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Bodyweight · Triceps

How to Do Dips Without Shoulder Pain

Dips build serious tricep and chest strength, but going too deep or leaning the wrong way is how they start to bother your shoulders. Here is the range and posture that keeps them safe.

· 2 min read

Dip demonstration

Dips are one of the most effective bodyweight pushing exercises available, and also one that's easy to overdo before your shoulders are ready for the full range. Depth and torso lean matter more here than in almost any other bodyweight move.

How to do it

  1. 1Grip the bars, lock out — support your body on parallel bars with arms straight, shoulders down away from your ears.
  2. 2Lean slightly forward — a slight forward lean (more so if targeting chest) keeps the shoulder joint in a safer position.
  3. 3Lower with control — bend your elbows and lower until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor — no deeper for most lifters.
  4. 4Keep elbows tracking back — avoid letting them flare wide to the sides.
  5. 5Press back up — drive through your palms back to full lock-out without shrugging your shoulders up.

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Sets and reps

3 sets of as many reps as you can do with full control, stopping a rep or two before form breaks down. Use an assisted-dip machine or resistance band if bodyweight dips are not achievable yet.

Common mistakes

  • Going too deep. Dropping past the point where your upper arms are parallel to the floor puts unnecessary stress on the front of the shoulder for most people.
  • Flaring elbows out wide. This increases shoulder strain. Keep your elbows tracking backward, closer to your torso.
  • Shrugging the shoulders up. Letting your shoulders creep toward your ears reduces the stability of the joint. Keep them pulled down and back throughout.

Safety note

Any pinching sensation at the front of the shoulder is a signal to reduce your depth immediately, not push through it.

A dip only needs a partial range to be effective. Depth is not the goal — control through a safe range is.

Train it as part of a real plan

A single exercise is a start, not a programme. WO Buddy builds the rest of the plan around it, based on your goal and schedule.

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