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Push · Parallel bars or bench

How to do dips

The dip is the upper-body equivalent of the squat: one movement that loads chest, triceps and front delts through a long range with nothing but your bodyweight.

Muscles worked: Triceps, Lower chest, Front deltoids

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How to do it

  1. Grip the bars and press to a locked-out start with the shoulders pulled down away from the ears.
  2. Lean the torso slightly forward for chest, or stay upright for triceps.
  3. Lower until the upper arm is roughly parallel to the floor.
  4. Stop before the shoulders round forward — that is the end of your usable range.
  5. Press back to a full lockout without swinging the legs.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Dropping below your shoulder mobility, which strains the front of the joint.
  • Shrugging at the bottom instead of keeping the shoulders packed down.
  • Kipping with the knees to grind out extra reps.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Strength4 sets of 4–6 reps with a belt and added weight
Size3 sets of 8–12 reps, two seconds down
Building up4 sets of 6 bench dips or band-assisted dips

Swaps and alternatives

  • Bench dip — Removes most of the load while you build strength.
  • Close-grip push-up — Same triceps emphasis with no bars needed.
  • Assisted dip machine — Lets you train the full range from day one.

Common questions

What people ask about dips

This guide covers dip form, how to do dips correctly, dip muscles worked, dip sets and reps for muscle growth, parallel bars or bench triceps exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

Training the same muscles from another angle? Start with the full exercise library or let the free workout plan generator slot dips into a four-week block.

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