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Bench Dips

A bodyweight triceps dip off a bench or chair that builds arm pushing strength — the go-to home and hotel-room arm exercise.

Primary muscle
Triceps
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Movement
Push
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How to do it

  1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench or chair and grip the edge with hands just outside your hips.
  2. Slide your hips off the bench and walk your feet out so your weight is supported by your arms.
  3. Lower your body slowly by bending your elbows straight back until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor.
  4. Keep your back close to the bench and your shoulders pulled down away from your ears the whole way.
  5. Pause briefly at the bottom with the triceps loaded, then press through your palms back up to the start.
  6. Lock out the arms at the top without shrugging the shoulders, then repeat for the prescribed reps.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows flare out to the sides, which loads the front shoulders instead of the triceps.
  • Letting the shoulders shrug up toward the ears, which strains the front shoulders under the dip.
  • Cutting the depth short to make the reps easier, which removes most of the triceps work.
  • Using only the legs to push off the floor, which turns the dip into an assisted leg-press motion.

Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps

Same movement, other equipment

Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press Beginner Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press Triceps Machine Barbell Close Grip Bench Press Intermediate Barbell Close Grip Bench Press Triceps Barbell Close-Grip Push-Up off a Dumbbell Intermediate Close-Grip Push-Up off a Dumbbell Triceps Dumbbell Floor Press Beginner Floor Press Chest Dumbbell

Plans that include the Bench Dips

Arms & Shoulders Focus
Arms & Shoulders Focus
Days a week
3× a week
Session
~40 min
Level
Intermediate
Equipment
Gym

Similar exercises

Diamond Push Ups Beginner Diamond Push Ups Triceps Bodyweight Muscle-up Advanced Muscle-up Chest Bodyweight Shadow Boxing Beginner Shadow Boxing Front Delts Bodyweight JM Press Advanced JM Press Triceps Barbell Reverse-Grip Tricep Pushdown Beginner Reverse-Grip Tricep Pushdown Triceps Cable Machine

Good to know

What muscles does the Bench Dips work?
Mainly the triceps.
What equipment do you need for the Bench Dips?
None. It is a bodyweight exercise.
Is the Bench Dips good for beginners?
GymVim rates it beginner.

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