weighted bench dip: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of weighted bench dip

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on a bench with your hands gripping the edge, fingers pointing forward.
Step:2 Slide your butt off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands.
Step:3 Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
Step:4 Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Body weight Free weights
Body part: Arms Shoulders Chest
Target muscle: Triceps
Secondary muscle: Forearms Anterior deltoid Sternal pectoralis (mid chest)

Hypertrophy grade

Average5 / 10

Nemeo’s take

Dips between two benches place a strong strain on the triceps in mobility and offer good range of motion, but stability is limited by the position of the shoulders and the high joint tension at the bottom of the movement. This exercise, more accessible than true parallel dips, is often limited by shoulder discomfort rather than pure muscle fatigue, which reduces its effectiveness for maximum hypertrophy. It remains an excellent additional tool but not the great specialist for gaining mass in the triceps.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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weighted bench dip

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