How does everyone here go about adding more weight to things like dips and pull-ups? I've been stuffing 2 1/2 pound dumbbell plates in my pockets, but Im going to be out of pocket space in a few weeks by my reckoning.
Grip dumbells between your feet. Kind of annoying but if you're in the gym then it should have a padded floor so you can just drop it.
Buy a Dip Belt( can be used for Chins) and thread desired weight plates throught it. http://www.bodyhut.com/cgibin/shop.cgi?detail=yes&product=0335 Esstiental for people into BW excerises. Don't know if thats cheap for UK,just first link with photo I found.
I think I'll go with the backpack, I know I have at least one lying around that I used to carry every damned schoolbook I had in. Folks wondered why on earth I carried so many damned books, until I wound up second in my gym class for situps, just one behind the guy on gymnastics team. Blast those gymnasts!
A backpack is not your best bet IMHO. It will put an awkwed pressure on the joints and muscles being worked. I used to do this and it is ok for a few kilos but when the pack starts getting heavy then I am sure its dangerous. Just my opinion. Anyway, if you dont want to by a dip belt then there are 2 cheap options that I still use to this day. Buy a cheap normal weight belt (about 8 quid) some chain and 2 strong carabiners. Loop the belt once around the belt and then clip it. And then once around the desired weights and clip that. You now have a dip belt. Another option I use which is actually reletivly comfortable is an old car seatbelt. Go to a scrappy and cut a nice long length out of a car (I reccomend nissan micras ). Tie it around the weight , climb into the loop, and lt it hang off your butt. The weight is ditributed on your thighs and butt just like a comercial dip belt. Just make sure you tie a good knot. Hope this helps
I use to do dips with a karate belt. it is simple. just tie it and olace it around your waist. I used to do this wiht an 80 pounds dumbell and it was secure enough. now that I am back into exercising and doing it with a 40 pound just two months after starting back. Remenber muscles have memory. By the way i was four years without training.good luck.
Get a dip belt their class. A tad uncomfy(sp) when you get up to the heavier weight but great additions to your training.
An alternative to using weight plates is to use sand bags/gravel in a rucksack. They are much kinder to your back due to the fact that they kinda mould to the shape of your back and have no sharply defined edges which cant knock into your spine.
