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Inside Vs Outside Dips: Which Is Best For Building Muscle Fast?

Steven is a certified personal trainer and fitness enthusiast based in Los Angeles. He launched Steven Fitspot in 2024 to share his love of health and wellness with others. On his blog, Steven provides useful workouts, nutrition tips, and motivational advice to help his readers stay active and achieve their...

What To Know

  • This position puts your triceps in a more stretched position at the bottom of the movement, which can lead to greater muscle activation.
  • If you’re a more advanced lifter, outside dips can be a great way to challenge yourself and build even more muscle.
  • Yes, you can do inside and outside dips on the same day, but it’s important to listen to your body and rest when needed.

When it comes to triceps exercises, dips are a staple movement. But there are two main variations of dips: inside dips and outside dips. Both exercises target the triceps, but they have different advantages and disadvantages. In this blog post, we’ll compare inside vs outside dips and help you decide which one is right for you.

What Are Inside Dips?

Inside dips are performed with your hands placed inside the dip bar handles. This position puts your triceps in a more stretched position at the bottom of the movement, which can lead to greater muscle activation. Inside dips are also easier to perform than outside dips, making them a good option for beginners.

What Are Outside Dips?

Outside dips are performed with your hands placed outside the dip bar handles. This position puts your triceps in a more contracted position at the bottom of the movement, which can lead to less muscle activation. However, outside dips are more challenging to perform than inside dips, making them a good option for more advanced lifters.

Inside vs Outside Dips: Which Is Better?

The best exercise for you depends on your individual goals and fitness level. If you’re a beginner, inside dips are a good place to start. They’re easier to perform and can help you build a strong foundation for more advanced exercises.

If you’re a more advanced lifter, outside dips can be a great way to challenge yourself and build even more muscle. However, outside dips are more difficult to perform, so it’s important to make sure you have the proper strength and technique before attempting them.

Benefits of Inside Dips

  • Easier to perform than outside dips
  • Can help build a strong foundation for more advanced exercises
  • Can be performed with a variety of weights and resistance levels

Benefits of Outside Dips

  • More challenging than inside dips
  • Can lead to greater muscle activation
  • Can help build more muscle mass

How to Perform Inside Dips

1. Stand facing a dip bar with your hands placed inside the handles.
2. Step back until your body is fully extended.
3. Lower your body down by bending your elbows.
4. Continue lowering until your chest touches the bar.
5. Push yourself back up to the starting position.

How to Perform Outside Dips

1. Stand facing a dip bar with your hands placed outside the handles.
2. Step back until your body is fully extended.
3. Lower your body down by bending your elbows.
4. Continue lowering until your shoulders are at the same level as your elbows.
5. Push yourself back up to the starting position.

Tips for Performing Inside and Outside Dips

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the movement.
  • Don’t let your elbows flare out.
  • Lower yourself down slowly and controlled.
  • Push yourself back up explosively.
  • Use a weight belt or resistance band to increase the difficulty.

Variations of Inside and Outside Dips

  • Weighted dips: Add weight to your dips by using a weight belt or resistance band.
  • Banded dips: Use a resistance band to add resistance to your dips.
  • Plyometric dips: Perform a quick, explosive movement at the bottom of your dips.
  • Single-leg dips: Perform dips on one leg at a time.

Recommendations

Inside and outside dips are both excellent exercises for building triceps strength and muscle mass. The best exercise for you depends on your individual goals and fitness level. If you’re a beginner, start with inside dips. If you’re a more advanced lifter, try outside dips for a greater challenge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which is better for building muscle, inside or outside dips?

A: Both inside and outside dips can help you build muscle, but outside dips may lead to slightly greater muscle activation.

Q: Which is easier to perform, inside or outside dips?

A: Inside dips are generally easier to perform than outside dips.

Q: Can I do inside and outside dips on the same day?

A: Yes, you can do inside and outside dips on the same day, but it’s important to listen to your body and rest when needed.

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Steven

Steven is a certified personal trainer and fitness enthusiast based in Los Angeles. He launched Steven Fitspot in 2024 to share his love of health and wellness with others. On his blog, Steven provides useful workouts, nutrition tips, and motivational advice to help his readers stay active and achieve their fitness goals. With 10 years of experience in the industry, he has trained clients of all ages and abilities. When not coaching others or writing new blog content, Steven enjoys pushing his own limits with powerlifting and functional training. He believes a strong body leads to an unstoppable mind.
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