Dips: Setup, Equipment, and Safety

How Do You Set Up Dips?

Setting up for dips involves selecting the appropriate equipment, establishing a stable and secure grip, and positioning your body to optimize muscle engagement while safeguarding joint health, particularly for the shoulders.

Understanding the Dip Exercise

Dips are a highly effective compound exercise primarily targeting the triceps brachii, anterior deltoids, and pectoralis major (lower fibers). They are a cornerstone movement for developing upper body pushing strength and muscular hypertrophy. Proper setup is crucial for maximizing the exercise's benefits and minimizing the risk of injury, especially concerning the shoulder joint.

Essential Equipment for Dips

The type of equipment dictates the specific setup and variations of the dip exercise.

• Parallel Bars/Dip Station: The most common and effective setup for traditional bodyweight or weighted dips. Look for sturdy bars with a comfortable grip width.
• Assisted Dip Machine: Ideal for beginners or those working on increasing strength. This machine uses a counterweight system to reduce the effective bodyweight load.
• Resistance Bands: Can be looped over parallel bars to provide assistance, making bodyweight dips more accessible by reducing the load at the bottom of the movement.
• Dip Belt: Used for progressive overload, allowing you to attach weight plates or dumbbells to increase resistance beyond bodyweight.
• Bench or Chairs: For triceps dips (bench dips), which are a less demanding variation primarily targeting the triceps. Requires two stable surfaces of equal height.

Setting Up for Parallel Bar Dips (Chest/Triceps Focus)

This setup is for the traditional bodyweight or weighted dip.

• Bar Selection: Choose parallel bars that allow for a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Bars that are too narrow can place excessive stress on the wrists and shoulders, while overly wide bars can compromise shoulder integrity and reduce triceps activation.
• Grip: Grasp the bars with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) or an overhand grip, ensuring your hands are secure and centered on the bars.
• Initial Body Position:
  • Arms Locked: Push down through your hands to fully extend your elbows, locking your arms out. This is your starting position.
  • Shoulder Depression and Retraction: Actively depress (push down) and retract (pull back) your shoulder blades. This creates a stable platform for your shoulders and prevents impingement as you descend. Avoid shrugging your shoulders towards your ears.
  • Core Engagement: Brace your abdominal muscles firmly to maintain a rigid torso and prevent excessive swinging or instability.
• Leg Position: Bend your knees and cross your ankles behind you. This keeps your legs out of the way and ensures your bodyweight is concentrated through your upper body. If using a dip belt, ensure the weight hangs freely between your legs.
• Safety Check: Before beginning, ensure the dip station or parallel bars are stable and secure, with no wobbling or slippage.

Setting Up for Bench Dips (Triceps Focus)

This variation is excellent for isolating the triceps and is often used by beginners or as a warm-up.

• Bench/Chair Selection: Position two stable benches or chairs parallel to each other. One will be for your hands, and the other (optional) for your feet. The height should allow for a full range of motion without your glutes touching the floor.
• Hand Placement: Sit on the edge of one bench. Place your hands on the edge of the bench beside your hips, with your fingers pointing forward (towards your feet) or slightly out to the sides. Your hands should be approximately shoulder-width apart.
• Body Proximity: Scoot your hips forward off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands and feet. Keep your back close to the bench throughout the exercise to maximize triceps engagement and reduce shoulder strain.
• Leg Position:
  • Easier: Keep your knees bent with your feet flat on the floor directly under your knees.
  • Harder: Extend your legs straight out in front of you with only your heels on the floor.
  • Most Challenging: Elevate your feet on a second bench of equal height, keeping your legs straight.

Setting Up for Assisted Dips

For those who cannot yet perform full bodyweight dips, assisted methods provide progressive steps.

• Assisted Dip Machine:
  • Weight Selection: Adjust the counterweight to provide the desired level of assistance. More weight means more assistance, making the exercise easier.
  • Pad Adjustment: Step onto the machine's platform or kneel on the pad, ensuring your body is aligned under the handles.
  • Grip: Grasp the handles with a neutral grip, similar to parallel bars.
  • Initial Position: Push down to fully extend your arms, lift your knees off the pad (if kneeling), and assume the locked-out, stable starting position.
• Resistance Band Assisted Dips:
  • Band Selection: Choose a resistance band that provides appropriate assistance (thicker bands offer more assistance).
  • Band Attachment: Loop the resistance band securely around both parallel bars, creating a sling.
  • Stepping Into the Band: Carefully step into the band with your knees or feet, allowing it to support some of your body weight.
  • Grip and Body Position: Grasp the bars and assume the standard dip starting position, allowing the band to assist you through the movement.

Pre-Dip Considerations and Safety

Proper preparation is as important as the setup itself.

• Warm-up: Always perform a dynamic warm-up that includes arm circles, shoulder rotations, and light pushing movements to prepare the shoulder joints, elbows, and wrists.
• Shoulder Health: Dips place significant stress on the shoulder joint. Individuals with pre-existing shoulder issues should consult a professional. Prioritize shoulder mobility and stability exercises.
• Progressive Overload: Once you can comfortably perform 10-12 bodyweight dips with good form, consider adding external resistance using a dip belt. Start with small increments of weight.
• Spotting: While less common for dips, a spotter can provide assistance by holding your feet or pushing up on your lower back if you are attempting weighted dips or pushing to failure.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect setup can negate the benefits and increase injury risk.

• Incorrect Bar Width: Using bars that are too wide can excessively stretch the pectorals and anterior deltoids, predisposing the shoulder to injury. Bars that are too narrow can strain the wrists and elbows.
• Shrugging Shoulders: Allowing your shoulders to elevate towards your ears (shrugging) during the setup or execution can compress the rotator cuff tendons, leading to impingement. Always depress and retract your scapulae.
• Lack of Core Engagement: A loose core leads to instability and swinging, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise and increasing the risk of lower back strain.
• Bouncing/Using Momentum: Starting the dip with a bounce or using momentum to get into the top position reduces muscle activation and places undue stress on the joints. Always initiate from a controlled, stable position.

Conclusion

The proper setup for dips is foundational to maximizing their effectiveness and ensuring safety. By selecting the right equipment, meticulously positioning your body with engaged shoulders and core, and being mindful of common errors, you can transform dips into a powerful tool for building upper body strength and hypertrophy. Always prioritize form over ego, and progress gradually to ensure a sustainable and injury-free training journey.