What Is a Dip Machine?

A dip machine is a device to work chest, shoulder and triceps muscles. When using the machine, you dip your body up and down to engage the muscles.

Metal Dip Machine

A dip machine can be a freestanding metal structure with two parallel bars or handles that come up to your chest. Use these sturdy handles to raise yourself up and down. When doing a dip, your arms are to your sides at 90 degree angles, and then you lift yourself up so your arms are straight. The rest of your body hangs down with your knees bent and feet crossed at the ankles.

Assited Dip Machine

Dip machines work the triceps, chest and shoulders, but the exercise can be difficult for beginners. With an assisted dip machine, you stand or kneel on a bar or foot pad that is connected to a stack of weights. The more weight you put on the stack, the less of your body weight you are lifting. The bar you stand on actually helps push your body up when you do a dip, by lifting whatever amount of your body weight you have designated.

Homemade Dip Machine

Doing dips at home is as easy as finding a sturdy bench or chair that is waist high or lower. Put your hands behind you on the bench and bend your arms at 90-degree angles. Then push your body weight up and straighten your arms. These dips are backward dips, which are different than those that you do on gym machines, but they still successfully work the arms, especially the triceps.

References

• Bodybuilding.com: Dips
• YouTube.com: Backward Dips