Triceps Dip On High Parallel Bars
Start in a strong support position on high parallel bars with your arms fully extended and shoulders stable. Keep your core tight and legs slightly in front or straight depending on your balance preference. Maintain an upright torso to emphasize triceps engagement. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides as you descend in a controlled motion. Go down until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor or your elbows reach about a 90-degree angle. Avoid excessive depth if shoulder mobility is limited. Pause briefly at the bottom, then press through your palms to extend your elbows and return to the starting position. Fully stabilize at the top before beginning the next repetition. Repeat for the desired reps with smooth, controlled form throughout. **Key Tips:** - Keep shoulders depressed (don’t shrug) - Avoid swinging or using momentum - Maintain a neutral, braced core for stability **Why it matters:** Parallel bar dips are a compound pushing movement that strongly loads the triceps while also recruiting chest and shoulder stabilizers for support, especially in deeper ranges of motion
How to Do the Triceps Dip On High Parallel Bars
- Jump or press up into a support position on the parallel bars with your arms locked and shoulders pressed down away from your ears.
- Keep your torso as upright as possible with your core tight and legs still, either straight down or slightly bent.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked close to your sides.
- Descend under control until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor or your elbows reach roughly 90 degrees.
- Pause briefly at the bottom without relaxing your shoulders.
- Press through your palms and extend your elbows to drive your body back up.
- Finish each rep at a full lockout with shoulders stable before starting the next one.
Common Mistakes
- Sinking too deep for your shoulders: dropping well below a 90 degree elbow bend with tight shoulders strains the front of the joint. Work within a pain-free depth and expand it gradually.
- Flaring the elbows wide: letting the elbows drift out shifts load away from the triceps and onto the shoulders. Keep them tracking back, close to your body.
- Kipping and swinging: using leg drive or body English to bounce out of the bottom removes the triceps work. If strict reps are too hard, use a band or an assisted dip machine instead.
- Shrugging at the top: finishing with the shoulders up by your ears leaves the joint unstable. Push the bars down hard and keep the neck long at lockout.
Track This Exercise in the App
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