Bench Dips

Anton YefanovUpdated September 6, 2026

Bench dips are the most accessible triceps exercise in any program. With hands behind you on a bench and feet out in front, the body lowers and presses back up using mostly the triceps. No equipment and no setup: just a sturdy edge and bodyweight resistance.

How to do the Bench Dips

Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench or chair and grip the edge with hands just outside your hips.
Slide your hips off the bench and walk your feet out so your weight is supported by your arms.
Lower your body slowly by bending your elbows straight back until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor.
Keep your back close to the bench and your shoulders pulled down away from your ears the whole way.
Pause briefly at the bottom with the triceps loaded, then press through your palms back up to the start.
Lock out the arms at the top without shrugging the shoulders, then repeat for the prescribed reps.

Muscles worked

Primary:: Triceps

Why train it

Builds triceps strength and size with no equipment needed.
Trains the pushing pattern in any home or travel setting.
Strengthens arm lockout for pressing and dipping movements.

Common mistakes

Letting the elbows flare out to the sides, which loads the front shoulders instead of the triceps.
Letting the shoulders shrug up toward the ears, which strains the front shoulders under the dip.
Cutting the depth short to make the reps easier, which removes most of the triceps work.
Using only the legs to push off the floor, which turns the dip into an assisted leg-press motion.

Frequently asked questions

Are bench dips bad for your shoulders?

They can be. Bench dips push your shoulders into a deep backward stretch with your weight on them, and many people feel this at the front of the shoulder. Lower only until your upper arms are parallel to the floor and keep your back close to the bench. If they still hurt, use cable pushdowns or close-grip push-ups instead.

Bench dips vs parallel bar dips: which is better?

Parallel bar dips are harder and build more muscle, because you lift your whole bodyweight and work the chest as well as the triceps. Bench dips are easier, need only a bench or chair, and are a starting point. If your shoulders handle them, bar dips are the better long-term exercise.

How do you make bench dips harder?

Straighten your legs, raise your feet onto a second bench, or place a weight plate on your lap. A slower lowering phase also helps. Add one at a time, and only once you can do 15 to 20 controlled reps.

Do bench dips work the chest?

Only a little. The upright torso and hand position behind you put most of the work on the triceps. To work the chest, lean forward on parallel bar dips or do push-ups.

What muscles do Bench Dips work?

Bench Dips train the triceps, and little else. No other group takes a meaningful share of the load, which is what makes this a clean way to target the triceps directly.

What equipment do I need for Bench Dips?

Only a bench or a sturdy chair. Your own weight is the resistance, so there is nothing to load.

Are Bench Dips suitable for beginners?

Yes. Bench Dips are rated beginner: you are the load, so there is no weight to get wrong. Add reps or time only once the position holds from the first of them to the last.

Can I do Bench Dips at home?

Yes. All it takes is a bench or a sturdy chair, which most homes can find, so Bench Dips are easy to keep going on days you never reach a gym.

How many sets and reps of Bench Dips should I do?

Three to four sets taken within a rep or two of failure. There is no weight to add here, so progress by slowing the lowering phase, pausing at the hardest point, or moving to a harder variation once you can clear 15 clean reps.