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Chest Dip

The dip is an old-school bodyweight exercise that builds strength and muscle in the upper body. Depending on how you do it, it can prioritize your chest or your triceps and shoulders. The chest dip is an excellent movement to complement weighted pressing exercises with a barbell or a set of dumbbells. 

This article shows you how to perform the chest dip in detail. This is so that your chest, rather than your triceps or shoulders, gets the maximum benefit. We’ll also provide form tips, and give suggestions of alternative exercises for people who cannot do the chest dip.

How To Do

  1. Stand between a set of parallel dip bars. Hold them with an overhand grip in line with your torso.
  2. Raise yourself up so your arms are locked and your body is supported. A box or a suitable raised surface can also used to help. Bend your knees and cross your feet over each other.
  3. Slide your body forward so your chest is in front of your shoulders.
  4. Tilt your body forward so that it is at about a 30-degree angle to the floor.
  5. Take a deep breath in and engage your core. Bend at the elbows to lower your body toward the floor. Lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
  6. Pause at the bottom position. Push back to the start position while taking a breath out.
  7. Pause momentarily in the top position and then move into the next rep.

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Tips From Expert

  • Keep your shoulder blades pulled back. This will prevent rounding your shoulders which will take the emphasis off your chest in the bottom position.
  • Do not push up to a vertical torso position. Maintain the angled torso position throughout the entire movement.
  • Rather than pushing down with your hands as you come up, push your elbows in while squeezing your biceps. This will increase chest activation by providing adduction, moving the chest fibers toward the body's midline.
  • During the momentary pause in the top position, squeeze the handles inward. This creates isometric chest adduction, meaning your chest muscles contract without moving.

Optimal Sets and Reps

Our programming table shows the optimum set and rep combinations for various training objectives.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 3–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 2–3 15–20
Power Training 3–5 1–3
Optimal Sets & Reps of Chest Dip

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The chest dip is a compound bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a powerful movement that contributes to upper body strength and muscular endurance. Wearing a dip belt with weight plates attached can add extra resistance to the chest dip.

Here are some options for incorporating chest dips into your workout program:

Push Day (Push/Pull/Legs Split):

  • Perform chest dips after your primary pressing movements like bench presses or shoulder presses.
  • Some good examples would be the Bench Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Chest Dips, Shoulder Press, and Tricep Extensions.

Upper Body Day (Upper/Lower Split):

  • Include chest dips as one of the main compound exercises for upper-body workouts.
  • Examples include Pull-Ups, Bench Press, Rows, Chest Dips, Bicep Curls, and Tricep Extensions.

Chest and Triceps Day (Bro Split):

  • Use chest dips as a secondary exercise after your main chest movements.
  • Exercise examples include the Bench Press, Incline Bench Press, Chest Dips, Cable Flyes, and Tricep Pushdowns.
  • You can include ab stretches after your workout to provide a core challenge.

When working out training intensity, it's important to consider guidelines based on your rating of perceived exertion (RPE). This refers to how hard you find the resistance and can be scored on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of one would be very easy while a score of 10 would be maximal effort.

Here's a general guide:

  • Beginners: Use bodyweight or a challenging but manageable resistance. Aim for an RPE of 5—6.
  • Intermediate: Add weight that increases the difficulty, aiming for an RPE of 7—8. Depending on individual strength levels, this might typically be body weight plus 10—30 pounds.
  • Advanced: Increase resistance to reach an RPE of 8—9. This can often be bodyweight plus 30—60 pounds or more, tailored to personal strength and conditioning.

*Expert tip - You can also use a dip machine for high-rep endurance training, which allows you to use less than your body weight.

Primary Muscle Groups

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the bottom of your pectoral region, just above your abdominal muscles.

