Dip

The dip is a bodyweight vertical pushing exercise done on parallel bars, rings, or a dip station. It trains the chest, triceps, front of the shoulders, and lower chest, while your core and shoulder stabilizers keep you steady.

Grip the bars with your hands under your shoulders and straight arms. Press your shoulders down away from your ears, lean your torso slightly forward, and brace your midsection so your body does not swing. Support yourself at the top with elbows locked.

Bend your elbows and lower your body until they reach about 90 degrees or the deepest pain-free position for your shoulders. Keep your shoulders depressed the whole way down. Press through your hands to straighten your arms fully, locking out at the top without shrugging.

Inhale as you lower and exhale as you press up, keeping your ribs down and core tight. To make it easier, use a band under your knees or an assisted-dip machine. To make it harder, add a dip belt with weight or use rings, but earn stable bar dips before trying ring dips.

Fault: Dropping too fast and bouncing out of the bottom. Fix: Lower yourself under control, pause briefly at the bottom, then drive up.

Fault: Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears or losing the lockout. Fix: Keep the shoulders depressed throughout the set; finish each rep with elbows straight and shoulders pushed down.

Fault: Dipping deeper than the shoulders allow. Fix: Stop at roughly 90-degree elbows or the deepest pain-free depth; reduce the range if you feel pinching in the front of the shoulder or sternum.

Fault: Flaring the elbows wide or letting the body drift behind the hands. Fix: Keep the chest slightly forward and the elbows tracking in a comfortable, controlled angle.