Bench Dip

Technique

Place your hands behind you on a bench and your feet on the floor. Lower your hips by bending your elbows to about 90°. Keep your body close to the bench throughout. Press back up to the starting position by extending the elbows.

Steps

1. Place your palms on the bench beside your hips with your fingers facing forward
2. Set your feet on the floor and keep your hips close to the bench
3. Bend your elbows straight behind you to lower your hips
4. Stop when your elbows reach about 90 degrees
5. Press through your palms to extend your elbows and return to the start

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips drift away from the bench
• Flaring the elbows outward
• Lowering far beyond a 90-degree elbow bend
• Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears

Variations

• Bent-knee bench dip
• Straight-leg bench dip
• Feet-elevated bench dip
• Weighted bench dip with a plate on the lap

FAQ