How to do a Chest Dips
Chest dips are a bodyweight pressing exercise done on parallel bars, lowering and raising your body with a forward torso lean. That lean puts more emphasis on the lower chest, while the triceps and front shoulders work hard too. They suit intermediate trainees with healthy shoulders and can be scaled with assistance or added weight.
- Primary muscles
- Lower chest (sternal pectoralis major)
- Also works
- Triceps (triceps brachii), Front shoulders (anterior deltoids)
- Equipment
- Parallel bars or dip station
- Level
- Intermediate
Step by step
- Grab the parallel bars and press yourself up until your arms are straight and your shoulders are pulled down away from your ears.
- Bend your knees, cross your ankles behind you and tilt your torso forward slightly.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body slowly, letting them travel back and a little out to the sides.
- Descend until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor or slightly below, as far as your shoulders feel comfortable.
- Drive down through your palms to push your body back up until your elbows are straight.
- Keep the forward lean and a tight core for every rep, then step down carefully when finished.
Coaching cues
- More forward lean means more chest; a more upright torso shifts work to the triceps.
- Keep your shoulders depressed rather than shrugged up.
- Use a band or an assisted dip machine until you can do clean bodyweight reps.
Common mistakes
Dropping too deep
Stop at a depth where your shoulders stay comfortable, usually around upper arms parallel to the floor.
Swinging the legs
Cross your ankles and keep your core tight to stay steady between the bars.
Shrugged shoulders
Push your shoulders down away from your ears before each rep.
Sets and reps
Strength
3–5 sets of 4–6 reps (weighted)
Muscle growth
3–4 sets of 8–12 reps
Endurance
2–3 sets of 15–20 reps or max reps
Alternatives
FAQ
Are dips good for building the chest?
Yes. Leaning forward on dips places a large load on the lower chest, and they are easy to progress by adding weight once bodyweight reps get easy.
How do I make dips work my chest more than my triceps?
Lean your torso forward, let your elbows flare slightly and use a slightly wider grip if your station allows. Staying upright makes them more of a triceps exercise.
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