Dips are a great compound exercise that primarily work the triceps muscle, the larger muscle at the top of the arm, as well as the chest muscles. Secondarily, they also use the shoulders, core and other muscles in order to help and stabilise the movement. Like push-ups and pull-ups, dips are a fantastic bodyweight exercise that can be done almost anywhere with minimal equipment, you could even do them between two chairs if the chairs are sturdy enough.
But like most bodyweight exercises, dips aren’t without their downsides. With dips, you’re lifting your bodyweight. It’s very easy to get to the point where your own bodyweight just doesn’t give you that much of a workout anymore. If you’re doing bodyweight exercises and losing weight at the same time, then this happens even faster. You’re getting better at the movement and getting stronger which means you can do more reps and you’re losing weight which means that it’s less total weight that’s being lifted… which means the exercise is getting easier and easier and you have to do more and more reps just to get the same workout.
To combat this problem, rather than just doing endless amounts of dips, you can just add more weight. That’s what you do with all other exercises right? When you can lift a certain amount of weight on the bench press, you add more weight. You don’t just keep doing more reps, it’s not as effective.
Best Dip Belts Reviewed
With a dip belt, you can safely add weight plates to yourself to increase the resistance of the exercise. Rather than doing 10s of reps, you can use normal rep ranges to stimulate strength and size growth.
Harbinger Polypropylene Dip Belt
- Dip belt constructed of durable polypropylene with heavy duty steel grommets to secure chain to belt
- Contoured belt design provides back support and fits comfortably during serious training
- 30-inch steel chain and carabiner mechanism to easily add weight for chin-ups and dips
- Weighted dip belt helps build power and strength in triceps and chest
- Adjustable, one size fits all
Some cheaper belts just allow you to attach weights and leave it at that. It’s fine but it’s not optimal. In reality, you want more than just a belt that allows you to attach weight, you want a belt that’s comfortable and offers you back support as well. Just like this countered dip belt from Harbinger.
This belt features comfortably around your waist, as if it’s not even their whilst providing you with valuable support. The 30 inch steel chain can carry large amounts of weight without you having to worry about it snapping or coming loose. The carabiner mechanism keeps everything locked in place whilst you workout.
The belt itself is also highly adjustable, able to soundly fit people of all shapes and sizes without issue.
Faswin Weight Lifting Dip Belt
Whilst making stellar workout gear, Faswin sell a ton of other sturdy products such as bike wall mounts, carabiners and the like. Which means that they know how to craft the strongest possible mechanisms for their products. Mechanisms that will never break or fall apart. Which is something that is extremely important when attaching large amounts of weight to yourself.
Despite the strength and safety of this device, the chain can be detached from the carabiner quickly and efficiently without any bother. Once locked in place, those weight plates aren’t coming off until you’re ready for them to. Faswin have tested this belt for both strength and endurance, meaning it can bear heavy weights and bear them for a long time. This isn’t a belt that you’re going to have to replace any time soon.
Dark Iron Fitness Leather Weightlifting Dip Belt
- STRENGTH: Our leather weight belt for women and men doesn't break or wear out like inferior weight lifting belts. Those are made from fake leather, nylon, or polypropylene, but this workout belt is...
- COMFORT: Our weightlifting belts for men and woman have built-in pillow-like padding for extreme comfort. The support eliminates discomfort while being worn, but is still light weight and not bulky.
- SUPPORT: The long 40” strap holds up to 270 pounds. This heavy duty weightlifting belt allows you to quickly and easily load up to 6 olympic weight plates for extreme reps by leveraging quick...
- SECURE: With a heavy duty metal buckle and adjustment strap, our weight lifting belt fits all waist sizes for the perfect fit while ensuring that it never falls off while being worn.
- WEIGHT BELTS FOR LIFTING: Men and women can both enhance their workouts with this squat belt. Beyond its use for dips and squats, the gym belt can be used for weighted pull ups, chin ups, or weight...
If you’re really ready to turn your dips into a big, muscle-building, strength exercise than this is the belt for you. The thick, heavy-duty weight strap can accommodate up 270 lbs of additional weight, which is the same as chucking six 45 lbs plates on to it!
Even when bearing huge amounts of weight, the belt is extremely comfortable. The belt itself is cushioned and pillowed so it doesn’t dig into your sides or irritate you, even during heavy lifts. This padding also provides additional support to your lower back to prevent injury. Despite all this, the belt is still quite compact and low-profile; not a bulky device that will get in the way. You won’t even know it’s there.
RIMSports Premium Lifting Belt
- ✅ INCREASE WEIGHTLIFTING INTENSITY: Boost your weight lifting routine with our heavy duty pull up belt Add extra weight for increased intensity and stronger muscles. dip belt for weight lifting for...
- ✅ BUILD STRONGER TRICEPS, CHEST, SHOULDERS: Our weighted belt for pullups for men and women is the perfect solution. if you want build stronger pec major muscles, triceps, rhomboids, and trap...
- ✅ IDEAL MULTI-USE & PORTABLE DESIGN: Our waist weighted dip belt have a unique compact and foldable design that allows you to store them away in your gym bag or backpack with weight belt chain;...
- ✅ HEAVY STAINLESS STEEL CHAIN: The heavy-duty steel chain of the RIMsports dip belts with chain for rack provides a secure and comfortable fit while lifting, without interference from your personal...
- ✅ CUSTOMER GUARANTEE: We know you'll be satisfied with your purchase from RIMsports, so if there's anything about it that doesn't meet expectations please let us know and we will take care of any...
This is an extremely useful and versatile lifting belt from RIMSports. If you plan on using your belt for more than just doing dips, then this is the one for you.
The thick padding provides enough support to be used as a fully-functional weight lifting belt in it’s own right, whilst obviously still being able to attach the extra weight that you want when doing dips or pull-ups, etc.
In fact, the belt is even sturdy enough for you to attach it to a sled harness and pull it for a killer functional workout. The two anchor loops and carabiner mechanism allow for countless different attachments and exercises, so you can build completely new workouts based solely around your new dip belt!
The chain itself is 34” long, which is pretty much the optimal length of chain for the average sized trainee as it’s enough to attach all the weight you need but without being so long as to get in the way.
Brute Training Systems Brute Belt
- Patented technology Patent No 9,630,044. The most comfortable, durable, and versatile dip belt ever invented.
- 40" nylon adjustable length strap puts the weight exactly where you want. 2 steel carabiners for easy release.
- All military grade materials for superior strength and durability. Strap holds up to six 45-lb plates (270 lbs) with ease.
- 8 loops around the waist allow the belt to be used for countless exercises including dips, pullups, squats, and more.
- Tightens around waist with built-in padding and non-slip grip for extra comfort and lower back support.
Most dip belts are one-size fits all, and for the most part they’re pretty good in being adjustable enough to fit most body sizes. However, if you’re particular about the size of belt you need or are a larger trainer, then Brute Training Systems offer this belt in two different sizes. So if you need that bigger belt, Brute have you covered.
With the bigger size available, you might have gathered that this belt is for those that really want to take their strength training to the next level. It can be used as a weight belt for exercises such as squats and deadlifts, etc. but is obviously also fully functional in respects to attaching more weight. You can throw on 6 plates without any trouble and dip/pull-up to your hearts content.
Overall
If you like doing dips and pull-ups, you will reach the point of diminishing returns fairly quickly. To keep making progress, you’ll have to do endless reps, increase time under tension, etc. These things are fine to do but they’re not optimal and they’re not the most efficient and effective way of doing so. It’s far easier to just get a dip belt and make progress by adding additional weight, the same way you would do with pretty much every other strength exercise.