DIPS
- CHEST
 MPEG:
Dips
CORRECT FORM
| 1) Push yourself
up onto a dip-stand. Bend your knees and cross your legs so
that your legs can clear the floor.
Keep your elbows straight, but do not lock
them out completely.
Keep your back straight as you start.
2) Begin
to bend your elbows. At the same time
you need to also lean forward slightly.
Notice
in the picture that the head and shoulders are forward in
relation to the knees.
This is what
will allow you to emphasize the pectorals more so than the
triceps.
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3) Do NOT go
beyond the level shown in the picture. Doing so forces the front
portion of the shoulder joint capsule to take the stress of your
body weight. It is not designed to do this.
4) As you push
back up, return to the straight-backed position.
5) Exhale as you
push up, inhale as you lower yourself.
MUSCLES
USED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
Dips can cause
some significant shoulder problems that will show up during other
activities like throwing or shoulder work. This is of course, only
if they are done incorrectly.
The main thing to watch
out for is dipping too low. Doing so will place the anterior
shoulder joint capsule under too much tension and pressure. This
can cause it to loosen up over time and be predisposed more to dislocation
during throwing or other shoulder activities.
Dipping too
low can also cause pressure and pinching of the rotator cuff tendons
and bursa of the shoulder. This can lead to secondary impingement
syndromes and bursitis/tendonitis.
EFFECTIVENESS
Dips are
a great natural way to develop the pectoral muscles
and can be modified to
emphasize the triceps muscles as well. And since the arms are
often used in this manner in sports-strength activities (pushing off
someone, etc), it makes the dip exercise very functional and
useful in enhancing sports.
For those stuck in the
same boring cycle, dips provide a nice alternative to one of the
bench presses. It is probably most similar biomechanically to the
decline bench press.
Once dips become too
easy, there are attachments that can be added to the legs to add
weight and continue to progress. Otherwise, if you can perform in
excess of 15 reps, it is a good idea to use dips as the final exercise
in a chest or tricep routine to completely fatigue the pecs and/or
triceps muscles.
There is
no way to completely remove the use of the pecs AND triceps muscle
in this. So, do not work your chest one day and then your triceps
the next day if dips are a part of your routine.
HELPFUL
WITH TRAINING FOR
Bodybuilding, Football, Martial arts, Boxing, Wrestling.
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