Bench Dip

PushBWBench

A dip regression performed with hands behind on a bench and feet on the floor, reducing the load compared to a full parallel bar dip — good entry point but should be limited in depth to protect the shoulders.

Demo: Exercise technique demo

Sets

3

Reps

10-15

Rest

1 min

Contraindications

Anterior shoulder strain with excessive depth — many coaches (including Squat University) recommend limiting bench dip depth due to shoulder impingement risk at the bottom position.

Setup

Sit on the edge of a bench, hands gripping the edge beside the hips, legs extended out in front, heels on the floor.

Execution

  1. 1Lower the hips by bending the elbows, keeping them tracking backward
  2. 2Stop before the shoulders drop below elbow height
  3. 3Press back up to full extension
  4. 4Keep the torso close to the bench throughout

Key cues

  • Elbows track straight back, not out to the sides
  • Stop before the shoulders go below the elbows
  • Keep the hips close to the bench
  • Control both the descent and the press

Common faults

  • Descending too deep, straining the anterior shoulder
  • Flaring elbows out to the sides
  • Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears
  • Using leg drive to cheat the rep

Tweaks

  • Extend legs further out (or elevate feet) for more difficulty
  • Add a pause at the bottom of the safe range
  • Progress toward parallel bar dips as strength improves

Progressions

Parallel Bar Dip

Muscles

Primary: Triceps Brachii

Secondary: Anterior Deltoid, Pectoralis Major

Sources

Attribution: General calisthenics canon