Assisted Dip Machine

Equipment

How to do it

Select the counterweight. A heavier setting gives more help. Step up, grip the dip handles with your palms facing in, and kneel or stand on the platform so it supports you with your arms straight.

1. 1.Start with your arms straight and your shoulders pulled down away from your ears.
2. 2.Bend your elbows to lower your body between the handles, keeping your elbows pointing back.
3. 3.Lower until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, or as low as you can control.
4. 4.Press through your palms to straighten your arms.
5. 5.Reduce the assistance over time as you can do more reps with good form.

Common mistakes

• Using so much assistance that the platform does most of the work.
• Stopping each rep well above parallel.
• Letting your shoulders roll forward at the bottom.
• Bouncing out of the bottom position.

Variations

Forward-lean assisted dip

Lean your torso forward slightly to put more of the work on the chest. Stay upright to put more on the triceps.

Paused assisted dip

Pause for one to two seconds at the bottom of each rep before pressing up.

Alternatives

• Dip: The bodyweight dip on parallel bars, once you can press your own weight.
• Triceps Dip: A bench dip with your feet on the floor.
• Chest Press Machine: A seated machine press for the chest and triceps.
• Machine Triceps Extension: A machine that isolates the triceps.

Related exercises

Cable CrossoverChestPec DeckChest, Front deltsSmith Machine Bench PressChestBarbell Bench PressChestDecline Bench PressChestDumbbell Bench PressChest