Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Bench Dip on Floor: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The bench dip on floor is a bodyweight exercise targeting the triceps, with secondary activation of the chest and shoulders. It is performed by supporting your body on your hands at the edge of a bench or chair, lowering your body by bending your elbows, and then pressing back up.

Primary muscles
Triceps
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Chest
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the bench dip on floor
Front view: muscles worked by the bench dip on floor. Primary: triceps. Secondary: shoulders and chest.
Back view: muscles worked by the bench dip on floor. Primary: triceps. Secondary: shoulders and chest.
Primary Secondary

How to do the bench dip on floor

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

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the bench dip on floor by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Bench Dip on Floor alternatives

More exercises that train the triceps as their main target:

More triceps exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.