Dips - Triceps Version

Triceps
Chest
Shoulders

Equipment: Bodyweight

New to this

Your first dips - triceps version

What weight should I start with on the dips - triceps version?

Bodyweight. On the assisted machine, set the counterweight at about 40 percent of your bodyweight and work down from there.

If there is no assisted machine, use a bench dip with your feet on the floor until you can hold a straight-arm support for 30 seconds.

What usually goes wrong on the dips - triceps version?

Press up to a straight-arm hold on the parallel bars. Keep your torso as upright as you can; the vertical torso is what shifts the work to the triceps.

Lower until your elbows hit 90 degrees, keeping them tucked close to your sides, then press back up and stop just short of locking out.

Most common mistake: letting the elbows flare wide, which moves the load to the chest and shoulders. Elbows point backward, not out.

If the dip bars are taken

The rope pushdown is the same push pattern with a precise load and no balance required. Bench dips need nothing but a bench, and the close-grip bench press is the barbell version of the same job: set your hands shoulder-width, no closer.

How to do it

To get into the starting position, hold your body at arm's length with your arms nearly locked above the bars.
Now, inhale and slowly lower yourself downward. Your torso should remain upright and your elbows should stay close to your body. This helps to better focus on tricep involvement. Lower yourself until there is a 90 degree angle formed between the upper arm and forearm.
Then, exhale and push your torso back up using your triceps to bring your body back to the starting position.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.