Bodyweight Chest Dip

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Mount a dip station or parallel bars and grip both bars with an oblique angle.
2. 2Press down to lock your arms out and lift yourself clear of the floor.
3. 3Lean your torso forward significantly to shift tension onto the chest.
4. 4Lower your body by bending your elbows until you feel a stretch.
5. 5Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the start.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Staying too upright, which shifts focus to the triceps.
• Dropping too low and straining the shoulder joint capsule.
• Swinging the legs to generate momentum instead of muscle force.
• Bouncing out of the bottom instead of reversing smoothly.
• Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears at the bottom.

TIPS

• Keep your chin tucked slightly to maintain a neutral spine.
• Drive your elbows out wide rather than tucking them tight.
• Focus on pushing the floor away from you at the bottom.
• Control the descent for two seconds to maximize chest stimulus.
• If body weight is too heavy, use a band or assisted dip machine.

SAFETY

• Avoid excessive depth if you have a history of shoulder instability.
• Build reps gradually, since the shoulder is loaded in a stretched position at the bottom.
• Stop if you feel pinching at the front of the shoulder rather than a chest stretch.

DETAILS

Muscles

Middle ChestChest

Equipment

Dip StationParallel Bars

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Beginner

Tracked as

Weight & Reps

TECHNIQUE

Arms

Both

Body position

Hanging