Dips exercises: The best variations for strong arms and chest | ATLETICA

Dips exercises are one of the most effective ways to strengthen your chest, triceps and shoulders. They use your own body weight to build upper body strength and specifically define your muscles. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced trainer, dips can be easily adapted to your fitness level and offer numerous variations to help you achieve your goals. In this article, you'll learn which dips exercises are best for you, which muscle groups you train and how you can optimize your training with different fitness equipment.

What are dips exercises?

Dips exercises are a classic strength exercise in which you use your own body weight to train primarily the chest muscles , shoulders and triceps . They are one of the so-called push exercises in which the body is lifted by stretching the arms. Dips can be performed on various devices, such as parallel bars , dip bars or on a stable edge (e.g. a bench).

How do dips work?

Dips involve lowering your body by bending your arms and then pushing yourself back up by straightening your arms. This movement primarily works the triceps (back of the upper arm), but small variations can also target the chest muscles and front shoulders more.

Types of Dips Exercises:

1. Triceps dips (bench dips):

• Here you support yourself on a bench or chair and lower your buttocks down while your legs are stretched out or bent on the floor.
• Focus is on the triceps .

2. Chest Dips:

• Performed on parallel bars or dip bars, with the upper body tilted slightly forward to activate the chest muscles more.
• The focus is on the chest and triceps .

3. Assisted Dips:

• Dips on a special machine where body weight is partially supported by a platform or resistance band, ideal for beginners.

Which muscles are trained during dips exercises?

• Triceps : The main muscle trained during dips. The triceps is responsible for extending the elbow.
• Chest muscles (pectoralis) : The large pectoral muscle is particularly stressed during chest dips.
• Shoulders (Deltoids) : The front shoulders stabilize and help with the pressing movement.
• Core : The core is also activated to stabilize the body during movement.

Benefits of dips:

• Bodyweight training : Dips are an effective exercise that uses only your own body weight.
• Upper body strength : You build strength throughout your upper body, especially your arms, chest and shoulders.
• Variations : Small adjustments can place greater emphasis on different muscle groups.
• Can be combined with additional weights : Advanced users can increase the intensity by adding weights (e.g. a weight vest or dip belt).

Dips are a great exercise to train the upper body muscles effectively and functionally.

The 5 best dips exercises for strong arms and chest

Dips are a versatile exercise that works different muscles in the upper body depending on how you do it. Here are the 5 best dip exercises that you can incorporate into your workout to strengthen your triceps, chest and shoulders:

1. Parallel Bar Dips (Chest Dips)

• Description : Perform this exercise on parallel bars or dip bars. Keep your upper body slightly leaning forward to activate your chest more. Lower your body until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle, then push yourself back up.
• Target muscles : chest muscles , triceps , shoulders
• Advantages : This classic variation is ideal for training both the chest muscles and the triceps. The inclination of the upper body puts more focus on the chest muscles.

2. Triceps dips (bench dips)

• Description : Sit on a bench or chair and support yourself with your hands on the edge. Stretch your legs out in front of you and lower your buttocks until your arms reach a 90-degree angle. Then push yourself back up.
• Target muscles : triceps , shoulders
• Benefits : This exercise is easy to perform and only requires a bench or stable surface. It is particularly effective for isolating the triceps and can be performed by beginners.

3. Assisted Dips

• Description : Perform dips on a special machine where your body weight is supported by a platform or resistance band, reducing strain and making the movement easier.
• Target muscles : triceps , chest , shoulders
• Benefits : Ideal for beginners or people who don't yet feel able to handle their full body weight during dips. The support ensures correct form and helps build strength.

4. Weighted Dips (Dips with additional weight)

• Description : Perform regular dips on parallel bars ordip bars , but add extra weight by wearing a dip belt or weight vest.
• Target muscles : chest , triceps , shoulders
• Benefits : This variation increases intensity and promotes muscle building and strength improvement. Particularly effective for advanced users who want to take their dips to the next level.

5. Ring Dips

• Description : Perform dips on gymnastic rings, where the body relies more on maintaining stability. The rings move during the exercise, requiring additional core strength and balance.
• Target muscles : triceps , chest , shoulders , core
• Benefits : Ring dips are particularly challenging and require a lot of core stability and coordination . They offer an additional challenge and train the stabilizing muscles in addition to the arms and chest.

Summary:

• Parallel bar dips : Ideal for the chest and triceps.
• Triceps dips : Focus on the triceps with minimal equipment.
• Assisted Dips : Assisted dips for beginners and for building strength.
• Weighted Dips : Increase the intensity by adding weight.
• Ring Dips : Maximum challenge through unstable rings, ideal for advanced athletes.

Each of these dips exercises effectively trains the upper body and can be adapted to different fitness levels. They are ideal for building strength, muscle mass and core stability.

Can I use other sports equipment for this?

Yes, you can use different pieces of equipment to make dips more effective or varied. Here are some pieces of equipment that can help you optimize or modify your dip exercises:

1. Dip bars/parallel bars

• Description : The classic dip bars or parallel bars provide a stable surface for performing dips. They can be freestanding or attached to a power station.
• Advantages : Ideal for classic chest dips or tricep dips as they provide a stable and safe base. These machines are perfect for dips with your own body weight or additional resistance.

2. Dip belt

• Description : A dip belt is a special belt with a chain to which additional weights (weight plates or kettlebells) can be attached.
• Benefits : A dip belt allows you to perform weighted dips by increasing the weight. This increases the intensity of the exercise and is ideal for advanced athletes who want to add additional resistance.

3. Weight vest

• Description : A weight vest provides additional weight that is evenly distributed across the upper body.
• Advantages : A weight vest is an excellent alternative to a dip belt because it distributes the weight across the entire body, thus putting more strain on the shoulder, chest and triceps muscles during dips. It is also suitable for dynamic exercises.

4. Resistance Bands

• Description : Resistance bands can be stretched around the dip bars to support some of your body weight. Place your knees or feet into the band to facilitate the movement.
• Benefits : Resistance bands are ideal for beginners as they reduce body weight and help you learn the correct technique, while allowing you to progressively increase resistance by removing the band over time.

5. Gymnastic rings

• Description : Gymnastic rings are attached to ropes or straps and provide an unstable surface for dips.
• Benefits : Ring dips are much more challenging than fixed bar dips because they require additional core and stabilizer work to keep the rings in position. They increase the difficulty level significantly and are ideal for advanced athletes.

6. Kettlebells or dumbbells

• Description : When performing dips on a bench or other stable surface, you can place kettlebells or dumbbells on your thighs to add additional resistance.
• Benefits : This is an easy way to add intensity to tricep dips, especially if you don't have access to a dip belt or weighted vest.

7. Multipress (Smith machine)

• Description : A Smith machine can be used by setting the bar at hip height and performing bench dips on it.
• Pros : The Smith machine provides a stable and safe environment to perform dips, especially for beginners or those who have difficulty balancing on a freestanding bar.

Summary of devices:

• Dip bars : For classic dips and safe execution.
• Dip belt : For weighted dips and more intense training.
• Weight vest : Ideal for additional weight during dips.
• Resistance bands : For beginners or assisted dips.
• Gymnastic rings : Increase the difficulty through instability.
• Kettlebells or dumbbells: Simple additional resistance for tricep dips.
• Smith Machine : Provides stability and safety for beginners.

These machines allow you to modify your dips exercises, increase resistance or improve balance and stability depending on your fitness level and goals.