Chest Dip

Description

How to Do Chest Dip

1. 1
   Setup

   Grip parallel dip bars with a neutral grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, and fully extend your arms to support your body.

2. 2
   Setup

   Lean your torso forward slightly, approximately 30-45 degrees, and cross your ankles behind you to maintain a stable body position.

3. 3

   Inhale as you slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, allowing them to flare out slightly, until your shoulders are below your elbows.

4. 4

   Exhale powerfully as you push through your palms to extend your arms, driving your body back up to the starting position, focusing on squeezing your chest.

Tips

• To maximize chest activation, maintain a significant forward lean throughout the movement and allow your elbows to flare out slightly.
• Control the eccentric (lowering) phase for 2-3 seconds to increase time under tension and enhance muscle growth.
• Imagine driving your hands down and inward into the bars as you push up to better engage your sternal pectoralis.
• Keep your shoulder blades depressed and retracted to stabilize your shoulders and prevent shrugging.

Common Mistakes

• ×Failing to lean forward enough shifts the emphasis from the chest to the triceps; ensure a distinct forward lean from the hips to target the pecs effectively.
• ×Not achieving a full range of motion, stopping short at the bottom, limits muscle activation; lower until your shoulders are below your elbows while maintaining control.
• ×Shrugging your shoulders towards your ears during the movement places undue stress on the neck and shoulders; keep your shoulders depressed and stable throughout the entire dip.