# Chest Dip: how to do it

- Main muscles: chest, lower chest
- Also works: triceps, front delts
- Equipment: dip station
- Level: intermediate
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/chest_dip/17b6c39b41/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Grip the bars and press up to straight arms, shoulders down.
2. Lean your chest forward slightly with legs together behind you.
3. Lower until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
4. Press back up to straight arms without locking out hard.

## Cues

- Chest forward, shoulders down
- Upper arms to parallel
- Elbows back, not out

## Common mistakes

- Dropping far below parallel; stop when upper arms are level.
- Shrugging into your ears; push your shoulders down.
- Swinging the legs; keep them still and together.

## Starting position

Bars 4–5 cm thick, horizontal. Neutral grip (palms facing in), knuckles pointing at the floor, wrists straight, thumbs wrapped. Legs together, either straight or knees bent about 60–90° with ankles behind; the legs hang slightly behind the body so the trunk can lean forward (NFPT: legs float back for the forward angle).

## The movement

The body lowers by bending the elbows and swinging the upper arms back, while the trunk tips further forward (from about 18° to 35°). The shoulders travel down and slightly forward of the hands; the pelvis drops about 35–40 cm (McKenzie 2022: 39 cm). On the way up the trunk returns to the start lean. Legs stay together and still relative to the hips; no swinging.

## End position

Elbow flexion about 110–115° (McKenzie 2022: 115°). Trunk lean about 35° (McKenzie 2022: 37°). Elbows point back and flare out only slightly: shoulder abduction about 30° (McKenzie 2022: 31°). Shoulders still depressed, not shrugged up to the ears.

## Tempo

Lower 2 s, no bounce, press 1.5 s, 0.3 s at the top.

## Form in numbers

| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bar height | 1.40 m (shoulder height) | 1.30–1.45 m |  |
| Elbow angle at top (included) | 172° | 165–178° |  |
| Trunk lean at top | 18° | 10–25° |  |
| Trunk lean at bottom | 35° | 30–45° |  |
| Shoulder extension at bottom | 67° | 60–75° |  |
| Shoulder abduction at bottom | 30° | 25–35° |  |
| Elbow flexion at bottom | 112° | 100–120° |  |
| Pelvis drop top to bottom | 38 cm | 32–45 cm |  |
| Tempo down / up | 2 s / 1.5 s | 1.5–2.5 s / 1–2 s |  |

## Sources

1. [[NFPT: How To Do Bodyweight Dips](](https://nfpt.com/how-to-do-dips/)
2. [[McKenzie et al. 2022, Int J Environ Res Public Health, bar dip and fatigue (Europe PMC full text)](](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/PMC9659300/fullTextXML)
3. [[McKenzie et al. 2022, Int J Environ Res Public Health, bench, bar and ring dips (Europe PMC full text)](](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/PMC9603242/fullTextXML)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/chest-dip