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How to do the Weighted Bench Dip

TricepsWeightedIntermediate

The weighted bench dip is a proven mass-builder that places the triceps under direct, measurable load through a full range of motion. Master this movement and you will develop the thick, horseshoe triceps that define serious upper-arm development.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest

Step-by-step

  1. Sit on the edge of a bench with hands shoulder-width apart gripping the edge, then place a weight plate securely on your thighs just above the knees.
  2. Walk your feet out until your legs are straight or slightly bent, with your hips clear of the bench and your shoulders packed down away from your ears.
  3. Lower your body in a controlled 2-second descent until your elbows reach 90 degrees, keeping them tracking straight back rather than flaring wide.
  4. Drive through your palms to press back to full elbow extension, squeezing the triceps hard at the top before beginning the next rep.

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears during the dip, which shifts stress off the triceps and onto the neck and traps — consciously depress your shoulder blades before each rep and maintain that position throughout.
  • Placing the feet too close to the bench so the hips drop straight down instead of the torso moving vertically, turning it into a shoulder exercise — walk feet far enough out that your torso stays nearly upright.
  • Adding too much plate weight before controlling bodyweight through full range, causing partial reps that miss the bottom stretch where triceps growth is maximized — earn the load by achieving clean full-range reps first.

Pro tip — At the top lockout pause for a full one-count while actively pushing the palms into the bench, this isometric squeeze at peak contraction recruits the medial head of the triceps more completely and accelerates strength gains beyond what moving weight alone achieves.

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.

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