Bench Dip
A bench behind you and your own bodyweight are all the bench dip requires, which is why it has survived every generation of training fads. Lowering your hips from the bench edge and pressing back up loads the triceps through a large bend at the elbow, with the chest and front delts assisting. It scales easily — bend the knees to make it lighter, elevate the feet or add a plate to make it a serious strength movement.
How to do the bench dip, step by step
- Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench and place your palms beside your hips, fingers pointing forward over the edge.
- Walk your feet out and slide your hips just off the bench, legs extended for standard difficulty or knees bent to make it easier.
- Keep your hips close to the bench and your chest tall.
- Bend your elbows straight back to lower your hips toward the floor for two seconds.
- Stop when your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, elbows near 90 degrees.
- Press through your palms to full elbow lockout, squeezing the triceps at the top.
Form cues that fix most reps
Keep your back grazing the bench edge as you move — drifting forward turns the dip into a shoulder stretch under load.
Ninety degrees at the elbow is deep enough; extra depth here mostly adds shoulder strain, not triceps work.
Progress by straightening the legs, then elevating the feet on a second bench, then adding a plate on your lap.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
Bench Dip sets and reps
Match the rep range to your goal, not the other way around. These are the standard evidence-based ranges:
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 8–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–20 | 30–60 sec |
Bench Dip FAQ
What muscles does the bench dip work?
The triceps handle most of the pressing, with the chest and front delts assisting out of the bottom. Keeping the torso upright and the hips close to the bench maximizes the triceps' share.
Are bench dips safe for my shoulders?
They are safe for most people when the depth stays at a 90-degree elbow bend and the hips stay close to the bench. The position does put the shoulder in extension under load, so if you feel a pinch in the front of the shoulder, limit depth, keep the shoulder blades down, or swap in diamond push-ups, which train the same muscles with the shoulder in a friendlier position.
How many reps should I do?
Three sets taken within a couple of reps of failure works well — that might mean 8 bent-knee reps for a beginner or 15–20 feet-elevated reps for a stronger lifter. When 20 straight-leg reps become easy, elevate the feet or add weight rather than chasing ever-higher rep counts.
More triceps exercises
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