How to do the Bench Dip
Step by step
- Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench, box, or chair and place your hands next to your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Slide your hips off the edge, supporting yourself on your hands.
- Keep your legs out in front with heels on the floor and elbows pointing straight back.
- Bend your elbows to lower your hips straight down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
- Press through your palms to push back up to straight arms.
The thing people get wrong
Keep your hips close to the bench and your elbows pointing back, not flaring out - going deeper than parallel puts the shoulder in a strained position.
Coaching cue
Keep your hips brushing the edge of the bench the whole way down.
Stay safe
Check the bench or chair cannot slide out behind you before you put weight on it.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Bend your knees and bring your feet in closer to take weight off your arms.
- Harder: Put your heels up on a second bench or box so the legs give no help.
Muscles worked
- Primary: Triceps
- Secondary: Chest, Front delts
What to do instead
Same job, different movement — useful if you don't have the equipment or it doesn't feel right today.
Daily Coach builds this into a real weekly plan. It picks the exercises for your equipment and experience, swaps around injuries you tell it about, and tracks what you actually lifted.