FITNESS: Try the tough effective tricep dip

WE all know our biceps but do we know our triceps? This is the opposing muscle on the back of your arm.

Tri meaning three, because it has three heads, it’s responsible for the extension of the arm. Your bicep pulls and bends your arm and your tricep pulls and straightens your arm. There are numerous exercises you can do in the gym from push ups to triceps extensions but the main one I recommend is a tricep dip done on a rack.

You can do them on a ledge or step of a stairs but I recommend a rack. Other muscles assist in this exercise especially the pecs so you can also use this exercise in your chest routine if it’s chest day.

You face the frame and grab the two bars. Jump or lift yourself up then bend your arms and dip down until your triceps are parallel with the ground or when you feel you can’t go anymore.

Then push yourself back up while breathing out. This is a hard body weighted exercise and one or two repetitions is good for starting off. After a few weeks you should aim for five repetitions. You’ll feel your chest muscles being stretched and your tricep muscles fully loaded. It’s a superb exercise.

Tips

Make yourself comfortable after lifting yourself up. Have your arms in line and neck straight while looking forward.

Bend your knees behind yourself. When you dip down try to keep good form and press up straight away.

Don’t pause, just dip up and down as many times as you can.