Dips

 Main muscle worked: Triceps

 Other muscles worked: Chest, Shoulders

 Equipment: Parallel bars, dipping station, gymnastic rings, two chairs....

 Mechanics Type: Compound

 Dips Exercise Video

The video below shows an example dip exercise and demonstrates the use of resistance bands and a weighted vest to make dips easier or more difficult depending on your strength. 

 Exercise Instructions: Bodyweight Dips

1. Support your bodyweight upright, arms straight, hands gripping the parallel bars / rings / dipping station.
2. Lower your body, bending at the elbows. Keep your shoulders close to your sides and the movement steady and controlled.
3. Press your body back up to the original starting position so that your arms are nearly straight but not quite locked. Repeat.

Notes:

• Leg position can be bent, crossed or straight during the exercise.
• To ensure the triceps are targetted ensure your body is straight up and down. Leaning over will bring the chest muscles into the exercise.

 Exercise Information: Dips

If we recommended two bodyweight strength exercises it would be pull-ups and dips. Dips are an excellent compound exercise that really challenges the upper-body, working the triceps, chest and shoulder muscles in one movement.

Beginning to dip

If you're struggling with only one dip you can start by doing only the negative part of the repetition. Use a bench to get into position and only perform the lowering part of the exercise. You will soon develop enough strength to start doing full repetitions.

Alternatively use a spotter or resistance bands to help take the burden of some of your body weight to make the press-up portion of the exercise that little bit easier.

 Expert dippers

If you're finding bodyweight dips easy and knocking out 15+ reps without breaking a sweat it's time to mix things up a little.

Try using a weighted vest to really add intensity to the exercise and further develop those triceps.

Using a set of gymnastics rings to perform bodyweight dips is also a great way of progressing as the instability of the rings really makes things difficult and recruits much more muscle mass to help keep you upright! See ring dips exercise.

...and if you're a seriously advanced dipper it's time to start training for the muscle-up.