Triceps Strength
Bench Dips
The Bench Dips is a beginner-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the triceps. Here's how to do it right, and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesTriceps
Secondary musclesNone
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Bench Dips
- Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench or chair and grip the edge with hands just outside your hips.
- Slide your hips off the bench and walk your feet out so your weight is supported by your arms.
- Lower your body slowly by bending your elbows straight back until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor.
- Keep your back close to the bench and your shoulders pulled down away from your ears the whole way.
- Pause briefly at the bottom with the triceps loaded, then press through your palms back up to the start.
- Lock out the arms at the top without shrugging the shoulders, then repeat for the prescribed reps.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
- Builds triceps strength and size with no equipment needed.
- Trains the pushing pattern in any home or travel setting.
- Strengthens arm lockout for pressing and dipping movements.
03 Don't do this
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.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Bench Dips, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work, and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
