How to Perform Dips with Proper Technique

Dips are better than Push-ups. Your whole body is moving & you can do them weighted more easily. Like Pull-ups & Chin-ups, Dips force you to lift your own body-weight. Stressing your upper-body & thus building muscle.
All strength training exercises have a technique to master. Dips are no different. Here's how to perform Dips with proper technique.

What are Dips? Raise yourself on 2 supports with elbows locked. Lower your body until your shoulders are lower than your elbows. Push yourself up by straightening your arms. Variations for Dips:

Parallel Bar Dips. Parallel bars that are 55cm/22" apart. My Squat Rack has 2 removable parallel bars I use for Dips.
Rings Dips. Dips using rings are harder than parallel bar Dips: you need to stabilize yourself more.
Chair Dips. Put 2 chairs back to back & dip in between. Make sure the chairs are stable enough so you don't fall.
Bench Dips. Feet elevated, hands on a bench. Avoid. The torso position is unhealthy for your shoulders, especially when you do them weighted.

Benefits of Dips. Push-ups have your feet planted. Dips move your whole body through space. Dips are harder and thus superior to Push-ups because you have to balance your body. Other benefits of Dips:

Build Strength. Dips build lockout strength: straightening your elbows. This helps the Bench Press & the Overhead Press.
Build Muscle. Dips will develop your triceps & chest muscles.
Rehab. Try Dips if you can't do the Bench Press because of a shoulder injury. Dips work similar muscles, do them if your shoulders can take it.

What If You Can't Do 1 Rep? Stay away from Dip Machines. The strength you build on machines doesn't transfer. Dips are harder: you have to balance yourself. If you can't do 1 rep, try one of these:

Ask for Help. Ask someone to help you on the way up by grabbing your side with his hands and squatting up & down.
Partials. Get on the 2 supports with locked elbows. Unlock your elbows, lower yourself slightly & push back up. Gradually increase the range of motion as you get stronger until you can break parallel.

Weighted Dips. Switch to Weighted Dips once you can do 10-15 reps with proper technique to keep the exercise challenging.

Dumbbell Between Legs. Hold a dumbbell between your feet while doing Dips. Doesn't work well with weights above 10-15kg.
Rucksack. Wear a rucksack & put plates in it. Make sure you use a strong rucksack so it doesn't break.
Belt + Chain. Wear a belt. Attach plates to a chain and to your belt. I recommend this method for Weighted Dips.

Dip Technique. You might not be able to lean forward & go as deep as James on the picture above. If your shoulders or sternum hurts, stay more upright with your chest up. But always apply the following rules on Dips.

Squeeze The Bar. Put your thumbs around the bar & squeeze it hard. The more force you apply to the bar, the stronger you are.
Look Forward. Don't look straight forward, don't look the floor. Look to a point slightly in front of you.
Breathing. Take a big breathe while hanging with locked elbows & hold it. Lower yourself & come back up. Breathe at the top, not during reps.
Chest Up. Don't let your shoulders roll forward. Keep your chest up & shoulders back. It's easier on your shoulders.
Bend Your Legs. And cross your feet. Letting your legs hang means less strength in my experience. Squeeze your glutes on the way up.
Break Parallel. Your shoulders must go lower than your elbows. Deeper stretches your chest more, but your shoulders might not agree with it.
Lock Elbows. Drive out of the bottom until your elbows are locked. Squeeze your triceps. No partial Dips.

Common Problems. Break parallel on each rep just like with Squats. Use a complete range of motion from start to finish.

Not Hitting Parallel. Don't cheat by doing partial Dips. Your shoulders must go lower than your elbows on each rep.
Not Locking the Elbows. Lock your elbows at the top. Squeeze your triceps & keep your chest up.
Shoulder Issues. Don't go too low. Stop when you break parallel, keep your chest up & torso upright. Try shoulder dislocations.
Torso Pain. Don't let your shoulders roll forward & don't let your torso shift forward too much. Keep your chest up.