Tricep Dips for Lateral Head

Triceps dips effectively strengthen the triceps brachii muscles on the back of your arms using just your body weight. This versatile exercise can be performed using parallel bars found in many playgrounds and gyms or on specially designed machines. Triceps dips work all three muscle bellies, or heads, of the triceps. However, by choosing an appropriate parallel bar width, you can more specifically target the lateral head.

  1. Triceps Dip

    • To perform a triceps dip, step into a parallel dip bar. Grasp the bars with an overhand parallel grip and straighten your arms so that your body is suspended above the floor. Keep your body as upright as possible. Bend your elbows straight back to lower your chest toward the bar until you feel a slight stretch in your shoulders. Press with your arms to straighten your elbows to return to the starting position.

    Triceps

    • As evidenced by the name, the triceps brachii muscle has three heads. The long head attaches to the shoulder blade just below the shoulder socket. The lateral head originates on the outer upper arm bone, or humerus. The medial head arises from the inner humerus. All three heads share a common tendon that inserts onto the back of one of the forearm bones, the ulna. The function of the triceps is to extend, or straighten, the elbow.

    Targeting the Exercise

    • To accentuate triceps activation in a dip, focus on bending your elbows, rather than moving your shoulders. Unlike versions of the exercise that involve leaning forward -- which target the chest -- maintaining an upright body position during a dip focuses the work primarily on the triceps. Keeping your elbows close to your body will work the triceps more intensely than allowing the elbows to widen. To specifically target the lateral head, choose a set of bars that are slightly narrower than shoulder-width.

    Program Considerations

    • Begin your workout with a general, full body warmup. Include dynamic arm movements in your warmup to target the triceps. To build strength, perform two to four sets with a resistance that allows eight to 12 repetitions per set. Higher repetition ranges of 10 to 15 reps per set build muscular endurance. To increase the resistance in a dip, you can use a weighted belt. Rest two to four minutes between sets and plan on at least 48 hours for recovery between strength training workouts. To stretch your triceps, stand and raise one arm overhead. Bend your elbow, and with your other hand, pull your elbow behind your head.