Dips can thoroughly work the triceps and anterior deltoids. Doing dips also involves other muscles like the chest, pectoralis major, as well as pectoralis minor. If you do not have access to dip bars, you may consider bench dips. Besides, if you are not that strong to be able to do full drips alone, you can go for bench dips. They can provide a vigorous exercise that will work the chest and triceps. Talk to a Port Coquitlam fitness coach to understand how these exercises can be performed.
What you need for the exercise
Performing bench dips can be executed off the side of bench. You can actually do the dips on any horizontal surface as long as it is elevated enough so that the hips will not hit the ground when you are in the lowest point of a dip. You may use a broad chair, a seating bench used at home, an elevated floor, or a firm bed.
Bench dip movement
In doing a bench dip, you sit down on edge of a bench and place the hands on sides of hips with the fingers overlapping bench edge. Move your buttock off edge of bench then start walking the feet forward so that you create space to be able to lower hips straight down. Lower the hips about 2 to 3 inches and press up using the arms so as to lift the body and return to start position.
If you find this easy, try to go a little lower and press back up again. Continue working until where the shoulders are parallel to elbows before you can press up. Try to use legs only for balance. When doing the exercise, ensure the torso remain upright, and the hips remain below shoulders. Ensure you remain closer to the bench during the range of motion.
Bench dips will work the same muscles that are targeted by regular dip but the primary emphasis is on triceps and the involvement of secondary muscles like deltoids, lats, pecs, and rhomboids. When you do these dips regularly, you build strength and you can be able to do the regular dips with use of a dip bar. Once you are capable of doing bench dip with the feet placed on a second bench, it means you can attempt the regular dips with the entire body suspended.