Chest
Bench Dip
The Bench Dip is a strength exercise for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: triceps (lateral head) 21%, lower chest 17% and front delts 17%.
How to do it
- Sit on the edge of a flat bench and place your hands next to your hips, fingers pointing forward over the edge.
- Walk your feet out with the knees bent about 90 degrees and slide your hips just off the bench.
- Straighten your arms so your weight rests on your hands and heels.
- Bend the elbows straight back and lower your hips until the upper arms are about level with the floor.
- Press through your palms back to straight arms.
Tips
- Keep your back close to the bench so the hips travel straight down.
- Straighten the legs to make it harder, bend them more to make it easier.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows flare out to the sides.
- Dropping so low that the front of the shoulders feels strained.
- Pushing with the legs instead of the arms.
Muscles worked by the Bench Dip
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
An upright torso turns the dip into a triceps press. Hands behind on a bench put the shoulder in deep extension. Dips press the body up from shoulder extension: the lower pec and triceps are prime movers, the front delt assists, and the lower traps hold the shoulder blades down.
Bench Dip alternatives
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Make it easier
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Bench Dip work?
Mainly the triceps (lateral head) and triceps (long head). The lower chest, front delts and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Bench Dip good for beginners?
Yes. The Bench Dip is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Bench Dip?
For example the Assisted Dip Machine, Plate Loaded Tricep Dip Machine and Seated Dip Machine. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Bench Dip harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Dips and Weighted Dip.
Log your sets in Zulta
Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.