Abdominal Heads

The pectoralis major, or pecs, is the primary muscle activated during the chest dip exercise. Your chest contains three main muscle heads that make up your pectoralis major:

  • Clavicular Head (Upper Pectoral): Originates from the collarbone.
  • Sternal Head (Lower Pectoral): Originates from the breastbone and the upper ribs.
  • Abdominal Head: Originates from the abdominal region and functions to stabilize and support the lower portion of the pectoral muscle.

The primary function of the pecs is to assist with the forward and inward movement of the arms. During the chest dip, your abdominal heads stretch and lengthen during the lowering (eccentric) part of the movement.

As you push back to the start position, your abdominal heads contract to generate the force needed. This coordinated action of all three heads contributes to the effectiveness of chest dips in developing size, strength, and endurance.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Anterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region

Latissimus Dorsi

Large, triangular shaped muscles located just below your shoulder blades. They extend along your spine down to your pelvis.

Triceps Lateral Heads

Muscles located on the back of your arm between your shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Medial Heads

Small muscles located at the back of your arms. Deep to the triceps long heads between the shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Long Heads

Large muscles located at the back of your arms between your shoulder and elbow. Most outside portion of the tricep.

Triceps Lateral Heads

The lateral head of the triceps plays a significant secondary role in the chest dip. It originates on the humerus, our upper arm bone, and runs down to insert into the ulna, our forearm bone. This muscle head is primarily involved in elbow extension. It contributes to the overall pressing power required for the chest dip.

During the eccentric phase of the chest dip, the lateral head helps control the descent, so your elbows remain stable. In the concentric phase, the lateral head contracts to help extend the elbow. This helps push the body upward and fully straighten the arm. 

If you have tight triceps when dipping, you can perfect several triceps stretches to loosen them up.

Anterior Deltoid

The anterior (front) head of the deltoids is positioned on the front of the shoulder. It pulls the arm forward and upward. During the chest press, it stretches under tension, helping to stabilize the shoulder joint. It also assists in the upward pushing motion. 

When pushing your body back up, the anterior deltoid contracts to assist in shoulder flexion, contributing to the upward motion. This engagement is essential for stabilizing the shoulder and supporting the pecs and triceps during the pressing movement.

Latissimus Dorsi

The latissimus dorsi, or lats, is a large back muscle, extending from the lower back up to the upper arm. When performing back workouts at home or in the gym, it’ll most likely be involved. It plays a secondary role in pushing exercises such as the chest press. 

The main function of the lats is to pull your arms down and toward your hip. They’re involved in the internal rotation of the shoulder joint.

The lats provide stability during the lowering phase of the chest dip. They contract during the upward to assist in shoulder adduction and extension.

Triceps Medial Heads

The medial head of the triceps is positioned on the back of the upper arm. It lies deep beneath the long and lateral heads. It originates from the posterior surface of the humerus, or upper arm, and inserts into the ulna forearm bone. 

The primary function of the medial head of the triceps is elbow extension. As you lower your body during the dip, the medial head helps to stabilize and control the descent. Then, during the upward push, it contracts to extend the elbow.

Triceps Long Heads

The long head of the triceps has its origin on the shoulder blade (scapula). It runs down the back of the upper arm to insert into one of the two forearm bones. 

Because the long head passes through the shoulder and elbow joints, it is involved in shoulder extension and elbow extension. During the eccentric phase of the chest dip, the triceps control the rate of descent. They also help to maintain stability. In the concentric phase, it assists the pecs in extending the elbow to push the body upwards.

Equipment

Dip (Parallel) Bars

Dip (Parallel) Bars

This is a great piece of equipment to perform chest dips and leg raises. Ensure your chest stays up.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Band Assisted Dip

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Barbell Bench Press

Dumbbell Bench Press

Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

Cable Chest Fly

Chest Fly Machine

Smith Machine Bench Press

Push-Up

T Push-Up

Push-Up to Shoulder Tap

Dumbbell Chest Fly

Who Should Do?

Strength Athletes

Strength athletes, such as powerlifters and strongmen, can benefit greatly from chest dips. This exercise helps increase pressing power and upper body strength. These are vital for lifts like the bench press and overhead press. 

