Dips
The lower-body-free squat of the upper body — bodyweight pressing at its heaviest.
Setup
- Support hold on parallel bars, shoulders down away from ears.
- Slight forward lean for chest; upright for triceps.
How To Do It
- Lower until upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
- Press back to a full, tall lockout.
Breathing
Inhale down, exhale up.
Common Mistakes
- Sinking into the shoulders at the bottom — depth you can control.
- Kipping legs — strict first.
Programming It
Three to four sets of 5-12. Depth first, then load.
Why This Exercise Works
Dips load the chest and triceps at a longer range than most pressing allows, because nothing stops you descending. That is both the value and the risk: the bottom position is where the strength is built and where shoulders get hurt. Earn the depth rather than assuming it.
Where You Should Feel It
Chest and triceps together, with a strong stretch at the bottom. Sharp pain at the front of the shoulder means you have gone deeper than your shoulder tolerates — that depth is not compulsory.
Where It Fits in a Program
The lower-body-free squat of the upper body — bodyweight pressing at its heaviest. This is main-lift work. Put it first, when your technique is still honest.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the dips: add a belt once you can control ten clean reps. To regress it: use a band or an assisted machine, and stop above the painful depth.
Who It's For
Anyone with parallel bars and healthy shoulders. It builds the chest and triceps as well as anything. If the shoulder complains at depth, stop above it rather than dropping the exercise.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: parallel bars. Any solid overhead bar works. If there is genuinely nothing, the rowing variations below are the practical substitute.
Related Exercises
- Barbell Bench Press — Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Band Chest Press — Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
- Dumbbell Bench Press — Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Push-Up — Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core
- Deficit Push-Up — Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Machine Chest Press — Chest, Triceps
- Tempo Push-Up — Chest, Triceps, Core
- Decline Bench Press — Chest, Triceps
Common Questions
What muscles does the dips work?
The dips primarily trains the chest, triceps, shoulders.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three to four sets of 5-12. Depth first, then load.
What are the most common dips mistakes?
Most often: sinking into the shoulders at the bottom; kipping legs.
Do I need parallel bars to do this?
This version uses parallel bars, and it trains the chest, triceps, shoulders. Any solid overhead bar works. If there is genuinely nothing, the rowing variations below are the practical substitute.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The dips puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.