|
|
|
Parallel Bar Dips Add Striated Mass to Chest and Triceps |
|
|
|
|
Written by Stephen E. Alway, PhD, FACSM
|
|
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
Easy-to-adjust machines have largely replaced most of the conventional
equipment in many commercial gyms. Placing a pin in a new position
along a weight stack certainly cuts down the time required to locate
and change weights between sets. Perhaps the fear of slipping back
through the dark ages of weight training history has also allowed us to
sidestep a few of the real mainstays of bodybuilding, which have helped
athletes and bodybuilders to thrive for years. Dips using a parallel
bar are the type of exercises from the dark ages that have served the
retired heroes of the past, but does it have any relevance to today's
modern training philosophies? Although you will not have to struggle
with a barbell, you have to use something as non-conventional as your
body weight. With dips, you also use a very simple apparatus, two poles
placed side by side, neither of which needs to be chrome plated to
achieve the desired results. However, this is one excellent exercise
for both the chest and triceps and many accessory muscles of the
shoulder girdle.
Activated Muscles
Dips provide an almost continuous tension that is applied to the pectoralis muscles of the chest and depending on your hand and arm positions, the triceps brachii muscles will be activated to varying degrees.
The pectoralis major is a large, thick, fan-shaped muscle that covers the upper (superior) part of the chest and its outside (lateral) border forms the front (anterior) wall of the arm pit (axilla). The pectoralis muscle has two heads. The clavicular head of the pectoralis major begins from the anterior (front) surface of the clavicle (collarbone). The sternocostal head attaches from the manubrium (the top portion of the sternum, or "breastbone"), the upper six ribs and in some people, as low as the external oblique muscle of the abdominal wall. Both heads of this muscle come together and attach to the head of the humerus of the upper arm near the shoulder joint. Once in a while you will find someone with an exceptional separation between the two heads of the pectoralis major. Examine some old photographs of former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu, and you will see one of the best divisions of pectoral heads anywhere.
The pectoralis major muscle has several functions and these depend in part on the position of the arm. It adducts the humerus (draws the arm toward the midline of the body) and medially rotates the humerus at the shoulder joint where both parts of the pectoralis major act together. Acting alone, the clavicular head helps flex the humerus (moves the humerus bone of the upper arm anteriorly). From this position, with the arm raised in front of the body, the sternocostal head extends the humerus at the shoulder joint (draws the arm posteriorly, or backward). In dips, the pectoralis has the opportunity to extend the humerus but primarily, it activates the flexor components of this muscle.
Although not the primary focus of dips, the triceps brachii and especially the long head of this muscle is strongly activated. The triceps is a three-headed muscle. The long head of the triceps or the "inner head" achieves the greatest activation in dips because it's active at both the shoulder (extends the shoulder joint by pulling the upper arm backward) and the elbow (extends or straightens the elbow joint). The long head of the triceps runs from the scapula (shoulder blade) just below the shoulder joint and it joins the other heads of the triceps brachii to cross the elbow and attach to the ulnar bone in the forearm. The lateral head begins high on the humerus bone but does not cross the shoulder joint. The medial head begins in the middle of the humerus and is mostly buried by the other two heads, although part of it can be seen above the elbow.
Parallel Bar Dips
1. Position yourself facing a set of parallel bars. The bars should be only slightly wider than shoulder width. Bars that are too wide risk hurting some of the rotator cuff muscles. Your hands should be semi-pronated as you grab the bar. You should begin with only your own body weight, but soon you will be adding additional weight around your waist via a weight belt and weight plates.
2. Jump up so that your body weight is supported through straight elbows. It's usually too traumatic on the shoulders to do your first repetition from the down position. Starting at the top will allow your shoulders and elbows to contract and be prepared for the difficult climb.
