Dips are one of the basic exercises in bodybuilding. The exercise mainly uses the triceps (M. triceps brachii ) and the large pectoral muscle (M. pectoralis major) as well as the front part of the deltoid muscle (M. deltoideus pars clavicularis). Due to its high effectiveness, dip training is extremely popular. The exercise on the Dip bar however, is not for beginners. The reason is that a tremendous amount of strength is required to manage your own body weight. While beginners run the risk of seriously injuring themselves during the exercise, the dip bar exercise is a great way for advanced exercisers to get the most out of their triceps and chest.
Starting position and execution
For the exercise, get into the squat position on the dip bar. Grasp the bars in a neutral grip position. Arms are almost fully extended upward. The emphasis is on almost, because a full extension would put too much strain on the elbow joints. The exercise can be performed in two different postures, depending on the training goal:
Focus on the triceps.
If you have included dip training in the training plan mainly for strengthening your triceps, the upper body must be kept upright during the execution of the exercise. Your gaze is straight ahead, and your legs are extended downward as much as possible. Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible - they must not lean outward!
[product="P-00095"]
Focus on the chest
If you want to train mainly the (lower) chest on the dip bar, take your chin to your chest and bend your legs backwards. The upper body is tilted forward. Unlike the dip workout for triceps, the elbows will dodge to the sides during the downward movement.
Regardless of the focus on the chest or triceps, the lower back must be kept in a slight hollow cross position. This will prevent unnecessary stress on your spinal discs during the execution of the movement.
Begin the exercise by inhaling and lowering your body downward. For this, the arms must be bent in a controlled manner. As soon as your upper arms are parallel to the floor (angle between upper and lower arms is 90 degrees), the first phase of the movement is complete.
Now exhale. At the same time, push yourself back to the starting position. The arms must not be fully extended at the end of this movement!
Shifting the training focus by varying the grip width
The training focus on the dip bar can also be shifted by varying the grip width. Similar to the bench press, a wide grip puts more stress on the chest; a narrow grip primarily involves the triceps in performing the movement. A Dip bar from Pullup & Dip is ideal for varying between these grip widths at any time: Thanks to the V-arrangement, you only have to train "further forward" or "further back" on the bars for the variation.
To our unique pull-up and dip bar:
[product="P-00062"]
Typical mistakes during execution
Bending the arms too far
Like any other strength exercise, dip training is not spared from typical mistakes. A very painful and by far the most common mistake is bending the arms too far: If the angle falls below 90 degrees, the elbow joints as well as the shoulder area are very heavily loaded. Although some bodybuilders believe that the effectiveness of dip training is maximized by going below the angle. However, sports science studies (e.g., by Behrens and Buskies) prove the opposite.
Shoulders drop forward
You should also make sure that your shoulders do not fall forward during the negative movement. Instead, try to pull your shoulder blades together.
Swinging with the body
Also, avoid swinging with your body. Quite a few strength athletes try to get a few more reps by swinging. However, this completely misses the point of the exercise and carries a high risk of injury.
Learn more about the correct execution of dips here:
Strengthen the triceps and chest with dips
Dip training is ideally suited to steel the triceps and chest. One advantage of the exercise is that, except for the dip bar, you don't need any equipment. Below we summarize the most important aspects of the exercise once again. Keep in mind that proper execution is the be-all and end-all of dip training!
Dip training for triceps
- Upper body upright
- Look straight ahead
- Legs extended downward
- Elbows close to body
- Elbows extended at the highest point (not completely!)
- Angle should not be less than 90 degrees
Dip training for chest
- Chin on chest
- Upper body is bent forward
- bend legs backwards
- Tense trunk muscles
- Do not go below angle of 90 degrees
- Extend elbows at the uppermost point (not all the way!)
Dips should always be performed with full range of motion.
Are you looking for a pullup and dip bar to effectively train dips and pullups?
At Pullup & Dip, we offer high quality pullup and dip bars for your home and garden.
Recommended Articles:
The top five chin-up mistakes - and how to avoid them!
Biceps pull-up training on the pull-up bar - 5 top exercises
