Bench Dips
How to do the Bench Dips with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.
Triceps
Chest, Shoulders
Body Only
How to do the Bench Dips
- 1
For this exercise you will need to place a bench behind your back. With the bench perpendicular to your body, and while looking away from it, hold on to the bench on its edge with the hands fully extended, separated at shoulder width. The legs will be extended forward, bent at the waist and perpendicular to your torso. This will be your starting position.
- 2
Slowly lower your body as you inhale by bending at the elbows until you lower yourself far enough to where there is an angle slightly smaller than 90 degrees between the upper arm and the forearm. Tip: Keep the elbows as close as possible throughout the movement. Forearms should always be pointing down.
- 3
Using your triceps to bring your torso up again, lift yourself back to the starting position.
- 4
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Log it, see it on your body.
Every Bench Dips set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your triceps volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.
Where the Bench Dips fits
The Bench Dips shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:
More triceps exercises
Bench Dips: common questions
What muscles does the Bench Dips work?
The Bench Dips primarily works the Triceps. It also recruits the Chest and Shoulders as supporting muscles.
Is the Bench Dips suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Bench Dips is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.
What equipment do I need for the Bench Dips?
None. The Bench Dips is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it without any equipment.
Is the Bench Dips a compound or isolation exercise?
The Bench Dips is a compound exercise, it moves multiple joints and works several muscle groups at once, which makes it efficient for building overall strength.
How do I do the Bench Dips with correct form?
For this exercise you will need to place a bench behind your back. With the bench perpendicular to your body, and while looking away from it, hold on to the bench on its edge with the hands fully extended, separated at shoulder width. The legs will be extended forward, bent at the waist and perpendicular to your torso. This will be your starting position. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
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