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Dips
Intermediate

Dips

Build powerful triceps and chest with this fundamental exercise. Essential for muscle-up development and upper body strength.

1-3 months

Focus Areas

Strength Foundation Calisthenics Chest Arms Shoulders

Prerequisites

15+ push-ups with good form
Shoulder stability and health
Support hold ability (30 seconds)
Understanding of shoulder position

Dips represent a fundamental pushing exercise that builds exceptional tricep and lower chest strength while teaching the support position crucial for gymnastics movements. Whether performed on parallel bars, rings, or even a sturdy chair, dips develop the specific strength patterns required for muscle-ups and advanced pushing movements. The exercise's scalability makes it accessible while its progressions challenge even strong practitioners.

At Beyond Movement, we introduce dips after establishing solid push-up strength, recognizing the increased demands on the shoulders and the importance of proper progression. Ring dips, in particular, add an stability challenge that builds the strength and control essential for gymnastics movements. The progression from assisted dips to weighted variations provides years of productive training.

Dip strength translates directly to improved pressing power and serves as a cornerstone for muscle-up development. The deep range of motion strengthens the chest and triceps through positions unavailable in other exercises, while the support position teaches the body tension essential for static holds. Athletes find dip strength enhances throwing and pushing movements in their sports.

Prerequisites

Master these skills first:

  • 15+ push-ups with good form
  • Shoulder stability and health
  • Support hold ability (30 seconds)
  • Understanding of shoulder position
  • No acute shoulder issues

Common Mistakes

Avoid these errors:

  • Excessive forward lean

    Instead: Maintain slight forward angle only

  • Bouncing at bottom

    Instead: Control the full range

  • Shoulder shrugging

    Instead: Keep shoulders down and back

  • Incomplete range

    Instead: Lower until shoulders below elbows

  • Too wide grip

    Instead: Shoulder-width optimal for most

Related Skills

Foundation

Push-Ups

Master the fundamental pushing pattern. This versatile exercise builds the foundation for handstands, planche, and pressing strength.

Beginner
Immediate to 3 months

Foundation

Support Hold

Essential for dip starting position

Coming Soon

Foundation

Tricep Strength

Primary muscle group for dips

Coming Soon

Progression

Ring Dips

Master dips on unstable rings for superior strength and stability. Essential for muscle-up development and upper body power.

Intermediate
1-2 months (after bar dips)

Progression

Weighted Dips

Increases load for strength gains

Coming Soon

Progression

Muscle-Up

The ultimate pulling exercise that combines an explosive pull-up with a dip transition. Master this dynamic movement to showcase true upper body power.

Advanced
3-6 months (with prerequisites)

Progression

Russian Dips

Advanced dip variation

Coming Soon

Learn This Skill In These Classes

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Build incredible strength using just your bodyweight. Master advanced calisthenics movements from pull-ups to human flags.

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