Best Dip Bars
One of the top bodyweight exercises around, the dip provides a bonanza of upper body benefits. Considered an upper-body pressing, or pushing, motion, the dip is performed by placing one’s hands on bars with the body hanging in the space between. Raising the body up and down into the dangle space requires a downward drive and stabilizer control. Primarily considered a triceps exercise, depending on the width of the grip and facing position, the exercise is also a chest-building shoulder workout which requires forearm strength. If just starting out, bodyweight alone might be sufficient to tax the muscles, with even a few repetitions. This is particularly true for heavier athletes or those with longer arms. But once a certain level of strength has been achieved, additional resistance can be added by way of weighted vests, chains, or a dumbbell held between the feet. Whatever the level of fitness though, dips are consistently marked as one of the best bodyweight exercises around.
Best Dip Bars
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Dipping Partners
The great thing about dips is they partner well with complementary body weight and barbell exercises alike. Superset combinations involving dips work well with push-ups, pull-ups, inverted rows, bench press, french curls, or hanging leg raises. Notice most dip bars feature a way to either flip the body over for an inverted row, or reverse polarity and launch into hanging leg raises. The dip does well enough on its own if one is focusing on upper body, but it can also be a great way to exhaust the triceps in case another movement puts more emphasis elsewhere.
Why Tri?
If you want bigger arms, keep in mind that the triceps make up about 2/3 of the upper arm mass. The triceps are also the behind-the-scene driver for most pressing movements. While the chest and shoulders get the credit, without triceps to push, there’s just not much action there. Not as mirror-friendy as their neighboring biceps, the triceps remain a critical component of the arm development, and actually fill out the t-shirt sleeves from the backside. The great thing about dips is that, like all body weight movements, you can’t ever get enough of them. Whether increasing the reps or sets or both, there’s always a way to earn the burn with dips.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Rogue Infinity Matador
Simplicity meets substance in the fully adjustable dip station which can attach to compatible squat stands and racks by way of a steel pin through the stand holes. Easy to install and remove for storage, the Rogue Infinity Matador is made from 2×3-inch Gauge 7 steel, and the 26-pound unit is rated at 500 pounds capacity. Handle diameter is 1.875 inches, with the distance between handles moving 16.5 to 23.6 inches center to center. When attached to a sturdy rack, the unit is tough enough to handle weighted dips irrespective of the load.
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2. AmazonBasics Dip Fitness Bar
Easy to move around the gym at only 25 pounds, the AmazonBasics Dip Fitness Bar unit features a 661-pound weight capacity. Assembly is required, with the unit measuring 34.25- x 32.5- x 38.9-inches. Tricep dips, knee raises, and potentially inverted rows are possible with the AmazonBasics model, which also sports foam slip-free grips for comfort, and foam floor pads for reliable stability. Backed by AmazonBasics limited one-year warranty. Plenty of space is afforded between the bars for hanging weight plates and/or chains.
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3. Relife Dip Bar/Stand
Shaped like a gymnast’s stand, the Relife model offers a 300-pound weight rating with a relatively small foot print, 29.5- x 22.8- x 30.3-inches, and 25.6 pounds. Handlebar distance is 20.1-26.8 inches, with adjustable connector rods. The inverted-U shape of the bars affords inverted rows and leg raises as well as dips, with a connected four-point base to prevent shaking. The unit comes with a one-year warranty on the main frame. Distance between the base poles is sufficient for hanging weight plates or dumbbells is additional resistance is needed while performing dips.
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4. ProGear Extended Weight Capacity Power Tower
A multi-exercise station, the power tower concept affords not just dips, but pull-ups and chin-ups, as well as leg raises, and push-up assistance. An 88-pound unit, the reinforced main frame is rated for users up to 275 pounds. Assembly is required, and the end product is 84 inches high, 43 inches deep, and 38 inches wide. Sporting multiple grips atop, dips and pull-ups can be performed from multiple angles using different hand positions. Non-slip end caps fit the bottom to keep the unit from sliding, and the handle bars are affixed with 2-inch thick cushions for user comfort.
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5. Reflex Dip Station-Single Freestanding
Easy to move about the gym, yet sturdy enough for weighted dips, the Reflex Dip Station-Single Freestanding model from Rogue is built with 11-gauge steel and features a polished Diamond 6061 aluminum skid plate for a foot step on each side. Rubber comfort grips are fitted to each handle with 2-inch high-density foam pads. The 100-pound unit is 50 inches long by 34 inches wide and 59 inches high, with a wide-to-narrow base for extra support, leaving plenty of room for a weight-plate to hang from a belt-chain if need be.
