Dips are a Mainstay of Arm Exercises

Arm Exercises: Dips

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Muscles Worked

Triceps

Every time you try to push something the triceps are the ones doing the job. The triceps are not only important for pushing something heavy, but if you are exercising in the gym or training for a certain sport, triceps will be able to assist you with other exercises as well. The Bench Dip is the exercises which doesn't require the need of dumbbells or barbells. In fact, this exercise can be performed any where you like, whether in the gym, at home in the living room, or at the office. This is what makes the Bench Dips one of the most versatile arm exercises! You can do them wherever you please. You can even perform them outdoors in your back yard; this will add motivation and self-esteem.

This exercise is both easy and very effective a since the body weight is the thing you are using as your 'barbell'. The triceps will adapt to the weight of the body they belong to and preserve balance in power, stamina and physique.

Here is how to do it.

Sit on the bench and place your hands to the side of your body with the tops of your fingers facing forward. Lift yourself up with the hand and move the hips forward. Put your legs up front with knees slightly bend. Now, as you are 'floating' in the air with the help of our hands, lower your body down (make a dip) toward the floor until the elbows reach a 90 degree angle.

Once that is achieved, lift the body up using your hands to initial position. That lift motion is achieved by the triceps; they are the ones doing the job. For more difficulty, place the heals of your feet on another bench, or something similar. This will make the triceps work harder to maintain balance and keep the repetitions going. The higher your heals are off the ground, the harder the exercise.

Inhale when you are making the dips and exhale when pushing up towards initial position.

If you're feeling fancy, you can place a weight-plate on your legs for increased resistance. You can achieve a different effect by using resistance bands, too! With exercise bands, the resistance increases as your arms straighten back to the starting position. Ouch!

Step 1: Sit on a bench with hands on the sides and feet up front slightly bended knees. You can place the feet on a bench to increase the difficulty.

Step 2: Lift the body off the bench and make a dip to the floor by bending at the elbows unil until they reach a 90 degree angle.

Step 3: Push the body up towards initial position using your triceps.

Remember to keep a straight back at all times. Keep looking forwards; find a spot on the wall and concentrate on the movement. If you want to follow your performance, place the bench in front of the mirror in the gym and start a workout journal to watch yourself progress!

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