Shrugging at the bottom
Keep the shoulders pulled down and stop the descent before they roll forward.
Vertical push · Dip station
Dips
A bodyweight press on parallel bars where you lower your body by bending the elbows and push back up. It builds the triceps, lower chest, and front delts. Suits lifters who can do several clean reps and have healthy shoulders.
- Primary
- Triceps
- Secondary
- Chest, Front Delts
- Starting rep range
- 6–12 reps
- Target effort
- 2 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2.5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The triceps straighten the elbows and the chest and front delts push the arms down and forward. Leaning forward shifts more work to the chest; staying upright biases the triceps.
How to set up
- Grip the bars about shoulder width with a neutral grip.
- Jump or step up to straight arms, shoulders pushed down away from your ears.
- Cross or bend your legs behind you, or keep them straight under you.
- Brace your abs so your body moves as one piece.
How to do each rep
- Lower by bending the elbows, keeping them pointed back rather than flaring out.
- Descend until your upper arms are about parallel to the bars, or as deep as your shoulders tolerate.
- Press back up to full elbow lockout.
- Control the descent over two seconds; avoid bouncing at the bottom.
Common dips mistakes
Going too deep too soon
Stop around upper arms parallel until your shoulders are comfortable with more range.
Kipping out of the bottom
Use assistance or fewer reps rather than swinging the legs to finish.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the dips at 6–12 reps with about 2 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Build to 3 sets of 12-15 strict bodyweight reps, then add load with a dip belt or a dumbbell between your feet. If you cannot do 5 reps, use an assisted machine or band.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Dips alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Programs that use it
Questions
Are dips good for chest or triceps?
Both. Leaning forward with elbows a bit wider emphasizes the chest, while staying upright with elbows tucked emphasizes the triceps.
Are dips bad for your shoulders?
Not inherently, but very deep or rushed reps can aggravate them. Control the range, keep the shoulders down, and stop at a depth that feels solid.