Dips are a compound bodyweight exercise that effectively builds upper body strength by engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously. The primary muscles targeted include the triceps brachii, the pectoralis major and minor in the chest, and the anterior deltoids. Dips also require significant core and scapular engagement for stability throughout the movement.
The Foundational Step Bench Dips
When beginning your dip journey, mastering the full bodyweight movement can be challenging, which is why a regression like the bench dip is recommended for building foundational strength. To perform a bench dip, sit on a sturdy bench or elevated surface with your hands placed shoulder-width apart on the edge, fingers pointing forward or slightly out. Walk your feet out, supporting your body with your arms so your hips are suspended in front of the bench.
The intensity of the bench dip is easily adjusted by changing your leg position. For the least resistance, keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor close to your hips. To increase the load, straighten your legs and place your heels on the ground, or elevate your feet on a second bench. As you lower your body, keep your back close to the bench and bend your elbows until your upper arms are approximately parallel to the floor. Press back up to the starting position by extending your elbows, ensuring you maintain a downward push on your shoulders to prevent shrugging.
Mastering Proper Technique for Parallel Bar Dips
The standard parallel bar dip requires proper technique to target the desired muscles and prevent injury. Begin by gripping the parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your shoulders depressed. Your grip width should ideally be slightly wider than your shoulders, but avoid bars that are excessively wide as this can increase shoulder stress. From this locked-out starting position, you control the descent by bending your elbows.
The orientation of your body determines the muscle emphasis. For a triceps focus, maintain an upright torso with your legs hanging straight down. Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body and pointing backward throughout the entire range of motion. This upright posture shifts the mechanical load directly onto the triceps brachii.
To emphasize the chest, introduce a forward lean by pushing your feet back and angling your torso forward. For this variation, you can allow your elbows to flare out slightly to the sides, which helps engage the pectoralis muscles. In both variations, lower your body until your shoulder crease is level with or slightly below your elbow, or until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. This depth is sufficient for muscle activation while helping to protect the shoulder joint.
Addressing Weaknesses and Avoiding Injury
For individuals who are too strong for bench dips but cannot complete a full parallel bar dip, assistance methods help bridge the strength gap. Resistance bands offer a scalable way to reduce the effective body weight. The band is looped around the parallel bars and placed under the knees or feet, providing the most assistance at the bottom of the movement, which is typically the hardest point. An assisted dip machine works similarly by using a counterweight to offset a portion of your body weight.
Eccentric-only training helps break through a strength plateau by focusing on the lowering phase. Research shows that muscles are inherently stronger during this eccentric phase, allowing you to overload the pushing muscles without being able to complete the concentric (pushing up) phase. To perform this, use a box or jump up to the top position, then slowly lower your body over a controlled duration, aiming for three to six seconds, before resetting at the top.
To minimize the risk of shoulder injury, avoid common form mistakes. The most important safety cue is to maintain shoulder depression, never letting your shoulders shrug up toward your head. Additionally, avoid lowering yourself too far past the point where your upper arm is parallel to the floor, as excessive depth can lead to shoulder impingement, especially if your mobility is limited. Once you can consistently perform 10 to 12 bodyweight dips with excellent form, you can continue your strength progression by adding external resistance, such as a weighted vest or a dip belt.