Reverse Dip
- Músculo objetivo
- Triceps Brachii
- Músculos sinergistas
- Deltoid Anterior, Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head, Pectoralis Major Sternal Head
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Upper Arms
- Tipo
- Strength
The reverse dip is a bodyweight exercise that targets the triceps brachii, with the anterior deltoid and both heads of the pectoralis major assisting. With your hands on a bench edge behind you, you bend and extend your elbows to lower and press your body back up. It builds triceps pressing strength with no equipment beyond a stable surface, so it fits at the end of a push session or in a home workout.
Cómo hacer el Reverse Dip
- 1Sit on the edge of a sturdy bench or chair and place your hands on the edge just outside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- 2Straighten your arms and slide your hips forward off the edge so your weight is supported by your hands, knees bent near 90° and feet flat on the floor.
- 3Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back, keeping your hips within an inch or two of the bench.
- 4Lower your body by bending your elbows straight back until your upper arms reach roughly parallel to the floor, taking about two seconds.
- 5Pause briefly at the bottom without letting your shoulders roll forward or shrug up.
- 6Press through your palms and extend your elbows to drive your body back to the starting position, stopping just short of locking out.
- 7Repeat for the desired reps, then shift your hips back onto the bench and sit down to finish the set.
Consejos de técnica
- Track your elbows straight back over your hands rather than out to the sides, which keeps the load on the triceps.
- Set the bench so your feet reach the floor comfortably; a surface roughly knee height gives full range without forcing your shoulders past their limit.
- Squeeze the triceps hard at the top instead of resting on locked elbows, so tension stays on the muscle between reps.
- To progress, walk your feet out and straighten your legs; to regress, keep your knees bent and your feet closer to the bench.
- Stop the set once you can no longer control the lower — grinding reps here loads the front of the shoulder, not the triceps.
Errores comunes
- Dropping below parallel at the elbow, which forces the shoulder into deep extension and internal rotation and irritates the front of the joint.
- Letting the hips drift forward away from the bench, which turns the movement into a shoulder-loaded fall and takes the triceps out of it.
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears at the bottom, which strains the shoulder girdle and drains tension from the triceps.
- Pushing with the legs to bounce out of the bottom, which cheats the reps and hides how much the arms are actually doing.
- Using an unstable or wheeled surface, which can slide mid-set and drop you onto your hands or tailbone.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the reverse dip work?
The reverse dip targets the triceps brachii. The anterior deltoid and the clavicular and sternal heads of the pectoralis major work as synergists to help press your body back up.
What is the difference between a reverse dip and a parallel bar dip?
In a reverse dip your hands are behind you on a fixed surface and your feet stay on the floor, so you control the load and the emphasis stays on the triceps. A parallel bar dip suspends your full body weight between two bars, which is harder and puts more of the work on the chest.
How do I make the reverse dip easier or harder?
Bend your knees and keep your feet close to the bench to make it easier, since your legs carry more of your weight. Walk your feet out and straighten your legs to make it harder, or elevate them on a second bench for the hardest version.
How deep should I lower on a reverse dip?
Stop when your upper arms reach about parallel to the floor, roughly 90° of elbow bend. Going deeper adds little triceps work and pushes the shoulder into a position where the front of the joint takes the strain.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Because it is a bodyweight isolation-style movement, 3 sets of 10–15 controlled reps works well for most lifters. Once 15 clean reps feel easy, straighten your legs rather than chasing higher rep counts.
