Stronger

Bench Dip

Bench Dip demonstration

Category

compound

Difficulty

beginner

Equipment

bench, bodyweight

Force Type

push

How to Perform the Bench Dip

  1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench and place your hands on the edge, gripping the bench beside your hips with fingers pointing forward.
  2. Extend your legs out in front of you with heels on the floor, and slide your hips off the bench so your weight is supported by your hands.
  3. Brace your core and keep your back close to the bench throughout the movement.
  4. Lower your body by bending your elbows to approximately 90 degrees, keeping your elbows pointing straight back rather than flaring out.
  5. Press through your palms to extend your elbows and push yourself back up to the starting position.
  6. Squeeze your triceps at the top and repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Flaring the elbows out to the sides

Keep your elbows pointing directly behind you to maximise tricep engagement and reduce shoulder strain.

Dipping too deep and stressing the shoulders

Only lower until your elbows reach approximately 90 degrees; going deeper shifts stress onto the shoulder joint.

Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears

Keep your shoulders depressed and pulled back throughout the movement to protect the joint.

Muscles Worked

Benefits

  • Requires minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere with a sturdy surface.
  • Effective tricep builder that is easily scalable from beginner to advanced.
  • Builds foundational pressing strength that carries over to push-ups and bench press.

Pro Tips

  • Bend your knees and bring your feet closer to make the exercise easier.
  • Place your feet on another bench of equal height to increase difficulty.
  • Add a weight plate on your lap for additional resistance once bodyweight becomes too easy.

Variations

Recommended Sets & Reps

Strength

4-5 sets of 6-10 reps (add weight if needed)

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 10-15 reps

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-25 reps

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