A bench dip lowers and raises your body by bending and extending the elbows with your hands on a bench, primarily working the triceps.
How to do the Bench Dip#
- Sit with your back to a bench and place your hands shoulder-width on the edge, fingers pointing forward.
- Slide your hips off the bench and extend your legs forward so your weight rests on your hands and heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Press through your palms to straighten the elbows and lift your torso back to the starting position without locking aggressively.
- To make the exercise harder, place a weight plate on your thighs before each rep.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Triceps (Triceps Brachii)
- Secondary: Chest (Pectoralis Major), Front delts (Anterior Deltoid)
Common mistakes#
- Letting the shoulders drop too far below the bench and stressing the shoulder joint.
- Flaring the elbows outward instead of keeping them close to the torso.
- Using a push from the legs or a bounce to power the movement instead of controlled triceps extension.
- Placing the hands too wide, which shifts load away from the triceps.
