What are dips?
Dips are a great way to work your upper body, and they can be done just about anywhere. All you need is something to hold onto, like a chair, a table, or a set of monkey bars.
Dips are a simple and effective upper body exercise which can be performed anywhere. All you require is a stable apparatus for support, such as a chair, table, or monkey bars.
Dips are also an exercise included for competitions. Like the WSWCF (World Street Wokout and Calisthenics Foundation) here do people compete for the highest weighted dip. There is also a record set of 140 kilograms weighted dip.
Here is the video of the WSWCF 140KG Dips record:
In 2020, Rafał Krawczyk made history as the first calisthenics athlete to hold World Records in both weightlifting and athletics. Showing true strength and dedication, the Polish competitor achieved a remarkable feat by successfully completing a single dip with 140 kg of loaded equipment around his torso, distinguishing himself amongst fellow athletes worldwide and solidifying his place as an elite player for any sport.
What muscles do dips work?
Dips work a variety of muscles, including the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The main muscle group that dips target is the pectoralis major, which is the large muscle in the chest.
Dips also work the anterior deltoid, which is the front portion of the shoulder muscle. And finally, dips work the triceps brachii, which is the large muscle on the back of the upper arm.
So, as you can see, dips are a great exercise for working a variety of muscles in the upper body. But what part of the chest does it really work on?
Do dips work upper chest or lower chest?
The answer may surprise you – it turns out that dips work both the upper and lower chest equally well. This is because the pectoralis major, which is the main muscle targeted by dips, has two sections – the upper pec and the lower pec.
When you perform dips, you engage both sections of the pectoralis major muscle in your chest, thus targeting both the upper and lower chest.
If you keep your elbows close to your body while performing the dip exercise, you can emphasize the lower chest muscles, but if you spread your elbows out wider during this same exercise, the upper chest muscles will receive more of a workout. But if you flare your elbows out to the sides as you dip down, you’ll focus more on the upper pec.
How to perform dips correctly
Now that we know that dips work in both the upper and lower chest, let’s take a look at how to perform them correctly.
First, start by grabbing onto something solid, like a chair, a table, or a set of monkey bars. Then, place your hands shoulder-width apart and extend your legs out in front of you.
At the starting position, keep your body upright and your shoulders back then lower down until you reach a point where your elbows form 90-degree angles.
Finally, press back up to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Common mistakes made by people is that they let their hips sag which takes away from the chest. Another mistake is not going low enough or not having a full range of motion which also limits how much the chest can be worked.
Also beginners often go too low this can lead to strain on the elbow and shoulders and chest pain. It is best to start with a higher position and as you get stronger lower yourself down further.
So make sure to perform dips correctly otherwise it takes away from the effectiveness of the exercise and can lead to injuries.
Here is a video on how to perform dips correctly:
Dip exercise variations
Now that we know how to perform dips correctly, let’s take a look at some dip exercise variations:
One variation is the wide-grip dip, which targets the outer head of the pectoralis major. To perform this variation, simply place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart as you dip down.
Another variation is the close-grip dip, which targets the inner head of the pectoralis major. To perform this variation, simply place your hands closer than shoulder-width apart as you dip down.
A third variation is the decline dip, which targets the lower chest. To perform this variation, place your feet on an elevated surface and your hands on a stable surface in front of you. Then, dip down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and press back up to the starting position.
For the weighted dip exercise, you can hold a dumbbell between your feet or use a dip belt with added weight plates for increased resistance. To perform this variation correctly, lower yourself down as far as you can while ensuring proper form and stability throughout the movement.
A fifth variation is the ring dip, which targets the stabilizer muscles in the shoulders. To perform this variation, place your hands on a set of rings and dip down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
For the last variation you can perform the bar dip variation to target your triceps by placing your hands on a bar, then dipping down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
So, there are many different dip exercise variations that you can try to target different muscle groups.
Which chest exercises are better for building muscle?
Dips are a great option for building upper body strength. Dips involve raising your body up and down with your arms supporting the majority of your weight. This exercise targets the same muscles as push-ups – the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps brachii – but takes it one step further by challenging your grip strength. If you’re looking to build muscle in your chest, bench press, push-ups and dips are all excellent exercises that will help you achieve this goal. Each exercise activates different muscles in the chest area which can effectively provide a comprehensive workout and strengthen the entire region.
You can hit all fitness levels with push-ups – whether or not you use weighted ones. Another great chest exercise that engages the shoulders and triceps is the overhead press. You can complete this lift using either a barbell or dumbbells.
These are just a couple of the best practices for strengthening your chest muscles, but another one to keep in mind would be doing dips. If muscle growth is your goal, however, then it’s essential to consider other exercises aside from dips for maximum results.
Conclusion on Do Dips Work Upper Chest or Lower Chest?
Overall, dips are a great exercise for working the chest, shoulders, and triceps. They can be done with or without weight, making them a great exercise for all fitness levels. Additionally, they work both the upper and lower chest equally well. So, if you’re looking to build muscle in your chest, dips are a great exercise to add to your routine.
