Tricep Dips At Home For Beginner For Bigger Arms

If you are looking for the best exercise to build stronger tricep at home? Tricep dips may be your best option that you can do at home.

Tricep dips are for everybody, since there are no machines or weights needed for this wonderful bodyweight exercise, that means you can train your tricep anywhere. At the gym, in the park, on a bench, at the beach, on the floor.

Dips are one of the best bodyweight exercises to increase your arm strength, and also build lean muscle in your upper arms.

What Are Tricep Dips?

Tricep dips are a compound bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the triceps brachii muscle. The exercise also engages secondary muscles, including the anterior deltoids (front shoulders), pectoral muscles (chest), and the muscles in the upper back and core for stabilization.

They are a great bodyweight exercise that can be done almost anywhere without any equipment. Tricep dips can be modified to make them easier or more difficult.

Tricep Dip Common Variations

• Bench Dips: Performed using a bench or a chair.
• Parallel Bar Dips: Executed between two parallel bars or dip stations.
• Single-leg dips: Lift one leg up and hold it as you dip down.
• Weighted dips: For extra resistance, place a dumbbell plate, book or other object in your lap.

What Muscles Does a Tricep Dip Work?

Tricep dips are a compound exercise, meaning they engage multiple muscle groups. The triceps is the primary and most targeted muscle in this movement.

Several additional muscles are engaged to provide support to the body during Tricep dips, including:

• Pectoralis major. This is the main muscle on the upper chest and is often referred to simply as the “pecs.”
• Anterior Deltoids: As you lower and raise your body during the dip, the front part of your shoulders.
• Trapezius. This triangular muscle extends from the neck to the shoulder to the middle back.
• Rhomboids and Levator Scapulae: These muscles help stabilize the scapula (shoulder blade) during the dip movement.
• Serratus anterior. This muscle is on the surface of the upper eight or nine ribs.
• Rectus Abdominis and Obliques: These muscles are activated to stabilize your torso during the movement.

How To Do Tricep Dips At Home

This step-by-step guide will help you perform them correctly at home.

Starting Position

• Look for an elevated surface like a chair, bench, or the edge of a sturdy bed. Ensure the surface won’t slip during the exercise.
• Sit on your chosen surface and place your hands beside your hips. Your fingers should be pointing forward and aligned with your shoulders.
• Walk your feet a few steps away from the surface, and position them hip-width apart.
• Slide your buttocks off the edge of the surface.

Movement

• Begin to lower your body by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows close to your body and don’t flake them out.
• Lower yourself until your upper arms are about parallel to the ground or as far as your flexibility and strength allow.
• Push through your palms, engaging your triceps to lift your body back up to the starting position.

Repetitions

• Repeat the movement for the desired number of reps.
• For beginners, start with 3 sets of 8-10 reps, gradually increasing as you build strength.

Tricep Dips Form and Techniques

When doing tricep dips, it’s important to do them correctly and with good technique. This will make the muscles work harder and prevent injuries.

• Proper hand placement: Place your hands behind you onto a chair, bench, or dip station, so that your fingers face forward.
• Adjust Foot Position: For bench dips, the further your feet are from the bench, the more challenging the exercise becomes. Beginners can start with their feet closer and gradually progress.
• Body position: Roll your shoulders back, open the chest, keep your neck nice and tall, and place your hands underneath your shoulders.
• Sets and Reps: Begin with 2–3 sets of 10–15 repetitions. Choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.
• Engage Your Core: A tight core stabilizes your body during the movement, reducing unnecessary swaying and helping to maintain proper alignment.
• Breathing: Inhale as you bend your elbows and breathe out as you extend the elbows and lift yourself back up.

5 Tricep Dip Variations for Beginners at Home

There are five different ways to do this exercise as a bodyweight workout. All of them are important for your overall workout plan:

1. Tricep dips on the floor
2. Bent knee tricep dip
3. Tricep dips with straight legs
4. Tricep dip with elevated legs
5. One-Arm tricep dip

All of these exercises are great for building tricep strength, that you can do anywhere. Any home workout routine should include tricep dips because they are a great bodyweight exercise.

Read More: Best Tricep Workout At Home Without Equipment For Bigger Arms

1. Tricep Floor Dip

The Tricep Floor Dip is the simple yet effective tricep dips variation that you can do at home on the floor.

Floor Tricep dips are still a good tricep workout, but will require more reps to train the triceps.

This is likely the best bodyweight tricep exercise for a beginner at home, if you have no bench, no chairs, and nothing else to work with.

How To Do Tricep Floor Dip

1. Position your hands shoulder width apart on the floor with your back facing down.
2. Straighten your arms and Lift your hips off the floor, like a crab
3. Slowly bend at your elbows, and lower your upper body toward the floor until your arms are at about a 90-degree angle.
4. Push your body up to return to the start position.

Tips for proper form

• Repeat the exercise several times for an effective triceps workout
• Do is slow and controlled manner.

2. Knee Bent Tricep Dip

The bent knee tricep dip is a variation of the body weight dip, but it’s easier because you don’t need the same amount of physical strength.