3. Lean your upper body forward, then slowly lower your body between the bars by bending your elbows. It's important that you resist gravity on the way down, otherwise you risk injuring the tendon insertions of the pectoralis and/or the elbow joint by a free fall. If you only lower part of the way down, you will activate the medial and lateral heads of the triceps, but do very little for the pectoralis muscles. Thus, to fully activate your pectoralis fibers, drop down deeply so that your hands are at the level of your axilla (armpits). The upper part of your chest (near the clavicle) should be only slightly above the level of the parallel bars. This full stretch is critical because it allows your arm to be extended as far as possible, and therefore it more fully activates the pectoralis major. However, if you are not used to this degree of stretch for the pectoralis major, stop before this point, then proceed lower on subsequent workouts. Do not add more resistance until you are able to get a complete stretch of the chest. Part of the need to go as low as you can is to fully activate the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, both on the stretching phase downward, and especially on the contraction phase upward.
4. After pausing for two seconds in the down position, you are ready for the trip upward. Your elbows should be wide and pointing away from your body if you wish to fully activate the pectoralis muscles. This is because your arm will be medially rotated and the pectoralis muscle will attempt to stabilize and pull the upper arms toward the center of your body (adduction). This activates the medial and lower sections of the pectoralis muscle more completely than if the elbows are close together. In addition, you should continue to lean forward (chin toward your chest) so as to emphasize the inferior (lower) fibers in the pectoralis muscle. If, instead, you want your triceps to take the majority of the work, keep your body vertical (do not lean forward) and keep your elbows close to your sides during both the up and down movements. You should, however, recognize that in this position, the triceps would fatigue long before the chest, so it becomes a rather unsatisfying chest exercise with a straight body and narrow elbow position.
5. After you have accommodated to the full stretched position at the bottom, you can make the upward push rather explosive. However, if you are quite tight and not used to the stretch, do not explode upward, but push at a constant and smooth cadence as you straighten your elbows. (Make sure your elbows do not come close to your ribs as you're moving upward).
6. Keep the movement going until you cannot do anymore complete repetitions. When you cannot push all the way up, slowly drop to the bottom and push up as high as you can, then drop back to the bottom again. With this approach, the shoulder flexion and adduction/stabilizing functions of the pectoralis are still stressed and the pectoralis achieves its full stretch between repetitions. Alternatively, you can do negative (eccentric) repetitions after your triceps are fatigued. You will simply use your legs (push with your feet) and "jump" to the top position, then slowly lower to the rock bottom position as you resist gravity.
Important Tips
As you become stronger and are able to complete the full range (particularly getting out of the low position in the dip), you will be ready to add more weight. However, do this slowly at first, particularly as you come up from the bottom. After a few weeks, you will begin to progress quite rapidly. Be very careful about driving upward in an explosive manner with a lot of weight; do this only after you've had a few months for your tendons to accommodate the stress and stretch of the movement. Before very long, you will have adapted and progressed in this very basic exercise so that a few hundred pounds tied around your waist would not be abnormal. You should expect to see that your current structure is quickly replaced with slabs of deeper, thicker and striated pectoralis fibers along with a thicker long head of the triceps. Not a bad deal for an exercise that is usually buried in the history pages of bodybuilding.
References
1. Basmajian, J.V. and C.E. Slonecker. Grant's Method of Anatomy. A clinical problem-solving approach. Eleventh Edition. Williams & Willkins, Baltimore, 354-397, 1989.
2. Carek, P.J. and Hawkins A. Rupture of pectoralis major during parallel bar dips: case report and review. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 30: 335-338, 1998.
3. Moore, K.L. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Third edition. Baltimore, Williams & Williams, 501-553, 1992.
4. Netter, F.H. Atlas for Human Anatomy. Ciba-Geigy Corp. Summit, New Jersey, 339-407, 1989.
5. Rasch, P.J. Kinesiology and Applied Anatomy. Seventh edition. Philadelphia, London. Lea & Febiger, 123-141, 1989.
6. Thompson, C.W. Manual of Structural Kinesiology. Eleventh Edition. Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing, St. Louis, Toronto, Boston, 28-38, 1989.
|
|
Supp of the Month 