What muscles do the tricep dips work?
The tricep dip works the three heads of the triceps muscle: the long head, medial head, and lateral head. In addition to the triceps muscles, dips also target the pectoral (chest) muscles, deltoids (shoulders), and abdominals.
The advantage of this exercise over other tricep exercises is that it allows you to use your own bodyweight as resistance. This makes the exercise accessible to people of all fitness levels and can be done anywhere without any equipment.
How to perform tricep dips?
There are two main ways to perform dips: with your legs extended in front of you or bent at the knees with your feet on the ground
Bent Knee Tricep Dip
If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you start with your knees bent as this will make the exercise easier.
To perform this exercise:
Simply place your hands on an elevated surface such as a chair or bench and bend at the knee with your feet flat on the ground. Slowly lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and then press back up to the starting position. Remember to keep your core engaged throughout the entire exercise.
Straight Leg Tricep Dip
If you want to make this exercise more challenging, you can straighten your legs when you place your feet on the ground. This will make it more difficult as you will have to press up not only your body weight but also the weight of your legs.
To perform this exercise:
Start in the same position as the previous exercise with your hands on an elevated surface and your legs extended in front of you. However, instead of bending your knees, keep your legs straight. From here, lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, and then press back up to the starting position. Remember to keep your core engaged throughout the exercise.
Common Mistakes
One of the most common mistakes people make when doing tricep dips is not keeping their elbows close to their body. This puts unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint and can lead to injury.
Another mistake people make is not keeping their core engaged. This can cause your hips to sag and puts strain on your lower back.
Lastly, people often swing their body when pressing up from the bottom position. This uses momentum instead of muscle power and takes away from the effectiveness of the exercise.
Variations of the Tricep Dip
Variation #1: Bench Dips with Leg Raise
This variation is a great way to increase the range of motion and make the exercise more challenging.
To perform this variation:
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Start by placing your hands on a bench with your legs extended in front of you.
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Lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and then press back up to the starting position.
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As you lower, raise one leg off the ground and place it back down at the top of the movement.
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Repeat this exercise for the desired number of reps and then switch legs.
Variation #2: Parallel Bar Dips
This variation is a great way to increase the range of motion and make the exercise more challenging.
To perform this variation:
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Start by placing your hands on a set of parallel bars with your legs under you.
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Slowly lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and then press back up to the starting position.
Variation #3: Parallel Bar Dips with Weight
This variation is a great way to increase the range of motion and make the exercise more challenging.
To perform this variation:
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Start by putting on a weight belt or holding a dumbbell between your feet.
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Place your hands on a set of parallel bars and then slowly lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
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From here, press back up to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.
Variation #4: L-Sit Dips
This variation increases the difficulty of the exercise by adding core engagement and stability.
To perform this variation:
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Start by placing your hands on a set of parallel bars with your legs extended in front of you.
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Lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and then press back up to the starting position.
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As you press up, raise one leg off the ground and hold for a second before lowering it back down.
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Repeat this exercise for the desired number of reps.
Variation #5: Band-Assisted Dips
This variation is ideal for beginners or those who want to increase the range of motion or if you find yourself struggling with the exercise.
To perform this variation:
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Start by placing a band around a set of parallel bars and then placing your hands on the bars.
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Slowly lower your body down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and then press back up to the starting position.
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As you press up, try to straighten your arms as much as possible.
Summary
In this article, we have covered tricep dips. This exercise is a great way to build muscle in the arms and shoulders. We have also discussed the common mistakes people make when doing this exercise and how to avoid them. Finally, we have provided five variations of the exercise that you can try to make it more challenging.
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