How to do tricep dips and the muscles worked, (not just the triceps). Tricep dips is one of the best tricep exercises you can perform, it can even easily be performed at home without any gym equipment, however some form of equipment is needed even if it’s just a chair.
Tricep dips or simply dipsĀ is a compound exercise that works and develops multiply muscles including the chest, triceps and shoulders.
Tricep Dips Muscles Worked & Variations
- Wide grip – focuses more on the chest (pectorals) also leaning forward during the dip will focus more on the chest muscles
- Narrow grip – focuses more on the triceps, keeping your body in an upright vertical position also helps to target those triceps.
Equipment that can be used
Tricep dip frame – two parallel bars, using parallel bars to perform the dip can be too difficult for some, if this is the case for you, you could perform them just using a bench as they’re easier to perform this way.
Tricep dip cable pin machine – allows for assisted dips, this machine has a pad that you rest your knees on, the pad is attached to weights which aid you during the exercise by pushing your body up via the knee pad.
Weighted belt – when your own body weight just isn’t enough anymore you could wear a weighted belt to add extra resistance during the dip.
Equipment you can use at home
- Bench
- Bed
- Chair
Whatever you use, make sure it’s sturdy and safe
How to do Tricep Dips
- Place your hands behind your body about shoulder width apart, holding onto the bench with your knuckles facing forward with your legs together straight out in front of you.
- keep a slight bend in your arms and straighten your legs, then slowly lower yourself bending your elbows so that they are bent at about a 90 degree angle with you upper arms just above parallel with the floor.
- Then slowly and in a controlled fashion return yourself to the start position.