The Dip is the king of chest & triceps exercises. And if you perform it properly, it also smokes the rear shoulders & upper back. Like the pullup, it’s an extreme joint angle exercise except your shoulder is in extension instead of flexion. Just like with pushups, keep your forearms vertical to the floor to get the most out of the exercise & take pressure off the elbows.

There are 3 primary ways to help you build up to perfect dips. One, use band-assistance which helps you the most out of the bottom position. Two, use self-assistance from your lower body. Three, do eccentric-only reps where you cheat up and then lower slowly for 3-5 seconds. I recommend mixing between all 3 for best results.

Though some fitness experts say to never do off-bench dips, I think it’s an excellent exercise if you have the hip & shoulder mobility to do it pain-free. It’s easier to do than parallel bar dips and it stresses the triceps more than the chest. Progress from knees bent to legs straight to feet-elevated. I love to do max reps parallel dips immediately followed by off-bench dips for an epic pump & burn.