Grow your arms with bodyweight only
The goals of many include building up their arms to be shirt ripping pythons, and many people tend to focus solely on their biceps when building impressive arms. However, did you know that your triceps comprise approximately 60% of your arms (1)? Incorporating movements that hit that muscle group, such as tricep dips, is an excellent starting point for achieving bigger, more defined arms.
The triceps dip is a versatile upper body exercise that works on your arms, chest, and even your shoulders. Your bodyweight is the only resistance you need to do this exercise. This guide examines triceps dips and why this exercise is great for your arms. We also share other great exercises that you can use to build your triceps.
That being said, we are going to take a deep look into triceps dips, how to do them, and answers to some questions you might have on triceps dips.
Techniques & Muscles Worked
Tricep dips primarily work on your triceps brachii while engaging your pecs and delt. You also activate your core muscles, like the abs and obliques, when you dip the triceps. You can do a triceps dip with the bars at a dip station. The requirements are two stable, sturdy parallel bars and your bodyweight. Below is a step-by-step guide for this exercise.
- Grab the bars with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and extend your body with your elbows. You can cross your ankles to help with stability. This is your starting position.
- Push down on the bar while maintaining a firm grip to lower your body. You’ll want to go down as far as possible for a complete range of motion without placing excess stress on your shoulders. To prevent shoulder pain, stop when your arms form a 90-degree angle.
- Slowly raise your body back to the starting position to complete the rep, ensuring that your torso stays upright throughout the movement and that your elbows are close to your body the entire time.
- Repeat for as many reps as you desire.
*Note: You can use a triceps dip machine to make the movement easier by reducing the body weight you’ll have to lift. On the contrary, you can progress this exercise using a weighted vest or belt during the movement.
Bench Dip Variation
An easier version of this exercise requires doing them on a surface like a bench, which was a favorite movement of Arnold Schwarzenegger, a 7x Mr. Olympia champion. In this variation, you would be lifting much less of your weight and only extending your triceps to perform the movement.
Benefits
Triceps dips are a great way to build your arm, chest, and shoulder muscles. Below are the specific benefits of this exercise.
Arm Growth
Your tricep muscles are responsible for the extension of your elbows. When your elbows extend under your bodyweight during this exercise, it tasks your triceps, leading to growth. And since your triceps make up most of your arm, your arms will significantly grow. For muscle hypertrophy, use a rep range of 8-15 reps, as research shows that this is most effective (2).
Build Your Pecs, Delts, & Core
Tricep dips also build muscle mass in your pecs, delts, and core muscles. Your core muscles, in particular, stay activated throughout the range of motion to control your body during the concentric and eccentric phases. Tricep dips also strengthen your forearm muscles as you grip the bar.
Increased Upper Body Strength
They will improve your relative strength and ability to control and move your body as they’re a calisthenic movement that requires you to push up your entire body weight. Not locking out your elbows when doing them keeps your muscles under tension for longer, which is excellent for growth (3).
Better Muscle Definition
Triceps dips also define your muscles since getting good at bodyweight movements improves your body composition. The more defined your muscles are, the better their appearance.
Improve Your Posture & Stability
The more balanced your chest and back muscles are in proportion to one another, the better your posture will be. In addition, since triceps dips challenge your core for stabilization, you’ll improve your stability.
Triceps Dip Alternatives
While the triceps dip is an excellent exercise for your arms and upper body, it should not be the only exercise you do for your triceps. This could lead to a plateau where your muscles stop progressing. Below are other triceps blasting routines to add to your arm day workouts.
Ring Push Ups
Ring push-ups are great for triceps, pecs, delts, obliques, and wrist flexors. This exercise, an advanced version of the regular pushup, is a core shredder. Due to the stability it requires, all the muscles it activates stay working at every point of this exercise.
Overhead Triceps Extensions
Overhead triceps extensions build your triceps with free weights. This routine is an isolation exercise for the arms, and you can do it with dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, or a cable machine. You can do this exercise seated or standing.
Triceps Kickbacks
Triceps kickbacks are also an isolation movement for your triceps. Triceps kickbacks hit all three heads that make up the triceps but specifically focus on the lateral head.
FAQs
What is triceps dips good for?
Triceps dips are good for building and increasing the size of your arm muscles. They are also great for your chest, shoulder, and core. This is a good exercise to do if you want to increase your upper body strength.
How to do tricep dip step by step?
You need two parallel but sturdy bars to carry your body weight to do the tricep dip. In addition, you can do the bench or machine variations, which is especially recommended for beginners. For step-by-step directions, check the guide above.
Do dips work all 3 heads?
Yes, dips target and work on all three heads of the triceps. However, this movement emphasizes your medial and lateral head.
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References
- Tiwana MS, Sinkler MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle. [Updated 2023 Aug 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536996/
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Van Every, D. W., & Plotkin, D. L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 9(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032
- Mang, Z. A., Ducharme, J. B., Mermier, C., Kravitz, L., de Castro Magalhaes, F., & Amorim, F. (2022). Aerobic Adaptations to Resistance Training: The Role of Time under Tension. International journal of sports medicine, 43(10), 829–839. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1664-8701
