Push · A bench, chair or step
How to do
Tricep Dips
The accessible dip variation, done with hands behind you on a bench and feet on the floor. Easier than parallel-bar dips and available almost anywhere there is somewhere to sit.
| Movement pattern | Push |
| Measured in | reps |
| Equipment | A bench, chair or step |
| Effort weight in Alea | 1.3 per rep |
| Appears from | D19 exercise die upward |
How to do it
Setup
Sit on the edge of a stable bench or chair, hands gripping the edge either side of your hips, fingers pointing forward. Slide your hips off the front, arms straight, legs extended in front with heels on the floor.
The movement
Bend the elbows and lower your hips straight down, keeping them close to the bench. Stop when the upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor. Press back up to straight arms without locking harshly or shrugging.
Common mistakes
- Hips drifting forward away from the bench, which loads the shoulders awkwardly
- Going far too deep, which is the main source of shoulder complaints in this movement
- Elbows flaring outward instead of tracking straight back
- Using an unstable chair that slides, which is a genuinely common accident
Too hard? Scale it down
Bend your knees and bring your feet closer, which takes weight off the arms considerably. A higher bench also reduces the range.
Too easy? Scale it up
Straighten the legs fully, elevate the feet on a second chair, or move to parallel-bar dips, which are elsewhere in this pool and considerably harder.
Where this sits in the Alea pool
Alea draws exercises from an ordered pool of twenty, and the die size slices from the top of that list. Tricep Dips is number 19 of 20, so it enters the draw once your exercise die reaches D19. Below that, you will never roll it.
Its effort weight is 1.3 per rep, which the app uses when it builds 100-rep sessions and tailored workouts, so a session containing tricep dips carries fewer total reps than one built from lighter movements.
Roll it now in your browser, or set your dice and let it come up on its own.
General information, not medical or fitness advice. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness, use the easier variation when in doubt, and see the full training disclaimer before starting.
Let the dice pick it for you
Alea draws tricep dips at random alongside nineteen other bodyweight movements. Free, no account needed.
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Related
Tricep Dips FAQ
Are bench dips bad for the shoulders?
They can be if you go very deep, because the position puts the shoulder into internal rotation and extension. Keep the range moderate, hips close to the bench, and stop at roughly parallel.
What is the difference from regular dips?
Parallel-bar dips support your whole bodyweight on your arms with the torso upright. Bench dips keep your feet on the floor taking part of the load, making them substantially easier.
Can I do these on the floor?
Not really; the movement needs elevation behind you. A step, a sofa edge, a low wall or a bed frame all work provided they do not move.