Bench Dip
A bodyweight triceps builder that needs nothing but a bench.
Setup
- Hands on the edge of a bench behind you, fingers forward, legs out front.
- Hips just off the bench edge.
How To Do It
- Lower by bending the elbows straight back until the upper arms are parallel.
- Keep the hips close to the bench.
- Press back up to lockout.
Breathing
Inhale down, exhale up.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the hips drift forward, which shifts load to the shoulders.
- Going deeper than the shoulders can safely handle.
Programming It
Three sets of 8-15.
Why This Exercise Works
Hands behind the body on a bench puts the shoulder into internal rotation and extension, which loads the triceps but stresses the front of the shoulder. It works, it is convenient, and it is the first thing to drop if the shoulder complains.
Where You Should Feel It
Triceps, with the shoulder in extension behind the body. That position is what makes it convenient and also what makes it the first thing to drop if the shoulder complains.
Where It Fits in a Program
A bodyweight triceps builder that needs nothing but a bench. It deserves the first slot and the longest rest periods you are willing to take.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the bench dip: elevate the feet, or add a plate on the lap. To regress it: bend the knees and keep the feet closer, or switch to a pushdown.
Who It's For
Anyone with a bench and nothing else. Useful, but not worth an irritated shoulder — a pushdown does the same job in a friendlier position.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a bench. No bench? The floor version below removes some range but keeps the loading, and it is kinder to the shoulder into the bargain.
Related Exercises
- Diamond Push-Up — Triceps, Chest
- Close-Grip Bench Press — Triceps, Chest, Shoulders
- Triceps Kickback — Triceps
- Overhead Cable Triceps Extension — Triceps
- Decline Push-Up — Upper Chest, Shoulders
- Band Triceps Pushdown — Triceps
- Triceps Pushdown — Triceps
- Pike Push-Up — Shoulders, Triceps
Common Questions
What muscles does the bench dip work?
The bench dip primarily trains the triceps.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 8-15.
What are the most common bench dip mistakes?
Most often: letting the hips drift forward, which shifts load to the shoulders; going deeper than the shoulders can safely handle.
Do I need a bench to do this?
This version uses a bench, and it trains the triceps. No bench? The floor version below removes some range but keeps the loading, and it is kinder to the shoulder into the bargain.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The bench dip 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.