed or the doctor wants to remove the lesion entirely, an excision (removal with a scalpel needing stitches) may be suggested.
“Regardless of how the biopsy is performed, the intent is to make sure the spot is not skin cancer.”
Make an appointment with a dermatologist to have a full skin exam. Ask the doctor to point out any moles that appear to be atypical.
Keep a close eye on them as well as for any new or changing spots on your skin.
Dr. Tung’s specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Shutterstock/ilusmedical
What Does Pus Coming out of a Mole Mean?
This can mean melanoma, but a mole oozing pus can also have a benign cause.
“Pus or even infection in a mole is not in itself a sign of melanoma,” says Dr. Rebecca Tung, MD, a
“People can have an acne cyst at the same location as a mole — causing it to swell or become infected.
“Because some skin cancers produce unusually fragile skin which can be easily traumatized, they can become infected and produce pus.
“If your mole is behaving weirdly, a quick checkup with the dermatologist can help sort out if skin cancer is present or not.”
Melanoma. Laurence Meyer, MD. cancer.gov
The Acne Cyst
Acne cysts are deep, sometimes painful, and swollen nodules that can form when hair follicles become clogged with excess oil and dead skin cells.
The pus in acne cysts is usually thick, yellowish or white. It’s a collection of dead white blood cells, bacteria and cellular debris.
It can feel semi-solid or gel-like, and it may be under pressure, contributing to the pain and swelling of the cyst.
The pus can vary in color, ranging from white to yellow, depending on the stage of the infection and the presence of different types of bacteria.
It’s easy to see that is all of this is coincidentally occuring alongside a mole, or the irritated follicle just happens to be inside the mole, that it can make a person wonder if it’s melanoma.
Do not delay getting a mole, that seems to have pus coming out of it, examined by a dermatologist — who is better qualified than a general practitioner to inspect the spot.
A dermatologist is more equipped than a general practitioner to assess unusual moles.
Dr. Tung’s specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/New Africa
Scratch Mole, It Bleeds: Melanoma?
Do you have a mole that bled after you scratched it and are now fearing it’s melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer?
“If a mole that is scratched bleeds, this may signify skin cancer,” says Dr. Rebecca Tung, MD, a
In some melanomas (skin cancer), the architecture of the skin is abnormal and the skin is unusually fragile, leading to easy bleeding from only minor trauma.
“While it is possible to make any skin lesion bleed if it is scratched aggressively, a mole that bleeds from only minimal irritation deserves to be looked at by a dermatologist to determine if it is okay or needs further evaluation with a skin biopsy.”
I thought that the malignant cells of melanomas were so “sticky” that it would require quite a bit of trauma to shear the structure enough to cause bleeding. Dr. Tung explains:
“Skin cancers that grow rapidly typically have significant blood supply.
“These close to the surface vessels can be provoked to easy bleeding with only minimal skin trauma like scratching or rubbing.”
Dr. Tung’s specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/LightField Studios
When Should You Stop Getting New Moles?
Over age 40 and noticing what appear to be new moles growing on your skin?
“People in the 40-50 age bracket may begin to get scary looking pigmented growths called seborrheic keratoses — which are perfectly harmless and are a part of the aging process,” says Dr. Rebecca Tung, MD, a
“Freckles (which are also benign) may also come up over the course of a lifetime, especially if the person has significant sun exposure.
“Generally speaking, a new mole which crops up in an adult should be evaluated.”
A seborrheic keratosis (skin barnacle) can easily pass as a mole. I had one on my back for the longest time and had always believed it to be a mole. It was part of my routine visual skin inspection.
Then one evening I noticed it had changed in appearance. This alarmed me like mad—because all that time, I had thought it was a mole.
I was scared out of my wits and next day made an appointment with a dermatologist.
Her first words, after she took a look at it, was, “I don’t think it’s a mole.” She said it was a seborrheic keratosis.
I had it removed for biopsy anyways, and the result, indeed, came back as a seborrheic keratosis.
Nevertheless, don’t assume that the “new mole” might be a harmless skin barnacle.
People are not supposed to get new moles (as in nevi) as they get older. Have the spot checked by a dermatologist.
Dr. Tung’s specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Motortion Films
Can an Itching, Bleeding Mole Be Benign?
You’re not a hypochondriac if you fear that an itching, bleeding mole might be melanoma rather than benign.
“While people are familiar with the ABCD’s of mole evaluation- – Asymmetry (one half of the mole does not resemble the other half), Border irregularity (jagged or scalloped), Color changes (the mole has gained or lost pigmentation), Diameter growing (growth in size) — the E factor (evolving), which encompasses itching, bleeding and any other change, can also signal skin cancer,” explains Rebecca Tung, MD, a
“Seeing a dermatologist can help determine what is going on with the mole in question.
“Sometimes people may shave or traumatize a benign mole, leading to symptoms of bleeding and itching.
“However, an evaluation will help to shed light on whether the mole is harmless or requires a skin biopsy to make certain it is not cancerous.”
Dr. Tung’s specialties include general dermatology with skin cancer surveillance, moles, melanoma, surgery (Mohs micrographic, laser, skin cancer reconstruction) and cosmetic dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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