Tricep Bench Dip Overview
The tricep bench dip works your triceps. Your triceps are the muscles on the back of your upper arms. You sit on the edge of a bench and grip the edge by your hips. Then you slide off and lower your body by bending your elbows. You push back up with your arms. This also works your chest and shoulders. All you need is a bench. The tricep bench dip is a simple move for strong, firm triceps. It uses your own body weight, so it is easy to start. That makes it a good pick for beginners. You can do it at the gym or on any sturdy bench at home. Add it on push day or arm day. Use it as a finisher to pump your triceps at the end of your workout.
What Is The Point of the Tricep Bench Dip?
Tricep bench dips build strong, defined triceps using just your body weight. They're perfect for toning your arms and building pushing strength.
How To Do The Tricep Bench Dip
- Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench with your hands gripping the edge just outside your hips, fingers pointing forward toward your feet. Make sure the bench is stable and will not slide.
- Slide your body forward off the bench so your weight is supported on your arms, with your hips just in front of the edge. Set your shoulders down and back to protect the joint.
- Extend your legs out in front of you with your heels on the floor for a harder version, or bend your knees to make it easier. Brace your core to keep your body in one line.
- Take a breath and lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them pointing straight back rather than flaring out to the sides. Descend under control over about two seconds.
- Lower until your elbows reach about 90 degrees and your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor. Going much deeper puts real strain on the front of your shoulders.
- Keep your back close to the bench as you lower, almost dragging along it. Drifting forward away from the bench turns the movement into a shoulder-stressing position.
- Push through your palms and drive your body back up by straightening your arms, squeezing your triceps at the top. Breathe out through the effort.
- Lock out just short of snapping your elbows straight to keep tension on the triceps, then begin the next rep. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears throughout.
- Move smoothly and avoid bouncing at the bottom. This is a bodyweight move, so most beginners do best in the 8 to 15 rep range for 3 sets.
Tricep Bench Dip Form Tips
- Keep your back close to the bench as you lower. Do not drift forward.
- Point your fingers forward and grip the edge firm.
- Lower until your elbows reach about 90 degrees. Do not go too deep.
- Keep your elbows pointing back, not out to the sides.
- Push through your palms to rise. Squeeze your triceps at the top.
- Move slowly both ways. Do not drop down fast.
- Keep your chest up and shoulders down. Do not shrug.
- Breathe in as you lower. Breathe out as you push up.
- Keep your core tight to hold your body steady.
Common Mistakes to Avoid for the Tricep Bench Dip
- Letting your shoulders roll forward and up. When your shoulders hunch toward your ears at the bottom, the dip puts dangerous strain on the front of the joint. Keep your shoulders pulled down and back and stop before they round forward.
- Going too deep. Dropping until your upper arms sink well below parallel overstretches the shoulder and is a common cause of dip-related pain. Lower to about 90 degrees at the elbow and no further.
- Flaring your elbows out to the sides. Elbows that point outward take the work off your triceps and stress the shoulders. Keep your elbows pointing straight back so the triceps do the lifting.
- Drifting away from the bench. If your hips travel forward and away from the edge, your shoulders take a bad angle and your triceps disengage. Keep your back close to the bench, almost brushing it on the way down.
- Bouncing at the bottom. Using a bounce out of the deep position dodges the triceps and yanks the shoulder. Lower under control, pause if needed, and press up smoothly with your muscles.
- Not straightening your arms enough at the top. Stopping well short of lockout cuts the range and skips the triceps squeeze. Extend your arms nearly straight at the top, but stop just short of locking hard.
- Rushing the lowering phase. Dropping fast wastes the eccentric that builds the triceps. Lower over about two controlled seconds every rep.
- Using a bench that slides or is too low. An unstable or short bench throws off your position and can cause a fall. Pick a solid, appropriate-height bench and set up carefully.
- Making it too hard before you are ready. Extending your legs fully as a beginner can overload weak triceps and wreck your form. Bend your knees to reduce the load until you build strength, then progress.
- Holding your breath the whole set. Locking your breath spikes pressure and can leave you dizzy. Exhale as you press up and inhale as you lower.
- Letting your hips sag or pike. If your body bends at the hips, you lose tension and cheat the range. Brace your core and keep your torso in one straight line as you dip.
Tricep Bench Dip Workout Tips
- Keep your shoulders pulled down and back the whole set. This one cue is the difference between a safe dip and one that hurts your shoulders.
- Stop your descent at about 90 degrees at the elbow. Going deeper does not build more triceps and just strains the front of the shoulder.
- Keep your elbows pointing straight back, not flaring out. Tucked elbows keep the load on your triceps where you want it.
- Stay close to the bench as you lower. Brushing your back along the edge keeps your shoulders in a safe, strong position.
- Chase the mind-muscle connection with your triceps. Thinking about the triceps straightening your arms makes each rep more productive.
- Use a controlled two second lowering phase. The eccentric builds the triceps, and rushing it wastes free growth.
- Scale the difficulty with your legs. Bend your knees to make it easier or extend your legs to make it harder as you get stronger.
- Once bodyweight is easy, add load with a plate on your lap. That is your progressive overload for this movement, so add small amounts over time.
- For most beginners, 8 to 15 reps for 3 sets works well. Keep the reps clean and stop when your form starts to slip.
- Program bench dips as a triceps finisher on push day. They pair well after your pressing to burn out the triceps.
- Try a brief pause at the bottom on some sets, only as deep as your shoulders like. A controlled pause builds strength out of the bottom.
- Squeeze your triceps hard at the top of each rep. That peak contraction adds quality tension the bounce would otherwise steal.
- Keep your core braced and body straight throughout. A tight torso keeps you in position and sends the work to your triceps.
- If your shoulders ache during dips, switch to a machine or band pushdown instead. Some people's shoulders simply do not love this position, and that is fine.
- Film a set from the side to check your depth and shoulder position. The camera catches sinking shoulders before you feel the ache.
- Do not train to sloppy failure. When your shoulders start rolling forward, stop, because that is when the joint gets hurt.
- Be consistent. Bench dips are a simple, effective triceps builder you can do almost anywhere with just a stable bench.
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