Bench Dips (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)

Bench Dips are a bodyweight tricep exercise performed with your hands behind you on a bench or elevated surface. By lowering and pressing your body with bent elbows, you target the triceps while also working the shoulders and chest.

They’re a simple and effective option for building arm strength with minimal equipment.

Primary Muscles Worked: Triceps
Secondary Muscles Worked: Chest (Pectorals), Anterior Deltoids
Equipment Needed: Bench, Box, or Sturdy Surface

How To Do Bench Dips

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Sit on the edge of a bench with hands gripping the edge just outside your hips, fingers facing forward.
- Slide your hips forward off the bench, legs extended with heels on the floor (knees can be bent for easier setup).
Execution:
- Lower your body by bending your elbows until they reach about 90 degrees, keeping your back close to the bench.
- Press through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the prescribed reps.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Keep elbows pointing straight back, not flared out.
- Control the lowering phase (don’t drop too quickly).
- Stay close to the bench to reduce shoulder strain.

Key Benefits

Strengthens the triceps with a simple bodyweight setup.
Can be easily scaled for beginners or made more challenging.
Great accessory movement for pressing strength.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Keep feet flat and knees bent at 90 degrees to reduce load.
- Limit range of motion if shoulders feel tight.
Harder Option:
- Elevate your feet on another bench or box.
- Place a weight plate or dumbbell on your lap for added resistance.
- Perform tempo dips with slow eccentrics and pauses at the bottom.

Common Mistakes

Elbows Flaring Out: Keep them tucked to protect shoulders and emphasize triceps.
Dropping Too Low: Stop around 90 degrees at the elbows to avoid shoulder strain.
Leaning Forward Too Much: Stay upright with back close to the bench.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Strength/Hypertrophy: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps.
For Endurance: 2–3 sets of 12–15+ reps with bodyweight.
As an Accessory Movement: Use as a finisher for triceps after presses.

Bench Dip Variations

With a few minor variations you can alter the difficulty of Bench Dips. Here are a few ways you can make them a little more challenging.

Feet Elevated Bench Dips

Find another sturdy object you can place your feet on, like a bench or a plyo box. Instead of placing your feet on the floor, place them on the box. By elevating your feet, you’re shifting more of your bodyweight towards your arms, making each rep more difficult.

Weighted Bench Dips

Another way to increase the difficulty of Bench Dips is to add resistance in the form of a weight plate. Place the plate (or plates) on your thighs and then perform Bench Dips same as usual.

Weighted Bench Dips can be combined with elevating the feet to double the challenge. Be aware though, that this can be uncomfortable on the knees depending on how much weight you have sitting on your legs.

Bench Dip Alternatives

Don’t have a bench? Looking to add some variety to your workouts? Whatever the reason, here are a few alternatives to Bench Dips that you may be able to try out.

Want more options? Here are 10 of my favorite alternatives for Bench Dips.

Dips

If you have access to a dip attachment or a standalone dip stand, I would highly recommend Dips over Bench Dips.

The only exception to this is if you’re not quite strong enough yet to perform quality reps. If that’s the case, keep improving your strength and every few weeks come back to Dips and give them a try.

Close Grip Pushups

If you’re short on equipment, Close Grip Pushups can be the perfect alternative to Bench Dips. They require zero equipment, so they can be done almost anywhere at anytime.

They’re also an extremely effective exercise at developing strong triceps. Just make sure to keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement so it keeps the emphasis on the triceps.

Band Triceps Pushdowns

Band Triceps Pushdowns is an effective triceps exercises that only requires a resistance band. If you use Bench Dips as a burnout type finisher at the end of a workout, Band Triceps Pushdowns can be used in a much similar way. If you’re looking to add a little variety to finish off your chest and triceps day, give these a shot.