Dip: depth, lean and shoulder safety
Lower until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, then press back up. Going deeper than that puts the shoulder in a compromised position for little benefit. Lean forward 20–30° for chest emphasis, stay upright for triceps.
Why dips are worth doing
- Heavy loading on chest and triceps with your own body weight, and easy to add weight to.
- Long range of motion compared with most pressing.
- Scales in both directions — assisted machines and bands for beginners, weight belts for advanced lifters.
- Minimal equipment. Parallel bars or a dip station.
The caveat: dips place the shoulder in an extended position under load, which some people simply do not tolerate. If dips consistently aggravate your shoulder, use close-grip pressing instead — it is not a necessary exercise.
Setup and execution
- Bars just outside shoulder width. Very wide bars increase shoulder stress considerably.
- Support yourself with straight arms, shoulders down away from the ears — not shrugged up.
- Set the lean. Upright for triceps; leaning forward 20–30° with the hips slightly back for chest.
- Legs together, knees bent or straight, held still.
- Brace and lower under control.
- Stop when the upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, or slightly below if comfortable. This is the depth guideline that matters.
- Elbows travelling back, tucked reasonably close rather than flared wide.
- Press up without shrugging, stopping just short of a hard lockout.
Depth is where dips go wrong. Dropping until your shoulders are well above your elbows puts the joint in a deeply extended position under load. Upper arms to parallel captures nearly all the benefit at a fraction of the risk.
Setup variations
| Setup | Emphasis | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Torso upright, elbows close | Triceps | The tricep-focused version. |
| Torso leaning forward 20–30° | Lower chest | The chest-focused version. |
| Bar width just outside shoulders | Balanced | Very wide bars increase shoulder stress. |
| Bench dip (feet on floor) | Triceps, easier | Shoulder position is less favourable; use assisted dips instead if possible. |
| Ring dips | Triceps and chest, high stability demand | Advanced. Rings allow a natural rotation. |
On bench dips specifically: they are popular and place the shoulder in a less favourable position than parallel bar dips, because the arms are behind the torso throughout. If you cannot yet do parallel bar dips, assisted dips or a machine are better options than bench dips.
Faults and fixes
- Going too deep. The most important fault. Stop around upper arms parallel.
- Shoulders shrugging up at the top. Keep them down and away from the ears.
- Elbows flaring wide. Keep them travelling back.
- Swinging the legs. Momentum. Keep the body still.
- Bars too wide. Increases shoulder stress. Use a narrower station if available.
- Bouncing out of the bottom. Control the transition.
- Partial range at the top only. Full press, without slamming the lockout.
Programming and progression
- If you cannot do one: assisted dip machine, bands, or slow negatives from the top. Same approach as pull-ups.
- Hypertrophy: 3–4 sets of 8–15.
- Strength: weighted dips, 3–4 sets of 5–8.
- Twice a week.
- Add weight once you pass 12–15 bodyweight reps, using a belt or a dumbbell between the feet.
- Balance with pulling volume — see barbell row.
- Stop if it hurts. Persistent shoulder pain in dips is a reason to substitute, not to push through.
Common questions
How deep should I go?
Upper arms roughly parallel to the floor. Deeper adds risk without much benefit.
Are dips bad for your shoulders?
Not inherently, at sensible depth with a reasonable bar width. Some people do not tolerate them; use close-grip pressing instead.
Chest or triceps?
Lean forward for chest, stay upright for triceps.
Are bench dips a good substitute?
Not really — the shoulder position is less favourable. Assisted dips are better.
How do I get my first dip?
Negatives and assisted dips, plus close-grip pressing to build the triceps.
Should I lock out at the top?
Press to nearly straight without slamming into it.
Dips or bench press?
Both work. Dips have a longer range and are easier to set up; bench press is easier to load precisely.
The practical version
- Lower until the upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, then press.
- Lean forward 20–30° for chest; stay upright for triceps.
- Shoulders down away from the ears, elbows travelling back rather than flaring.
- Bars just outside shoulder width — very wide increases shoulder stress.
- Progress with assisted dips and negatives; add weight past 12-15 bodyweight reps.
- Persistent shoulder pain means substitute, not push through.
Key takeaways
- Stop when the upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor — deeper adds risk, not benefit.
- Leaning forward 20-30° emphasises the chest; staying upright emphasises the triceps.
- Keep the shoulders down away from the ears rather than shrugged at the top.
- Bench dips place the shoulder in a less favourable position than parallel bar dips.
- Add weight once you pass 12-15 bodyweight reps.
- Dips are not a necessary exercise — substitute close-grip pressing if they hurt.
Related reading
General information, not medical or individualised advice. Speak to a doctor before starting a new programme, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are returning from injury. If you train with a coach, their guidance takes precedence.
Track it, or none of this applies
MyFitsy pre-fills the weight you used last time, so progression is a decision instead of a guess.
