ProgreviaWeighted parallel bar dips
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How to do it
Weighted parallel-bar dip to progress: lean forward for the chest or stay upright for the triceps. Lower until the shoulder reaches elbow height and press up under control.
Muscles worked
Mainly triceps. Train it inside a balanced routine to progress safely.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Horizontal push
- Minimum level
- Advanced
- Technical demand
- Advanced
- Fatigue it generates
- High (1.6 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Medium
- Peak tension in the stretched position
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
- Flaring the elbows out, shifting tension away from the triceps to the chest and shoulders.
- Using too much weight at the cost of technique and full range of motion.
- Doing reps too fast, without controlling the eccentric (lowering) phase.
How Weighted parallel bar dips compares with other triceps exercises
The catalogue has 11 exercises with triceps as the main muscle group. Ranked from least to most fatiguing with the same values the generator uses, Weighted parallel bar dips is number 11.
With that fatigue it is best placed early in the session, while you are fresh, without stacking equally demanding exercises for the same group after it.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 2 alternatives, such as JM press and Close-grip bench press.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond push-up | bodyweight | Moderate (0.8 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| JM press | barbell | High (1.3 out of 2.2) | Advanced |
| Close-grip bench press | barbell | High (1.5 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Weighted parallel bar dips | bodyweight | High (1.6 out of 2.2) | Advanced |
Tension with the muscle stretched. Weighted parallel bar dips loads the muscle when it is longest. In the review by Kassiano et al. (2023), across eleven studies, full range of motion and partials performed in the initial part of the movement — with the muscle long — produced more growth than partials performed at the end.
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.
- Kassiano W, Costa B, Nunes JP, Ribeiro AS, Schoenfeld BJ, Cyrino ES. Which ROMs lead to Rome? A systematic review of the effects of range of motion on muscle hypertrophy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2023;37(5):1135-1144.
- 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.
Alternative exercises
More Horizontal push exercises
Add it to your routine
Progrevia can generate a personalized routine that includes Weighted parallel bar dips based on your level, goal and available days.
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Weighted parallel bar dips work?
Weighted parallel bar dips mainly works the triceps muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Weighted parallel bar 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).
Is Weighted parallel bar dips good for building muscle?
Yes. Combined with progressive overload, good technique and enough rest, it's an effective tool to grow triceps.
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