Elbow Dips
Elbow Dips Exercise Description
Elbow dips are a bodyweight pushing exercise performed with your hands on a stable bench or box behind you and the hips just off the edge. The movement is driven by elbow extension, making the triceps brachii the primary mover, with assistance from the anterior deltoids and pectoralis major; the scapular stabilizers work isometrically to control the shoulder girdle. Keep the torso close to the bench and the shoulders depressed and slightly retracted to maintain efficient leverage and neutral shoulder position. Lower only to a comfortable depth—commonly around a 90-degree elbow angle—so the shoulders don’t glide forward or excessively extend. This variation helps reinforce sound upper-body pressing mechanics using minimal equipment.
- Muscle Groups: Triceps
- Target Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Long Head
- Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Anterior, Pectoralis Major - Sternal Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Serratus Anterior, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Push
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Inner Tricep
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Elbow Dips Exercise
‘- Place a sturdy bench/chair against a wall. Sit on the edge and set hands beside your hips, fingers forward, palms flat.
– Lift your hips off the edge by straightening the arms; walk feet forward with knees bent, heels on the floor. Keep your torso close to the bench.
– Set posture: head neutral, chest tall, ribs stacked. Gently draw the shoulder blades down and back (scapular depression/retraction).
– Inhale. Bend your elbows to lower straight down, allowing slight shoulder extension while keeping forearms vertical.
– Stop when upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor or elbows near 90°, without letting the shoulders roll forward.
– Press through the palms to extend the elbows and return to the start; exhale on the way up.
– Keep elbows tracking close to your torso (not flared) and avoid shrugging toward the ears.
– Maintain light core and glute tension for a neutral spine; don’t let the hips drift away from the bench.
– Finish tall with elbows straight but not forcefully locked, shoulders still depressed.
Elbow Dips Tips
‘- Set your hands beside your hips with fingers pointing forward and palms flat on the bench.
– Keep your torso close to the bench and prevent your hips from drifting away as you move.
– Gently draw your shoulder blades down and back, and avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears.
– Maintain a neutral head position with a tall chest and stacked ribs throughout the movement.
– Lower by bending your elbows straight down, keeping your forearms vertical and elbows tracking close to your torso.
– Descend only to a comfortable depth—around a 90° elbow angle—without letting the shoulders roll or glide forward or excessively extend.
– Press firmly through your palms to extend the elbows and return to the start position.
– Finish each rep tall with elbows straight but not forcefully locked, and shoulders still depressed.
– Maintain light core and glute tension to support a neutral spine.
Elbow Dips Beginner Introduction
Elbow dips use bodyweight and a sturdy bench or chair to train the arms and upper body in a classic pressing pattern. The hands rest behind the body on the bench while the hips hover just off the edge, so the up-and-down motion comes mainly from bending and straightening the elbows. This places strong emphasis on the triceps, with help from the front shoulders and chest, while the muscles around the shoulder blades hold the upper back steady. Light tension through the core and glutes supports a tall, stable posture throughout the movement.
The exercise highlights smooth control around the shoulders rather than chasing a deep stretch. The body stays close to the bench, the shoulders remain low and slightly drawn back, and the elbows travel near the sides of the torso. The descent usually stops when the elbows reach a comfortable bend, often around a right angle, so the shoulders stay in a safe, centered position instead of drifting forward. Because it takes only a bench or chair and your own bodyweight, this variation suits home workouts and helps build awareness for other upper-body pressing moves.