How To Use A Dip Belt (Putting It On & Best Exercises)

Common Types of Dip Belts

Dip belts are large belts that go around your waist and have a chain loop attached to one side. You can attach weight plates to the chain loop to increase the resistance when doing dips. So instead of just lifting your body weight during dips, you can dip your body weight plus any extra weight from weight plates.

Benefits of Using Weighted Dip Belts

Dips are a great bodyweight exercise for working your shoulders, lats, back, and triceps. But since it is a bodyweight exercise, there is only so much weight you can do it with. A dip belt lets you attach extra weight during dips so you can continue to build your strength.

Here are some other reasons to use a dip belt.

What Muscles do Dip Belts Target?

Dips are a great exercise because they hit so many major muscle groups of the body.

Chest

Among other things, dips work your chest muscle, specifically your lower pecs. The dip motion shares many similarities with a push-up motion, so it makes sense that the two exercises would target similar muscle groups.

Triceps

Dips are also excellent for your triceps. They are like a chair dip except more intense as you are lifting your entire body weight free from the ground. Again, the dip motion is similar to modified push-ups that are meant to target your triceps.

Back

Dips are also highly effective for building back muscle, specifically your lats and traps. When doing the motion correctly, you should feel healthy strain across most of your back muscles.

Shoulders

Lastly, dips are great for your deltoids. Dips strengthen the conjunction between your deltoids and rotator cuff, which can help significantly if you have a bad shoulder or have hurt your rotator cuff in the past.

How to Use a Dip Belt: Instructions for Different Exercises

Dip belts are designed for doing dips, but you can actually use them for all kinds of exercises. To put on a dip belt, you simply strap it around your waist and attach the buckle or velcro, whichever mechanism it has.

You want the belt to be snug around your waist but not so tight that it restricts your range of motion.

Tricep dips

Tricep dips are the classic exercise. You start with your arms tight by your side, grasping the dip bars. Slowly lower your body, bending your elbows until your chest is at the height of the dip bar. Then slowly press back to an upright position. Make sure that you are not flailing your legs when pushing up, and keep your body centered.

Chin-ups

Dip belts are also good for chin-ups and pull-ups. They can add extra weight so you can get stronger with these bodyweight exercises. Using a dip belt does not change the proper form for doing a chin-up or pull-up. Start with your arms extended and slowly pull yourself up until your chin is at the height of the bar.

Squats

Squats can be made even more effective with a dip belt. Simply attach the belt and weight, and squats will be harder. The good thing about using a dip belt for squats is it helps you maintain balance and build strength in your legs for balance. A dip belt can also double as a squat belt to protect your back and abdomen.

Weighted dip belt walk

Weighted dip belt walks, also called "monster walks," are a great substitute for squats. Put the belt and weight on, and lower yourself into a squatting position. Then, keeping the squirting position, slowly start to walk forward, making sure to keep your ads, legs, and back engaged during the motion. Squatting against a wall to properly align your torso is a good idea.

Weighted hang

Weighted hangs are a get exercise for building muscle endurance. The motion is the same as a chin-up or pull-up, except you hold at the height of the motion for as long as you can. You can also hang from the lower starting position to strengthen your back. Weighted hangs are a good supplement to chin-ups and pull-ups that focus on muscle endurance.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

How do you put on a weight belt with a chain?

Usually, a weight belt will wrap around your waist and attach with velcro or buckles. The chain is usually wrapped around the belt itself, so you don't have to attach it separately. Thread the chain through the holes of weight plates to add weight to the belt.

How much weight can a dip belt hold?

It depends on the kind of belt. Some dip belts are made to hold only 50 pounds, while others can hold up to 300 pounds.

How do you do weighted dips without a belt?

If you don’t have a weight belt, you can use a gym bag as a makeshift belt. Put the weights in the bag and tie them around your waist. You can also hold a smaller dumbbell between your feet or legs. If you want to do dips with large amounts of weight, though, we would recommend getting a belt

Should I do dips every day?

No, you should not do dips every day. You should not do any kind of weight exercise every day as that can hurt you over time. Dips can be incorporated in almost every workout, though. They make a good warm-up/cool-down exercise. You can also try various chest dip alternatives to break up your training.

How many dips should I aim for in a session?

It depends on your goals, but most people try to shoot for 10-12 dips per set. If you use heavy weights, then you can shoot for between 4-5 reps per set. A typical routine should have about 3-4 sets of dips.

Conclusion

Dip belts are a great exercise for pretty much any workout routine. Dips are an excellent bodyweight exercise, but a dip belt can make them even more effective.