Muscle Ventures Video Analysis

In this brief exercise analysis (Quicktime ipod compatible, 6MB, Google streaming flash video), Bryce Dettloff demonstrates the weighted triceps dip on a Life Fitness dip and chin machine at Gold's Gym, Ann Arbor.  As its name implies, this exercise targets the triceps brachii highlighted in the first photo at left.  Additionally, muscles in the upper back, chest, and shoulders play a synergistic role stabilizing and controlling the movement.  With 90 lbs. of plates in addition to his own 175, Bryce notes that the upper back plays a significant role in helping him control the exercise.

As shown at the start of the video, Bryce prepares for the exercise by putting on a dip belt and then attaching two forty five lbs. plates to it.  He then mounts the machine and starts with his triceps fully flexed.  He then descends to the point where his triceps is fully stretched as shown in the second picture at left.  In our discussion afterward, it's at this point that Bryce most notices the role of his back muscles in controlling the movement.

By comparing Bryce's posture with the grid in photos two through four, you can see that he keeps his torso fairly erect.  This posture keeps the main focus of the exercise on the triceps.  Were Bryce to incline his body forward, emphasis would be moved to the pectorals.

Once in the fully descended position, Bryce begins the positive movement by flexing his triceps.  The third picture on the right shows Bryce about half way through the movement.  Careful examination indicates that Bryces' shoulders have begun to roll forward.  This roll indicates that the anterior deltoid is potentially playing a role in the movement.

Finally, in the fourth photo, we see Bryce complete the movement.  His triceps are fully flexed and his arms are straight.  He has kept his back straight throughout the movement to support the 90 lbs. of weight hanging from his waist.  This extra weight places extra emphasis on the role of the back muscles in controlling the movement.

Note also in the fourth photo, that Bryce's shoulders are now fully forward.  The shoulder movement is natural and just indicates the important role of the shoulders in helping control the movement.  If you have trick shoulders like I do, this exercise may not be for you.  You can minimize strain on the shoulders by limiting the depth of your descent so that your upper arms do not move past parallel with the floor.

Additional Links

• This page provides high quality information on the muscles used in the weighted triceps dip.
• The remarkably named etricep, a site dedicated to developing large triceps, gives some good tips on avoiding shoulder injury in this exercise.  Avoid this exercise if you are prone to shoulder problems.
  
• Bryce is an advanced practitioner of the triceps dip.  Beginners should consider the assisted triceps dip that subtracts rather than adds to body weight.

In this exercise analysis (Quicktime ipod compatible, 9MB; Google video, streaming flash), Nancy Arnold and I (Bud) demonstrate the bench press. The bench press is an extremely well-known exercise which may lead you to wonder why we are presenting it. Basically, we have two motivations. One, we think we have picked up some things doing it two to three times a week during our current program, and we'd like to share them. Two, we'd like to hear others' opinions and ideas on what we might try with this exercise.

The bench is pretty simple to perform. First, you load up a barbell on a specially designed rack like the one you see in the strip of four pictures on the left. Obviously, choose a weight that you can press. The barbell itself weighs 45 lbs. Nancy, a strong woman, can currently do 10 reps at 90 lbs. with no problem. That's about where I first started with this exercise.

Next, lay on the bench so that your eyes are under the bar. Then, reach up and grasp the bar with your hands set at a width that will cause your fore-arms to be perpendicular when your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Once you get the grasp right, barbells have convenient rings etched in the place where you hold your hands for future reference.

You execute the movement by lifting the bar off the rack and moving it so it is centered over your chest (Photos 1 and 3 on left). Then lower the bar until it touches the center of your chest (Photos 2 and 4 on left). For most men, this will be the second rib up from the bottom of your sternum. Then press the bar straight up through your chest until your arms are fully extended (Photos 1 and 3 again).

As we mention in the video, breathing is a key component of this exercise. Breath in as you lower the bar and exhale as you push up. That keeps the muscles involved in breathing in sync with the muscles involved in the pushing movement. I think I have made significant improvements simply by coordinating my breathing better.

A major cheat in this exercise is to not bring the bar fully down to the chest. In the gym, you see people do this all the time. The problem is that the chest is only worked when you bring the bar all the way down. Another cheat is not to bring the bar up evenly but let one side dominate. Generally, this cheat is not intentional but the result of reaching your limit. The problem here is that you overload one side, frequently leading to injury. Finally, keeping the bar further down on the chest keeps the exercise better centered in the pectorals. Bringing the bar too high on the chest (another fatigue move) puts to much stress on the shoulder, again raising the potential for injury.

Additional Links

• Exrx provides an extreme summary overview of the exercise.
• Wikipedia provides further form tips.
• Here's some data on bench weights achieved by advanced bodybuilders. The author recommends that beginners target about 60%. The numbers are pretty high.

In this video analysis (Quicktime, 1 MB; Googl Video, no download but some quality issues), I illustrate the side triceps pose, my favorite  of the seven mandatory poses.  This pose, as with the others, shows off so much and is fun to do! 

As you can see from the video I begin to enter this pose by first setting my feet.  As I turn my left side toward the judges I keep my left leg bent and my right leg (back leg) straight.  By placing only the ball of my left foot on the floor I am able to keep my heel off the floor.  This allows me to flex my calf completely and also shows the hamstring. 

I can now begin the upper body portion of the pose by sweping my left arm in a circular motion.  I begin by moving my arm forward, then overhead and finally behind me so my arm is behind my torso.  I grasp my left wrist with my right hand and pull down into the pose.  To increase the contraction of the tricep I push my left arm back while holding it into place with my right arm.  This maintains the isometric contraction of the triceps and also shows the striations of the shoulder.   The final step in the pose is to exhale thoroughly.  This will draw the abs in and show the definition of the obliques.

As explained above, this pose highlights not only the triceps but also the chest, shoulder abs, hamstrings and calf.   When executed properly it can be a striking pose.

Additional Links

• For additional information read this article on the side triceps pose.
• General posing advice (and awe-inspiring photos of  Arnold Schwarzenegger) can be found here.