Bench Dips
- Beginner
- Bodyweight
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, 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
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?
None. Bench Dips are a bodyweight movement, so your own weight is the resistance and floor space is the only requirement.
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, anywhere. There is nothing to buy and nothing to set up, which makes Bench Dips one of the movements worth keeping for 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.
What are good alternatives to Bench Dips?
Floor Press, Reverse-Grip Tricep Pushdown, and Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press train the same primary muscles as Bench Dips. Pick whichever one matches the equipment in front of you.