The dips constitute a rather complete exercise of musculation. They allow you to build upper body strength by focusing on the pectoral muscles and triceps. It is a physical effort that can be performed in a gym, in a public space designed for sports or even at home. You can therefore perform it anywhere. These are exercises that should not be neglected, regardless of your level, especially if you want to build muscle successfully.
Even great bodybuilders use dips to keep themselves in shape. Still called double bars, dips are multi-joint exercises that have been practiced for a very long time. Discover in this article their advantages in bodybuilding.
The interest of dips for people who do weight training
Being a multi-joint exercise like push-ups, dips involve many muscle groups. They allow athletes to work their pectorals, but also their triceps. The inside front of the shoulder, the back, and the abdominals are also solicited during this physical activity.
Indeed, the positioning of the athlete during the realization of the dips contributes to impact all the above mentioned muscles. This is what is particularly interesting during this physical effort. Moreover, there is no one way to do dips.
The positions to be taken can vary according to the muscles on which one seeks to act. In gyms, classic dips are performed on adapted equipment. But you can do dips at home with chairs, bars and trestles.
As a bodybuilding enthusiast, dips are one of the exercises you should focus on. They are very good for developing the triceps and their components. Namely the medial vastus, the long triceps and the lateral vastus.
How to do dips effectively?
To do the dips, you must start by leaning on the side bars that have been placed before the beginning of the exercise. Then, make a grip greater than the width of your shoulders between the two bars. This method will allow you to work your pectorals.
You can choose to do a tighter grip by making sure your elbows are straight. Just like if you were doing push-ups. In this case, your triceps will receive the most pressure. A book like Lafay’s allows you to see which muscle groups are being worked with each repetition.
Whether you choose to work your pecs or your triceps, the movements will never be the same. In any case, be sure to keep the range of motion that won’t cost your shoulders. The most flexible people can go up to 90%.
But it is best not to exceed this standard. If you are new to dips, you will need to be more careful. Your body is not yet used to this activity.
Safety moves when doing dips
While dips are a super beneficial exercise for working these muscles, you should be careful. For beginners: If you don’t have the power to do dips, don’t push yourself. You can turn to alternatives such as push-ups while you build up your body.
Before doing dips, remember to warm up properly. Make sure your chest is out and your shoulder blades are tight. Also, don’t look down or worse backwards. It is best to look forward when doing dips.
Breathing is also very important during this exercise. You should take a deep breath when you go up and exhale when you come down.
