Straight Bar Dip

PushBar

A dip performed on a single straight pull-up bar instead of parallel bars, requiring both hands close together — a foundational skill for progressing into the Korean dip and building grip/wrist stability alongside triceps strength.

Demo: Calisthenics tutorial

Sets

3

Reps

6-10

Rest

1:30

Contraindications

Wrist strain from the narrow grip — build up gradually.

Setup

Mount the bar in a support position, hands close together (shoulder-width or slightly narrower), arms extended.

Execution

  1. 1Lower under control, keeping the torso stable and balanced over the bar
  2. 2Keep elbows tracking back, not flaring wide
  3. 3Press back up to full lockout
  4. 4Maintain balance throughout since the base is narrower than parallel bars

Key cues

  • Narrow base means extra balance focus
  • Elbow pits face forward
  • Control the descent, don't wobble
  • Full lockout at the top

Common faults

  • Losing balance due to the narrow hand position
  • Flaring elbows to compensate for instability
  • Partial range of motion
  • Excessive torso swinging

Tweaks

  • Master this before progressing to Korean dips
  • Add a pause at the bottom
  • Try a lower bar for an easier mount while learning

Regressions

Parallel Bar Dip

Progressions

Korean Dip

Muscles

Primary: Triceps Brachii, Pectoralis Major

Secondary: Forearms, Core

Sources

Attribution: Calisthenics canon