ProgreviaBench dips: proper form, muscles worked and common mistakes
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How to do it
Hands on the edge of the bench behind you and feet out in front; lower bending the elbows back to about 90° and press up with the triceps. Don't let the shoulders sink or go too deep.
Muscles worked
Main muscle: triceps. Also worked: shoulders. When it plans weekly volume, the generator counts each set of this exercise as one full set for triceps and half a set for each secondary muscle (what is known as fractional counting).
Bench dips vs diamond push-ups: the shoulder goes behind you
In bench dips your body drops between your hands and your arms sit behind your torso, with the shoulder in extension. In the diamond push-up the shoulder stays in front and the movement is a push away from the floor. That difference matters: behind the body the shoulder joint has less margin and deep reps are tolerated worse, while in the diamond the load sits in a more natural place. Bench dips, on the other hand, are easy to scale just by moving your feet, and you need nothing more than a bench or a stable chair.
Pick them if you are starting triceps work with no gear, want a home exercise, or need a gentler version of weighted parallel bar dips. If your shoulders complain or the front of the joint tugs, do not push through it: swap in diamond push-ups, close-grip presses or cable pushdowns. There are triceps options that punish the shoulder less. They also make a good end to a session, in sets of 10 to 20 reps.
A detail specific to this exercise: keep your back very close to the bench and your shoulders away from your ears, and do not let your hips drift forward. To progress without added weight, straighten your legs, raise your feet onto another bench or set a plate on your lap. With bent knees it is the easiest version.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Isolation
- Minimum level
- Beginner
- Technical demand
- Basic
- Fatigue it generates
- Low (0.6 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Medium
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As a compound lift, it fits in 3–5 sets of 5–12 reps leaving 1–3 reps in reserve (RIR). Prioritize it at the start of the session, when you're fresh.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Dipping too low with the shoulders rolling forward: that position loads the front of the shoulder.
- Sticking with the same version once you can do more than 20 reps: move to a harder variation or add load.
- Doing reps too fast, without controlling the eccentric (lowering) phase.
What the research says
Because it is a multi-joint lift, the 2021 review of the repetition continuum by Schoenfeld and colleagues leaves room to choose: both heavy and moderate sets build muscle if they finish near failure, but maximal strength needs some heavy work.
You do not need to reach failure on every set: according to the meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues (2023), stopping one or two reps short gives very similar growth. The generator prescribes it with RIR for that reason.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading recommendations for muscle strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance: a re-examination of the repetition continuum. Sports. 2021;9(2):32.
- Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ. Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53(3):649-665.
How Bench dips compares with other triceps exercises
Of the 11 triceps exercises in the catalogue, ranked from least to most fatiguing by the values the generator uses, Bench dips is number 3 (tied with 2 others).
That makes it a good candidate for adding triceps sets at the end of a session or in heavy weeks, when you want volume without extra fatigue.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 6 alternatives, such as Triceps kickback, Triceps pushdown and Overhead cable triceps extension.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps kickback | dumbbells | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Triceps pushdown | cable | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Overhead cable triceps extension | cable | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Overhead dumbbell extension | dumbbells | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Bench dips | bodyweight | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Seated overhead dumbbell triceps extension | dumbbells | Moderate (0.7 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| EZ bar skull crusher | barbell | Moderate (0.7 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
Bodyweight. In the trial by Kotarsky et al. (2018), four weeks of progressively harder push-ups significantly improved bench press 1RM, just like training the bench press itself. It is a strength result, not a hypertrophy one, and the condition is the word progressive: the exercise has to keep getting harder.
- Kotarsky CJ, Christensen BK, Miller JS, Hackney KJ. Effect of progressive calisthenic push-up training on muscle strength and thickness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2018;32(3):651-659.
Related guide
Parallel bar dips: technique and variations
Alternative exercises
More isolation exercises
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Bench dips work?
Bench dips mainly works the triceps muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Bench dips should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for triceps to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
Are bench dips bad for your shoulders?
Not by definition, but the shoulder ends up behind your body and takes more strain if you go too deep or let your shoulders sink toward your ears. Lower only until your elbows reach about 90 degrees, keep your chest open and your hips close to the bench. If you feel discomfort at the front of the shoulder, switch to another triceps exercise.
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