Weighted Bench Dip
Weighted Bench Dip Exercise Description
The Weighted Bench Dip is a bodyweight-plus-load triceps exercise performed with your hands on a bench behind you. It emphasizes elbow extension to target the triceps brachii, with assistance from the chest and shoulders and stabilization from the upper back and core. Keeping the torso close to the bench limits excessive shoulder extension and helps maintain shoulder joint control. The movement should be smooth and controlled through a comfortable range, with the forearms staying close to vertical and the shoulders depressed (away from the ears). External load is typically placed securely on the lap/hips to increase challenge while preserving form.
- Muscle Groups: Triceps
- Target Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Medial Head
- Assisting Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Lateral Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Latissimus Dorsi, Rectus Abdominis, Rhomboid Major, Transversus Abdominis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bench, Weighted
- Exercise Patterns: Push
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Deep Tricep
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Weighted Bench Dip Exercise
‘- Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench. Place hands beside hips, fingers forward (or slightly outward), wrists stacked under shoulders.
– Position feet hip-width with knees bent about 90 degrees and soles flat. Brace lightly through the trunk.
– If adding weight, place a plate or dumbbell securely on your lap/hips and steady it with your thighs/hands before moving off the bench.
– Slide hips forward off the bench so your torso stays close to the bench edge. Keep chest open, shoulders down and gently back; neck neutral.
– Lower in control by bending the elbows, letting them track mostly backward. Keep forearms near vertical and avoid the shoulders rolling forward.
– Descend until elbows reach roughly 90 degrees or a comfortable depth without losing shoulder position.
– Press through the palms to extend the elbows, returning the body upward while keeping the shoulders depressed. Do not rely on the legs to push.
– Finish with elbows straight but not forcefully locked. Pause briefly to re-set posture and balance the load.
– Throughout: breathe steadily (exhale as you press up), keep the torso close to the bench, and stop if you cannot maintain controlled shoulder and wrist alignment.
Weighted Bench Dip Tips
‘- Place hands beside your hips with fingers forward or slightly outward and wrists stacked under your shoulders.
– Set your feet hip-width apart with knees bent about 90 degrees and soles flat to establish a stable base.
– Brace lightly through your trunk before you move off the bench to help control your torso.
– If using weight, secure it on your lap/hips and steady it with your thighs or hands before sliding off the bench.
– Slide your hips just off the bench while keeping your torso close to the bench edge throughout the movement.
– Keep your chest open, shoulders down and gently back, and neck neutral as you lower and press.
– Lower by bending your elbows so they track mostly backward while keeping your forearms close to vertical.
– Descend only until your elbows are around 90 degrees or a comfortable depth without letting your shoulders roll forward.
– Press through your palms to extend your elbows and avoid pushing with your legs as you come up.
– Finish with your elbows straight but not forcefully locked, pause briefly to reset posture and balance the load, and exhale as you press up.
Weighted Bench Dip Beginner Introduction
The Weighted Bench Dip is a bench-based dip variation that blends bodyweight with added resistance to challenge the arms and upper body. During this movement, the hands rest on a bench behind the body while the legs support some of the body’s weight in front. The main action is bending and straightening the elbows, which strongly engages the triceps, with help from the chest and shoulders. The upper back and core play a key role in keeping the body steady throughout the motion.
Repetitions are typically slow and deliberate, within a range that feels manageable for the shoulders and wrists. The upper arms travel behind the body, but the torso stays relatively close to the bench to limit how far the shoulders move backward, supporting a more controlled joint position. Forearms generally remain close to upright, and the shoulders tend to stay drawn down away from the ears rather than shrugging upward. Extra resistance is often placed across the lap or hips, raising the challenge while allowing body alignment and balance to remain a priority.