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How to do the Reverse Dip

TricepsBodyweightIntermediate

The reverse dip is a deceptively demanding bodyweight movement that hammers the triceps through a full, loaded range of motion using nothing but your own bodyweight and a stable surface. Master this exercise and you build serious pressing strength that transfers directly to every push movement in your training.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest

Step-by-step

  1. Place your hands behind you on a bench or chair with fingers pointing forward and arms fully extended, feet flat on the floor in front of you.
  2. Lower your body by bending the elbows directly backward, keeping them tracking close to your sides rather than flaring outward.
  3. Descend until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, pausing briefly at the bottom without collapsing into your shoulder joints.
  4. Drive your palms into the surface and extend your elbows forcefully to press yourself back to the starting position, squeezing the triceps hard at lockout.

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows outward shifts stress off the triceps and onto the shoulders, so actively pin your elbows in toward your torso throughout the entire rep.
  • Dropping too fast through the descent removes tension and risks shoulder strain, so control the lowering phase for at least two seconds on every repetition.
  • Shrugging the shoulders upward loads the traps and neck instead of the triceps, so actively depress and pack your shoulder blades down before and during each rep.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, think about pushing the bench away from you rather than simply straightening your arms, this subtle cue dramatically increases triceps activation at lockout and eliminates the tendency to passively rest in the joint.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Triceps exercises

Barbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressBarbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying ExtensionBarbell Lying Extension
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