Incorporating weighted chest dips can enhance overall pushing strength and improve performance in strength-based activities.

Bodybuilders

Bodybuilders wanting to maximize upper body development, with an emphasis on the chest and triceps, will benefit from chest dips. By varying the angle and range of motion, bodybuilders can hit different chest muscles and achieve a well-rounded physique. 

This exercise works well with weighted exercises such as the bench press and chest flyes to promote complete chest development. 

Fitness Enthusiasts

Fitness enthusiasts wanting to improve upper body strength and endurance will benefit by adding chest dips to their routine. This exercise engages multiple muscle groups, including the chest, triceps, and shoulders. It helps build muscle strength and endurance and improves overall functional fitness.

This chest dip enhances pushing power. This improves many daily activities such as pushing heavy doors, moving furniture, or even getting up from a lying position. The compound nature of the movement also improves coordination and stability in the shoulders.

This makes it beneficial for other functional exercises and reduces the risk of shoulder injuries.

Who Should Not Do?

People With Shoulder Injuries

The chest bar dip places some stress on the shoulder joint. The deep range of motion may worsen existing shoulder issues. If you are suffering from a shoulder injury, you should swap out the chest press for alternative exercises like bench dips or push-ups.

Beginners

Newcomers to resistance exercise may find the chest dip too hard to perform with proper form. This exercise requires a considerable amount of upper body strength and stability, which beginners may lack. 

Start with more basic chest and triceps exercises, such as dumbbell bench presses, bench dips, and push-ups. You can then build the necessary strength and control to progress to chest dips.

People With Elbow Issues

People with elbow tendonitis or other elbow-related problems should avoid chest dips. The exercise places a significant load on the elbows, which can aggravate existing conditions. It’s better to focus on other pressing movements such as the bench press and pec dec fly. These exercises offer more support and reduce strain on the elbow joints.

Benefits Of The Chest Dip

Not Too Harsh On The Shoulders

The chest dip provides an effective way for people with healthy shoulders to strengthen the upper body. If you use proper form and do not go lower than parallel, you’ll minimize the risk of shoulder impingement. However, those with pre-existing shoulder injuries should avoid this exercise. 

Easy On The Back

Chest dips do not place significant stress on the lower back. This makes them an excellent upper body exercise for those concerned about back health. The upright position of the body during dips ensures that the spine remains in a neutral alignment, 

This reduces the risk of lower back strain. As a result, chest dips offer a safer alternative compared to compound lifts such as dumbbell bench presses. When bringing the dumbbell up, it may put excessive pressure on the lower back region.

Improves Overall Strength

Chest dips are a compound exercise that effectively engages multiple muscle groups, including the pectoralis major, triceps, and anterior deltoids. This multi-muscle engagement helps improve overall upper-body strength and muscle coordination. 

By adding chest dips to your routine, you can improve your pressing power. This may translate to better performance in other upper body exercises like push-ups, bench presses, and overhead presses.

Expert tip

Adding weight to dips can further challenge your muscles and promote strength gains. Use a weight belt if you have one to provide an additional workout challenge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are chest dips good for?

Chest dips are good for improving your upper body strength and stability. They can also add muscle mass to the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

Why are dips so good for you?

Dips effectively engage multiple upper body muscles, improving strength, stability, and muscle growth. They’re also adaptable to different fitness levels. You can do them on an assisted pull-up machine or use a weight belt to add extra resistance.

Can I do chest dips every day?

You should not do chest dips every day as this won’t allow for sufficient muscle recovery. If you train a muscle again before it’s recovered, you won’t be able to get bigger and stronger. Aim for 1-3 sessions per week.

Are dips better than pull-ups?

Dips and pull-ups target different muscle groups; dips focus on the chest and triceps, while pull-ups emphasize the back and biceps. Both are valuable exercises.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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