The benefits of strength training -- including increased muscular strength and endurance, plus stronger bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments -- are well known. So it comes as little surprise that an almost endless parade of exercise equipment is marketed to help you weight train at home. One of the most useful pieces of equipment you can own is a home version of the assisted dip machine. Although this machine is originally intended to work your triceps, if you're creative enough you can use it for a full-body workout.
Design
An assisted dip machine has two fixed dip bars -- a moving foot or knee support pedal, and a weight stack. You select how much weight you want the machine to counterbalance -- essentially removing that amount from your own body weight -- then stand or kneel on the support pedal and perform your dips.
Doing Dips
Before you move on to other exercises, make sure you've mastered the dip machine's intended purpose. Grasp the dip handles, palms facing in, and allow your torso to tilt forward slightly as you lower your body between the bars. Stop when your shoulders are level with your elbows, or earlier if you feel shoulder discomfort. Your elbows should point back instead of flaring out. If you have access to fixed dip bars but not an assisted dip machine, you can achieve a similar "assist" effect by pushing with your legs to help move your body up against gravity. If your legs aren't long enough to reach the floor, use a step stool.
Other Exercises
Although dips work your chest somewhat, your pecs are large muscles that don't fatigue easily. Give them more of a workout by doing push-ups, too. Stand to one side of the dip bars and place both hands on one bar from the side. Walk your feet back until you're balanced on your toes, chest above the bar. Lean forward, lowering your chest toward the bar, then straighten your arms to push yourself away.
To work your back, squat between the dip bars facing out. Reach up and grasp the bars, palms facing in. Use your back and arm muscles to pull yourself up between the bars in a modified pull-up; push as little as possible with your legs to help lift your body. Lower your torso straight down between the bars and repeat.
To work your lower body, stand to one side of the dip bars. Hold on to the bars for support as you perform single-leg squats; sit back on one leg as if you were sitting down in a chair. You can extend the other leg in front of you or tuck it beneath you. Stop when your supporting knee is bent at a 90-degree angle and straighten up. Complete a full set on that side before switching to the other side.
Sets, Reps and Modifications
More is not always best. A single set of 8 to 12 repetitions is enough to build strength for most people -- if that last repetition is a challenge. Once you can perform more than 12 repetitions, either increase your resistance -- by counterbalancing less weight on the dip machine, or wearing a weight vest for push-ups, pull-ups and single-leg squats -- or do a more difficult variation of the exercise.
Considerations
Some assisted dip machines also double as assisted pull-up machines, with a pull-up bar mounted above the dip bars.
Make sure your dip machine is stable before performing any exercises on it, including dips. It should be bolted to the floor or wall, have a wide stable base, or both.
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