Antagonist of Dips

Ian King states that each exercise should have an antagonist, ie: a bench press is opposite of a row. Each antagonistic group should be worked equally to prevent muscle imbalances. My question is this: what is the opposite or antagonistic exercise to a dip? I think either a shrug or an upright row, but am not really sure. Also, what bodyweight exercise could you perform opposite a dip? Thanks.

check poliquins article in issue 1…I think the exercise he uses opposite the dip is seated DB curl. You could do pullups opposite dips as well.

I would have to say it would be pullups, or lat pulldowns.

armpit rows

Look at the exercise: Hands parallel on each side of the body, pulling up, instead of pushing down. Sounds, like a dumbbell upright row to me. What do you think? Best of Luck.

Dumbell row or armpit row seems to fit the best, thanks for your input guys. By the way, I think that the antagonist of a pull-up is a overhead press. Thanks everyone.

Can’t think of a bodyweight version, but I would try barbell hang cleans with minimal leg assist.

Well, the armpit row is as close as you’ll get conventionally. But how’s about just getting in the dip stand upside down and doing it that way? I used to do those in jr high.

Sure you can. Grab the dip bars on the outside with your plams facing each other. Now, carefully rotate your body so that your feet are over your head and you are hanging by your hands upside down in the dip bars. (stop by a play ground, childern do this all the time) Now, pull yourself up until your hands touch your arm pits. The lower yourself to starting position. Best of Luck.

Wide grip upright row upon first thought. Makes sense to me

I’ve been actually thinking about this question. I have to agree: upright rows would be the suitable antagonistic exercise. ( I was actually spending time in between sets of deads earlier today, visualizing a pullup and a upright row and the differing muscle groups working either exercise…wierd).

I think it depends on upper body angle. A pure upright dip would be antagonistic to an upright row. A dip with a slight lean forward would be antagonistic to a bent row.

i assume people are lookin for balance in the sense of the internal and external rotation. in this case deadlifts or bent rows, not pullups would be antagonists

Interesting suggestion Older Lifter. Will perhaps try inverted dips some time for fun on a Friday afternoon when nobody’s looking .