Chest Dip
A bodyweight press that loads the lower chest and triceps hard. Add weight with a belt once 15 reps feel easy.
Drag to rotate
Muscles worked
Also works
- Equipment
- Bodyweight, Parallel bars
- Level
- Intermediate
- Tempo
- Lower 2 s · Lift 1 s
How to do the chest dip
- 1Support yourself on parallel bars with straight arms.
- 2Lean your torso forward slightly and bend the knees, feet behind you.
- 3Lower until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
- 4Press back up to straight arms without swinging.
When to pick it: Pick it if your shoulders tolerate it — stop short of any pinching at the front of the shoulder.
Form cues
- Lean forward for chest, stay upright for triceps
- Shoulders down, away from the ears
- Control the bottom
Common mistakes
- Dropping far below parallel with shoulder pain
- Shrugging the shoulders up
- Kipping with the legs
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time.
Equipment taken? Swap it for
These train the same muscles with different equipment.
More chest & triceps exercises
All chest exercises →
General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a health condition.