| Hi Friend,
Last week, we talked about Australian film-maker, Daniel Widdowson, and the challenges this ordinary family man experienced when he lived the bodybuilder lifestyle for three months.
If you missed it, I've put the link to the film below. I promise you, it's an inspiring watch.
But what about today?
Well, I've been thinking about one of my all-time favourite exercises, and want to share a super-cool training tip with you. Yes, that's right - buckle up, friends and neighbours, because I'm about to show you how to add dynamite to your dips!
Dynamite Dips
Regular readers of this newsletter and frequent visitors to our site, know we are big fans of this mighty move. Indeed, if you are looking to build your pecs in addition to stimulating growth in your shoulders and arms, the dip exercise is your go-to, number 1 choice.
However, the parallel bar dip takes some serious practice; and in many cases, the strength required to dip in perfect form is often beyond the raw beginner.
Yet there is good news…
The dip's mastery more than repays any effort involved. Check out these dip exercise benefits:
- A full chest
- Broad shoulders
- Toned arms
- Increased power
- Improved posture
- Energy to spare.
For sure, all of that is amazing. But what happens when you advance beyond the beginner stage?
I guess you could always take the traditional route and perform more reps and sets, or even add more weight - right? Yep. That would work.
Yet if you do that, you are missing a big trick. How so? Well, it just so happens, there's another way you can increase intensity and add more dynamite to your dips; and more importantly, you will be taking advantage of a funky phenomena called resistance curves to spike new gains in mass.
Some science? As you already know, muscle growth is largely stimulated by muscular tension. But did you also know, muscles experience the greatest amount of tension where the resistance curve is at its peak in the concentric part of an exercise? (That's the top part of the dip.)
But wait… the good news just keeps on coming, because you can manipulate this training phenomena in a couple of easy ways. The result? More muscle.
How do we do that?
Lift-Run-Bang CEO Paul Carter likes to perform his dips with resistance bands. The strength coach anchors the bands with heavy dumbbells before fastening the bands around his neck. Boom! Instant dynamite.
Another way, and my personal favourite, is to use chains. Simply attach some long length of chain to your hip belt and perform your dips. The iron hanging from your waist, just like the resistance bands, provides more tension at the top of the rep. Bam!
Until next time,
Squat for Glory!
Lee
P.S. Oops, almost forgot. You can check out Daniel’s inspiring feature-film below. |
