Chest · Bodyweight · Compound · Intermediate
Dips
You support yourself on parallel bars with straight arms, lower until the upper arms are about parallel to the floor, and press back up. Leaning forward shifts the work toward the lower chest; staying upright puts more on the triceps. Once bodyweight reps are easy, you add load with a dip belt or vest.
How to do it
- Jump or step up onto the bars and lock your arms out, hands under your shoulders.
- Pull your shoulders down away from your ears and brace. Lean forward if you want chest, stay upright for triceps.
- Lower under control by bending the elbows, letting them travel back rather than flaring out to the sides.
- Stop when your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, with shoulders roughly level with elbows. Going much deeper puts a lot of stretch on the front of the shoulder.
- Press back up to straight arms without changing your torso angle.
Cues
Short phrases to think during a set.
- “Shoulders down, away from your ears.”
- “Elbows go back, not out.”
- “Stop at parallel.”
- “Control the bottom; don't bounce.”
Common mistakes
- Sinking well below parallel and letting the shoulders roll forward. This is where most dip-related shoulder pain comes from.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears at the bottom. Keep them pulled down for the whole rep.
- Flaring the elbows wide, which puts more stress on the shoulders. Let them track back at a moderate angle.
- Dropping fast and bouncing out of the bottom. Lower under control and reverse without the rebound.
The short version
Dips have long been a staple for building the triceps and lower chest with nothing but a pair of bars. They scale well: band or machine assistance at first, then bodyweight, then plates on a dip belt. Torso angle changes the emphasis. Lean forward and let the elbows travel back for more chest; stay upright with the elbows close for more triceps.
The catch is the shoulders. Many people dip for years without trouble and others get pain at the front of the shoulder no matter how careful they are. The usual advice is to control the descent, keep the shoulders down, and stop around upper-arm parallel. If they still hurt with clean form, swap them for presses or close-grip bench. Bench dips, with the hands behind you on a bench, put the shoulder in an extended, internally rotated position that many coaches avoid, especially with plates on the lap.
Why people do it
- Works the triceps, lower chest and front delts together, and only needs parallel bars.
- Scales from band-assisted reps to heavy weighted sets, so it works for beginners and strong lifters alike.
- Builds lockout strength that carries over to the bench press.
Drawbacks
- Harder on the shoulders than most pressing exercises, and some people get front-of-shoulder or AC joint pain even at sensible depth.
- Many beginners can't do a bodyweight rep yet and need a band or an assist machine.
- Adding load requires a dip belt or weighted vest.
- Form slips quickly on the last reps of a set, which is where the shoulder risk climbs.
Sources
- T Nation: All About Dips · T Nation
- T Nation: A Quick Guide to Perfect Dips · T Nation
Questions
Should I lean forward or stay upright on dips?+
Lean forward for more chest, stay upright for more triceps. Both are valid, and some lifters do both on different days.
How deep should you go on dips?+
Until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor. Much deeper than that puts a lot of stretch on the front of the shoulder, so go lower only if your shoulders have always tolerated it.
Why do my shoulders hurt when I do dips?+
The usual causes are going too deep, letting the shoulders shrug up and roll forward at the bottom, or bouncing out of the bottom. Fix those first. If dips still hurt with clean form, your shoulders may simply not like them, and another triceps or chest press will do the job.
Are bench dips bad for you?+
They put the shoulder in an extended, internally rotated position behind your body, which many coaches avoid, particularly with weight on the lap. Parallel-bar dips are usually kinder to the shoulder and easier to load.
How do I get my first dip?+
Use an assist machine or a band looped across the bars, and practice slow negatives where you jump to the top and take three to five seconds to lower. Holding the top position with straight arms also builds the support strength you need.
Swaps on other equipment
Each has the chest as its main muscle and is also a push, on a different piece of equipment.
Variations
Weighted Dips · Ring Dips · Bench Dips · Machine-Assisted Dips
Other chest exercises
- Decline Dumbbell Flyes · Dumbbell
- Decline Push-Up · Bodyweight
- Decline Smith Press · Machine
- Dips - Chest Version · Other
- Drop Push · Other
- Dumbbell Bench Press · Dumbbell
Written for this site from the sources listed above. Last reviewed October 20, 2026. How this site is put together · Report a mistake