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Get jacked arms and shoulders with bench dips

The bench dip is a killer shoulder shredder and pumps your triceps.

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Man doing bench dip in gym
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Benches aren’t just for sitting, having lunch, reading a book, or watching the world go by. You can do calisthenics moves, stretches, step-ups, incline push-ups, and bench dips to get your body moving and build strength using a bench. Include bench dips in your training schedule to strengthen your arms, shoulders, and chest. Arms are one of the first parts you notice on a muscular physique. You use your arms and shoulders every day for your functional tasks. Implementing the right strength training exercises can help you tap into your full upper body power. Here’s everything you need to know to master bench dips.

What are bench dips?

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Bench dips are a bodyweight exercise where you sit on the bench with your legs extended out in front of you. You place your hands on the edge of the bench, shift your body forward, and slowly lower yourself until your forearm and upper arm reach a 90-degree angle. All you need is an elevated surface like a bench, step, or stair. It’s important you perform bench dips with proper form, even though it’s a simple bodyweight exercise because it can lead to shoulder pain, impingement, and other issues if done incorrectly. 

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How is a bench dip different from a normal dip?

man doing tricep dip on parallel bars dip bars weighted dip in gym
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A regular dip usually involves hoisting your body weight onto two parallel bars or dip bars. With a bench dip, you’ll just use a bench to dip your body weight down with your feet resting on the floor. A regular dip is a more advanced progression of the bench dip that requires more strength, partly because your feet aren’t resting on the floor, so you’re lifting your entire body weight up off the ground. An interesting study showed that the bench dip required relatively high muscle activity of the triceps brachii compared to other muscles and involved a greater shoulder extension range of motion compared to other dip variations. The peak activation intensity of the triceps is significantly less compared to bar and ring dips, but the bench dip still primarily and effectively targets your triceps.

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What are the muscles worked during bench dips?

Shoulder muscles
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Bench dips primarily work the lateral, medial, and long heads of your triceps. You’ll also fire up your anterior deltoid muscles on the front of your shoulders and your pec muscles in your chest. You’ll engage your core stabilizer muscles to maintain stability. The bench dip is a killer shoulder shredder, so you’ll need to master shoulder mobility and make sure you’re getting the right angles.

Reasons to add bench dips to your training schedule

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Here are some of the many benefits of bench dips and why you should add them to your training schedule:

  • Strengthen your triceps, chest, and shoulder muscles.
  • It’s a simple and versatile bodyweight exercise you can perform anywhere you can access a bench or chair.
  • Fine-tune your upper body power.
  • Enhance the stability of your core muscles.
  • Perform bench dips in the comfort of your own home.
  • Improve your balance and posture.
  • Increase flexibility in your wrists and shoulders.
  • Improve shoulder stability.

How to do bench dips

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How to perform a bench dip:

  1. Sit on the edge of a bench and place your hands on the bench about shoulder-width apart. Your palms should be on the bench, and your fingers should be facing forward and gripping the edge of the bench.
  2. Rest your feet on the floor and walk your feet forward until your hips are slightly in front of the bench and you’re holding your body weight up with your arms fully extended. You should have a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Your legs can be bent or straight in the starting position, and your shoulders should be almost over your wrists. Try to rotate your shoulders outward and engage your lats. 
  4. Slightly tuck your pelvis, bring your ribs down, and engage your core.
  5. Maintain your alignment and slowly start to bend your elbows and lower your hips down to the floor. Lower your body down until your upper arms and forearms reach a 90-degree angle. 
  6. Pause momentarily before squeezing your triceps and straightening your elbows to bring your body back up to the starting position.
  7. Repeat until you complete the set.

Tips to master your technique

man outside doing tricep dip bench dip on wall
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Follow these top tips to improve your technique:

  • Squeeze your shoulder blades and engage your core throughout the movement.
  • Remember to rotate your shoulders outward.
  • Make sure your hands are properly positioned on the bench.
  • Avoid rounding your back or shoulders.
  • Lift your chest and relax your neck.
  • Maintain good posture.
  • Keep your feet together and firmly planted on the ground.
  • The movement should occur at your elbows.
  • Lower down until your upper arm is parallel to the floor.

If you’re finding the bench dip more challenging, you can bend your knees more and walk your feet closer to your body.

Common mistakes to avoid

man sitting on bench black and white image abs muscular muscles gym
Sajad Radey / Unsplash

Avoid these common mistakes to get the most out of this exercise:

  • Rounding your shoulders and jutting your chin forward.
  • Rounding your back.
  • Compressing your shoulder joints in at an awkward angle, which increases your risk of a shoulder injury.
  • Not going low enough to reach the full range of motion.
  • Going too low and placing excessive strain on your shoulder joint.
  • Flaring your elbows.
  • Moving too quickly and compromising proper form.

FAQ

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Read on for your bench dip questions answered.

Did Mike Tyson do dips or bench dips?

Yes, Mike Tyson included calisthenics exercises and moves like push-ups, sit-ups, bodyweight squats, and bench dips in his training routine. 

What is the proper hand position for bench dips?

Your hands should be shoulder-width apart with your palms facing the bench and your fingers wrapped around and gripping the side of the bench for stability. Proper hand positioning reduces your risk of shoulder injury and gives you the best outcome.

How many bench dips should you do in a day?

Generally speaking, you can aim for 3 or 4 sets of 8-15 reps until you improve your technique. How many bench dips you should do depends on your fitness level and goals.

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Can you add weights?

You can up the ante by adding weights, such as positioning a dumbbell or weighted plate in your lap. Choose a weight that still allows you to have total control over the movement.

Bench dip variations to try

woman doing bench dip with weight chain in gym
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These are the best bench dip variations to try:

  • Cross bench dip — Position two benches or chairs across from each other and place your feet on the other bench to complete the dip.
  • Weighted bench dip — Place a dumbbell or weight plate in your lap to perform a weighted bench dip.
  • Assisted dip machine — You can set the weight stack to your desired level. The more weight you use, the more assistance the machine provides.

How to include bench dips in your workout routine

man doing step dip bench dip triceps dip outside
Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels

You can include bench dips on your upper body training days to target your triceps, shoulders, and chest. Choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique. Walk your feet out over time to progress to more advanced variations. Bench dips are a versatile bodyweight move to add to your workout routine.

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Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…
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