Muscles worked
What the dip trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Pick the bars. If your station gives you a choice, use bars about shoulder width apart. Bars much wider than your shoulders tend to put more stress on the front of the shoulder.
- 02
Grip. Grab the bars with a full grip, thumbs wrapped, with the bar sitting in the heel of your palm and your wrists straight, stacked over your forearms.
- 03
Jump to support. Step or jump up to straight arms, with your hands beside your hips and your body hanging still between the bars.
- 04
Shoulders down. Push the bars down so your shoulders drop away from your ears and your neck looks long. Keep this position for the whole set.
- 05
Set your legs. Keep your legs straight and together, or bend your knees and cross your ankles. Squeeze your glutes and brace lightly so your legs do not swing.
Step by step
How to do the dip
- Tall on straight arms, shoulders down
- Elbows point back, not out
Lower 3s → Press 1s → Top 0.7s
Hatching marks the highlighted muscle groups.
- 01
Start tall. Begin at straight arms with your shoulders down, chest up and a slight forward lean.
- 02
Lower. Bend your elbows and lower yourself slowly, about two to three seconds down, keeping your elbows pointing back rather than out to the sides.
- 03
Stop at parallel. Stop when your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, or a little before if you feel a pull or pinch in the front of your shoulder.
- 04
Press up. Push the bars down and away to drive back up, keeping your shoulders down and your chest up.
- 05
Finish. Straighten your arms fully at the top without shrugging, then start the next rep from the same tall position.
Cues to say in your head
- Shoulders away from ears
- Elbows back, not out
- Lower slow to parallel
- Chest up, stay proud
- Push the bars away
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Sinking too deep
Stop at about upper arms parallel. Dropping far below that puts a lot of stress on the front of the shoulder and is not needed to get the benefit.
Shrugging at the bottom
Keep pushing the bars down so your shoulders stay away from your ears. If they creep up, cut the depth or use assistance.
Elbows flaring out wide
Point your elbows back, roughly along the bars. Wide elbows shift strain onto the shoulder joint.
Dropping fast and bouncing
Take two to three seconds on the way down and turn around smoothly. A bounce at the bottom uses the shoulder as a spring.
Half reps at the top
Lower to the same depth every rep and finish at straight arms. If you cannot, the set is over or you need assistance.
Swinging legs to get up
Brace your trunk and keep your legs still. Kipping hides weak reps and jerks the shoulders at the bottom.
Stay safe
Dips put a lot of load on the front of the shoulder at the bottom, so keep your depth at about upper arms parallel and build reps before adding weight. Fail a rep by stepping your feet down to the floor or a box, not by sinking deeper, and use a station where your feet can reach it easily. Stop if you feel a sharp or pinching pain in the front of the shoulder or the chest, and see a qualified professional if it keeps happening. If you have a history of shoulder problems, start with the assisted machine and a shorter range, or choose a press that keeps the shoulder out of that deep position.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 4 to 6 | 80–88% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 6 to 12 | 67–80% 1RM | 1.5 to 2.5 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 12 to 20 | 50–65% 1RM | 1 to 1.5 min |
| Technique | 3 to 4 | 5 to 8 | 40–60% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
145–173lb
3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 2.5 min rest. Bodyweight or lightly weighted. Take sets close to failure with a slow lowering phase.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Dip questions
What muscles do dips work?
Dips mainly work the triceps and chest, with the front shoulders helping. Your lats, serratus and abs hold you steady on the bars.
How low should you go on dips?
Lower until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, or a little higher if that is where your shoulders feel good. Going much deeper adds strain on the front of the shoulder and is not needed to get the benefit.
Do dips work chest or triceps more?
Both, and your torso angle shifts the balance. Staying more upright tends to put more work on the triceps, while leaning forward brings in more chest. Keep your elbows pointing back either way.
When should I start weighted dips?
Once you can do about 10 to 12 strict bodyweight dips at full depth. Start with a small plate on a dip belt and add weight in small steps, keeping the same depth every rep.
How do you use the assisted dip machine?
Set the weight stack to the amount of help you want, kneel or stand on the pad, and dip with the same form as bar dips. More weight on the stack means more help, so lower it over the weeks as you get stronger.
Are ring dips harder than bar dips?
Yes, usually much harder. The rings move freely, so you have to stabilize them through the whole rep, and most people should be comfortable with bar dips before trying them.
Train in Protocol
Log your dip by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.