Dip negative

The lowering half of the dip: from a support on parallel bars, lower yourself slowly to build the chest, triceps and front-shoulder strength for full dips.

How to do it

1. 01Start in a support on the parallel bars: arms locked, shoulders down away from your ears, body still.
2. 02Lean slightly forward, bend your elbows and lower yourself slowly, elbows pointing back.
3. 03Go down until your shoulders are about level with your elbows (upper arms near parallel to the floor); stop higher if the front of your shoulder hurts.
4. 04At the bottom, put your feet down on the floor or a box, then jump or step back up to the support for the next rep.

Common mistakes

• Dropping fast near the bottom — lower at a slow, even pace through the whole range.
• Going too deep and straining the front of the shoulder — stop with your upper arms parallel to the floor, or sooner if it hurts.
• Shoulders rolling forward and up toward the ears — keep them down with your chest open.

In the Dip progression

1. 1Parallel bar support hold
2. 2Dip negative
3. 3Parallel bar dip

Standard to move on: 3 sets × 5, two sessions in a row.