How to do the Chest Dip
ChestBodyweightIntermediate
The chest dip is one of the most powerful bodyweight movements for building lower pec thickness and raw pushing strength. Master your own bodyweight here and you carry that strength into every pressing pattern you train.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Pectorals (chest)
Secondary
Front deltsTriceps
Step-by-step
- Grip the bars and lean your torso forward at roughly 30 to 45 degrees, keeping that angle throughout the set.
- Lower yourself under control until your upper arms are at least parallel to the floor and you feel a deep stretch across your chest.
- Press through the bars by driving your elbows back and together, not straight down, to maximize pec activation.
- Lock out fully at the top and pause briefly before starting the next controlled descent.
Common mistakes
- Staying upright like a tricep dip — keep your torso tilted forward the entire set or you shift the load off the chest entirely.
- Bouncing out of the bottom — a rushed reversal robs you of the loaded stretch where chest growth is triggered, so own the bottom position.
- Flaring the elbows out excessively — keep them tracking back at roughly 45 degrees to protect the shoulder joint and keep tension on the pecs.
Pro tip — At the bottom of each rep think about pulling the two bars together rather than just pushing down — this mental cue pre-activates the pec fibers and produces a far stronger, more connected contraction on the way up.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps
Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).
More Chest exercises
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