The parallel bar dip is one of the best mass-builders you can do for triceps.
It's extremely effective and an excellent exercise for developing pretty much the entire upper body as well as the triceps.
This method is a way to make it even BETTER, without needing to add additional weight to the body. It's going to involve using a couple of bands to deliver continuous tension on the triceps (similar to holding the bottom of a band pushdown) WHILE you're doing dips.
It's going to allow you to ramp up the intensity of the exercise on the triceps without having to add additional weight to your body (which can increase the torque on the shoulder joints). The dip motion itself can be tough on the shoulder joints and adding additional weight will increase the torque.
With this method, the extra tension goes right onto the triceps, not the shoulders.
How to Set Up Band-on-Bar Dips
You're going to set this up in the power rack, using a couple of bars and a couple of bands. Naturally, you'll need to be strong enough to do a fair number of bodyweight dips before you try this one.
Set the bars on the safety rails at about waist height. Put some weight on the other ends of the bars to counterbalance your weight, leaving the working ends empty. I'm using a 25 lb plate on each of the other ends...you don't need a whole lot.
The bars should be 18-24 inches apart, depending on how far apart you like them for dips.
Hitch the bands to the side top cross-beam of the rack. I'm using a pair of medium green bands for this.
Grab the bands as though you were going to do pushdowns with them.
Now push them down and grip onto the fat ends of the bars.
Take your feet off the ground and get into the top position for dips.
The bands are not only stretched, they're stretched backwards at an angle, which further increases the tension.
Now come down tin the bottom, keep your torso vertical (this is better for tricep work).
Push back up to the top and squeeze.
Through the entire range of motion of the exercise, you'll feel the additional tension provided by the bands.
Even though your body weight is keeping the bands down, the triceps are firing more fibers against that continuous back and down tension.
This increase in tension will mean fewer reps but they'll be more effective reps.
And yeah, clearly this isn't one to do in a crowded gym as you'll be using two bars and taking up a rack. It's a great one for home gym training and/or a not crowded gym. They'll love this one over at Planet Fitness...
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