Just dip. Not tobacco. It can be done with nothing more than the floor, or with one raised surface, two raised surfaces, with or without extra weight. There really is a wide range of variation to experience with this exercise. Lets start with a basic description of what is also called a tricep dip from the site www.onefiftydips.com:
Stand with your back to a chair or bench. Be sure that the object is sturdy and can comfortably support your body weight. Bend your legs and place your palms on the front edge of the bench, with your fingers pointing forward. Slowly walk your feet out in front of you, until the majority of your body weight is resting on your arms. Inhale, and keeping your elbows tucked in at your sides, slowly bend your arms and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel with the floor (see pic below). You should also notice your hips have dropped straight down toward the floor. Hold for a second, then exhale and straighten your arms back up to the starting position.
This is a description for a singe raised surface (i.e. bench or chair). This can also be done with your hands on the ground, but having them raised provides a greater range of motion. If you are starting, and are uncertain of your abilities, you can start with hands on the ground, then move up to having them off the ground.
Additionally, you can raise your feet off the ground, using another bench or chair, or what have you. Raising the feet off the ground, whether your hands are on the ground or raised, changes the angle of your body, and thus, it shifts just slightly the muscles being targeted, giving you an ever so slightly different workout. Try it both ways, and occasionally mix it up!
If you have gotten a hang of the raised dip, maybe worked all the way up to 150 reps, and feel like you need more challenge, try adding weight. I know, I know, weights aren't free, but you can use anything. A gallon of water, your son's backpack full of textbooks, a cinder-block, anything you have handy that adds weight will work. Just put it in your lap and resume reps.
Another way to give each rep a little more umph without complicating things is by slowing down and making each up or down motion take longer, and stay at the bottom a second or two longer. Trust me, you will feel the burn sooner if you do! Another variation I have seen is placing your hands on something that is not stable (such as a balance ball/balance board), thus forcing stabilizing muscles to participate. Just be careful that you do not get too high off the ground in case you take a spill!
Another way to give each rep a little more umph without complicating things is by slowing down and making each up or down motion take longer, and stay at the bottom a second or two longer. Trust me, you will feel the burn sooner if you do! Another variation I have seen is placing your hands on something that is not stable (such as a balance ball/balance board), thus forcing stabilizing muscles to participate. Just be careful that you do not get too high off the ground in case you take a spill!
Here are some photos with links to more information you can read if interested:
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