To effectively target your triceps during dips, focus on maintaining a controlled movement with your lower arms at a 90-degree angle. Push through your triceps until you reach full extension, flexing them at the top. Avoid lowering your body too far to prevent excessive stress.
Proper Form for Tricep-Focused Dips
While dips are a compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, adjusting your form can emphasize triceps activation. Here’s how to angle your dips for triceps:
Body Positioning
- Grip: Position your hands shoulder-width apart on the dip bars.
- Body Angle: Keep your body as upright as possible; avoid leaning forward too much, which shifts the emphasis to the chest.
Movement
- Lowering Phase: Lower yourself until your lower arms form a 90-degree angle. This ensures a good range of motion while minimizing stress on the shoulder joint.
- Pushing Phase: Drive upwards by extending your elbows, focusing on pushing through your triceps. According to the video, "push through the triceps till you reach full extension, flexing the triceps at the top".
- Full Extension: At the top of the movement, fully extend your arms, and flex your triceps. This is crucial for optimal tricep activation.
- Controlled Motion: Maintain a controlled and steady pace throughout the exercise. Avoid bouncing or using momentum.
Avoid Common Mistakes
- Don't lower too far: As the video advises, "don't lower your body too low where you feel too much stress". This prevents overstressing your shoulder joints and enables a focus on tricep strength.
- Maintain Proper Posture: Avoid letting your elbows flare outwards; keep them tucked in close to your body.
Example
Imagine you are performing a dip. You start with your arms fully extended. As you descend, you keep your body upright, moving your lower arms until they are at a 90-degree angle, then you push straight up, using your triceps to extend back to the start position, flexing them at the top. This is how you should angle the dip to target your triceps.
By following these guidelines, you'll be able to angle your dips more effectively to focus on your triceps, optimizing your workout.
