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Dips are resistance exercises performed in the weight room geared towards strengthening the upper body, especially the chest. Performed by gripping a set of parallel bars, it involves lowering and raising the entire body in the air. A wide range of muscle groups benefits from dip exercises – including the triceps, deltoids, pectorals, and the back muscles. Dips need to be performed progressively; resistance must be increased as your body’s resistance improves. This is where dip belts come into play.
What is a Dip Belt?
A dip belt is a weight lifting device, usually made of leather, which is hung around the waist. It comes with chain attachments to which free weights are hung for adding resistance when a lifter performs dip exercises. Dip belts are not meant to be worn tightly. It dangles slightly but is fastened securely around the user’s weight. The free weights dangling from the dip belt is what keeps it securely in place.
A dip belt is also commonly used for pull-ups and knee/leg-raises, wherein a lifter exerts force against his own weight, just like in dips. Lifters doing squatting exercises may also use them for added weight. With a dip belt, they can concentrate on the quadriceps muscles without straining the back and their hands, or compressing the spine.
The dip belt is only needed once your muscles have gained enough mass and strength that dips, pull-ups, or leg raises are no longer as challenging. Dip belts provide the needed resistance for the continuous growth of muscle mass and strength without being a hindrance to the natural flow of movement when you exercise.
A rope chain can also be used for the same purpose as the dip belt. The only disadvantage with using a rope chain is that it can be quite uncomfortable and even a bit painful. The rope can bit into the skin of the hips or waist if the weight gets too heavy. This is why a dip belt is mostly preferred. It is also an option to buy chain attachments that can be used with a regular weight lifting belt. Plenty of lifters even make their own homemade dip belts.
Using a Dip Belt
The weights are usually threaded through the belt and made to hang between the legs. The lifter can choose to add as little as a few pounds up to several kilograms to their load. The wearer of the dip belt is usually in an elevated position such as with dip exercises because of the length of the suspended weight. How far below the feet depends on the range of motion required for a particular exercise.
For one-leg standing calf raises, the dip belt with a suspended weight attached can be used instead of a handheld dumbbell. With donkey calf raises, it is used in place of a "rider." For these upper body exercises, dip belts offers safety and efficiency during exercises. They are easy to wear and use and allow for freedom of movement.