Fitness Training
Learn how to perform the tricep dip with Ankit ‘V3nom’ Panth’s tips
We speak with one of India’s most prolific gamers about one of his favourite exercises.
Ankit ‘V3nom’ Panth is one of India’s most popular esports athletes and also one of the fittest in the country.
When he began esports as a career, he promised his mother that he would never allow his health to be affected by his dedication to his sport. So he dove headfirst into strict fitness routines.
Here he discusses one of his favourite exercises, how it is performed and what are it’s benefits.
Name of the exercise: Tricep dips
When Ankit started working out to build a stronger, bigger body, he wanted massive biceps but wasn’t getting the results immediately. So he added this exercise to his routine.
“I always wanted big biceps. When I started working out, I used to do a lot of bicep workouts and ignore my triceps. Later I learnt that you need to train your triceps also in order to make your biceps look bigger. That’s when I started focusing on my triceps and it did show results,” says Ankit.
What is a tricep dip?
Tricep dips are a bodyweight exercise meant to build strength in the upper body. They can be performed with a chair, bench or parallel bars.
Targeted muscle groups
Of course, the main muscle being exercised is the tricep, but the overall upper arm, parts of the back and the core are also engaged when performing the tricep dip.
“Primary targeted muscle is triceps and secondary muscles which are involved in the movement are deltoids (shoulder), chest, biceps and back,” adds Ankit.
Benefits of the tricep dip
The main benefit from tricep dips is the strength gained in the upper arms. As Ankit learnt, the biceps, triceps, and shoulder muscles are all connected. So while you strengthen biceps through curls or shoulders through lateral raises, triceps have to be part of the routine through dips.
This also activates the push muscles in the upper arm, so this exercise will help with daily life whenever you need to push something. That said, experts always advise to equally train pull muscles as well to avoid muscle imbalances (bicep curls will help maintain that balance.
How to perform the exercise
Ankit says that he started doing this exercise at home with a chair. Here is Ankit’s step-by-step guide to performing tricep dips at home.
- Step 1: Sit on the edge of the chair and grip the edge with your fingers facing forward. Your legs should be extended and feet should be hip-width apart with heels on the ground.
- Step 2: With your arms balancing the weight of your body, slide off the chair to your back is clear from the edge of the chair.
- Step 3: Lower yourself until your elbows make an angle of 90 degrees, then slowly push yourself up to the start point. Repeat.
How tricep dips help Ankit in gaming
For a gamer like Ankit, the muscles through the upper arm, shoulder and back can often take the stress of long hours spent in a chair while gaming. Tricep dips help with strength in these muscles, which in turn help with his posture to avoid injuries when playing for long hours.
“Our movements are done with the help of forearms with supporting muscles like upper arms and back. As leaning forward and playing for hours can be painful for my back, this particular exercise helps me to strengthen all the muscles involved,” says Ankit.
What to avoid when doing a tricep dip
Ankit lists out five distinct don’ts when it comes to tricep dips.
- Don’t dip too low
- Don’t lean forward
- Don’t lock your elbows
- Don’t keep your body upright while performing the dip
- Don’t push from your legs
Variations that can help you further
If you are starting off with the tricep dip on a chair or bench, the easiest variation is to perform it with knees bent. Then proceed to keeping your legs extended. Preferably perform at least 10 repetitions comfortably before moving on to a tougher variation.
If you are looking for a tougher variation, use two chairs so your extended legs are parallel to the ground when performing the dip. Another variation is to perform the exercise on parallel bars.
“As a variation, keep two chairs in front of each other so that instead of keeping your feet on the ground, you can keep them on the chair to make the exercise more challenging. The other variation is a parallel bar dip. The list of variations goes on but honestly I prefer these two as they involve more muscles,” says Ankit.