Bench Dip (knees bent)

Description

How to Do Bench Dip (knees bent)

1. 1
   Setup

   Find a sturdy bench or chair and sit on its edge with your hands gripping the front edge, fingers pointing forward or slightly outward, placed shoulder-width apart.

2. 2
   Setup

   Slide your glutes off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands and heels, keeping your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor.

3. 3

   Inhale as you slowly lower your body by bending your elbows directly behind you, keeping them tucked close to your sides, until your upper arms are parallel to the floor or your triceps are fully stretched.

4. 4

   Exhale as you push through the palms of your hands to extend your elbows and press your body back up to the starting position, focusing on squeezing your triceps.

5. 5

   Ensure your shoulders remain depressed and away from your ears throughout the movement, avoiding any shrugging or excessive shoulder protraction.

Tips

• Keep your elbows pointing straight back, not flaring out to the sides, to maximize triceps engagement and protect your shoulder joints.
• Control the movement both on the way down and up; avoid dropping quickly or using momentum to push back up, which reduces muscle activation.
• Maintain a slight forward lean in your torso, keeping your chest up and shoulders pressed down away from your ears to maintain proper form.
• To increase difficulty, extend your legs further forward or place your feet on an elevated surface, requiring more triceps effort.

Common Mistakes

• ×Flaring elbows out to the sides puts undue stress on the shoulder joints; always keep your elbows tucked in and pointing straight back.
• ×Not going deep enough limits triceps activation; lower your body until your upper arms are at least parallel to the floor to achieve a full range of motion.
• ×Shrugging shoulders towards your ears reduces triceps focus and can strain your neck; keep your shoulders depressed and away from your ears throughout the exercise.