The Parallel Bar Dips is a intermediate-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the chest, with the triceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesChest
Secondary musclesTriceps
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Parallel Bar Dips
Grip the parallel bars with palms facing each other and press up to a strong, locked-out start position.
Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and cross the ankles to keep the body in a tight line.
Lean your torso slightly forward to bias the chest, or stay upright to bias the triceps.
Lower yourself slowly over 2 to 3 seconds until your shoulders drop just below your elbows.
Pause briefly at the bottom with the chest open and the body still controlled.
Press back up to full lockout by driving through the chest and triceps in one smooth motion.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds serious chest, triceps, and front-shoulder strength with bodyweight only.
Trains a vertical press pattern that complements overhead and bench work.
Develops the body-control needed for advanced calisthenics.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Letting the shoulders shrug up to the ears at the bottom, which strains the front shoulders.
Cutting the depth short and only doing the easy top half of the rep.
Swinging the legs to use momentum, which removes the controlled loading the dip is meant to deliver.
Flaring the elbows wide on the press, which puts unnecessary strain on the joint.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Parallel Bar Dips, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
