Chest
Dips
A foundational compound movement for building upper body power and structural integrity in the chest and triceps.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Grasp the parallel bars and push yourself up until your arms are fully extended and your body is suspended in the air.
Cross your ankles and bend your knees slightly while leaning your torso forward at approximately a thirty-degree angle to shift emphasis toward the chest.
Inhale and lower your body by bending the elbows until your shoulders are slightly below the level of your elbows.
Maintain a controlled tempo during the descent to protect the shoulder joints and keep tension on the muscles.
Exhale and push back up to the starting position by extending your arms and engaging your pectorals and triceps.
Stop just short of locking out your elbows at the top to maintain constant tension throughout the set.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Flaring the elbows excessively outward which puts undue stress on the shoulder capsule.
- Shortening the range of motion by failing to lower the body until the upper arms are parallel to the floor.
- Using momentum or swinging the legs to generate upward force instead of using the chest and arms.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.