It’s a preferred and recommended version of a dip because most people can do it safely and effectively.

The bent knee tricep dip is a compound movement, but it also isolates the triceps.

It is easy to learn and can be done almost anywhere, so bent knee tricep dips are a great home-workout exercise for a beginner.

How To Do Knee Bent Tricep Dip

1. Place your hands on the side of a flat bench so that your body is perpendicular to the bench when you place your feet out in front of you.
2. Only your heels should be on the floor, and your legs should be straight. Keep your knees and hips bent.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your body down until your elbows reach 90 degrees.
4. Now extend your arms to lift your body back to the starting position, flexing your triceps hard at the top.

Tips for proper form

• Really squeeze the triceps at the top of the movement to get the most out of this exercise.
• Do not dip down too low as it places unnecessary strain on the shoulder joints.
• Place the feet further from the bench to increase resistance.
• Ensure the height of the bench allows for a full range of movement.

3. Tricep Bench Dip

The tricep bench dip is one of the most fundamental, best exercises to build triceps strength and bigger arms. The bench dip only requires a bench, or any other sturdy surface that you can find at the time.

You can do tricep dips to build your arms at home or on a park bench during your morning run. Standard tricep dips activate muscles in your Chest, shoulders, and tricep.

How To Do Tricep Dip

1. Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
2. Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you.
3. Your arms should be fully extended with just your palms on the bench.
4. Bend your elbows to lower your body down until your elbows reach 90 degrees.
5. Now extend your arms to lift your body back to the starting position, flexing your triceps hard at the top.

Tips for proper form

• Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
• When doing tricep dips, roll your shoulders back, open your chest, keep your neck nice and tall.
• Aim to dip until your arms are at a 90-degree angle for maximum tricep engagement.

4. Tricep Dip with Elevated Legs

The Tricep Dip with Elevated Legs is a variation of the traditional bench tricep dip. In this version, the practitioner places their feet on an elevated surface, like another bench or a raised platform, while performing the dip movement.

The elevation makes the exercise more difficult by placing more weight and resistance on the triceps.

If you want to train your triceps hard, you should add elevated tricep dips to your home workout routine.

How To Do Tricep Dip With Elevated Legs

1. Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
2. Sit on one bench and place your feet on the edge of the other bench so that your legs are suspended between the two.
3. Your arms should be fully extended with your palms on the bench.
4. Bend your elbows to lower your body down until your elbows reach 90 degrees.
5. Using your triceps to bring your torso up again, lift yourself back to the starting position.

Tips for proper form

• Really squeeze the triceps at the top of the movement to get the most out of this exercise.
• Do not dip down too low as it places unnecessary strain on the shoulder joints.

5. One-arm Tricep dip

The one-arm tricep dip is a challenging and very effective movement that primarily targets your triceps, but your glutes and quads also get worked secondarily.

It’s also a better option for those who lack the upper body strength to perform a full bodyweight dip.

How To Do Tricep Dip With Elevated Legs

1. Place your hands (palms) on the side of a flat bench with your back straight, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.
2. Slide your buttocks off the bench. Raise your left arm and right leg straight out in front of you.
3. Your bodyweight should be being supported by your right arm and left leg.
4. Inhale as you flex your elbow to lower your body until you feel a mild stretch in your shoulder.
5. Exhale as you extend your elbow to push your body back up to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and repeat the exercise with your left arm.

Tips for proper form

• Keep your body upright and your back straight.
• Keep your elbow close to your body, do not flare out.
• To make the one-arm bench dip easier, keep both feet on the floor.

How to Train Your Triceps at Home

Tricep dips are a great way to build tricep muscle at home. For example, you can do dips by putting your palms on a chair and leaning against the wall.

Start with 2-3 sets and stop just before you fail. Rest for 1-2 minutes and then repeat.

The approach is simple and most people can follow it. If you are interested in a more varied approach, try this. Close and diamond push-ups.

Takeaway

Tricep dips are one of the best exercises that you can do at home to increase your arm strength, and also build lean muscle in your upper arms. 

The great thing about a triceps dip, it’s easy to master and incorporate in to your regular workouts. Plus, there are plenty of variations you can do to increase the move’s intensity and keep things exciting.

Frequently Asked Question

How do you do tricep dips without equipment?

There are many ways to change up the tricep dip that you can do at home without equipment. You can make the exercise more or less difficult depending on how fit you are. If you want to make tricep dips easier, you can either do them with knees bent or on the floor (floor tricep dip).

Do dips really work the triceps?

Tricep dips are one of the best upper body pushing exercises you can do at home without equipment. They work your triceps, pecs, and deltoids, and because you have to support your entire body weight on your arms, they provide a greater challenge.

Know More About Triceps Training

• 12 Best Chest and Triceps Workout to build Muscles
• 15 Bodyweight Triceps Exercises: Beginner to Advanced
• Lateral head triceps exercises for Bigger, Stronger Arms
• Triceps brachii muscle

8 Best Bodyweight Tricep Exercises At Home