13 Dip Variations for Muscle Growth (+Benefits & Tips)

Chair dips provide a similar workout to bench dips but can be done conveniently at home using chairs.

Here's how to perform this exercise:

1. Sit on the edge of a chair, ensuring your shoulders are pulled back and your chest is lifted.
2. Place your hands directly underneath your shoulders, firmly gripping the chair's edge.
3. Extend your legs out in front of you, keeping them straight.
4. Bend your elbows, gradually lowering your hips towards the floor.
5. Engage your triceps and push through your palms to extend your elbows, lifting your body back up to the starting position.
6. Repeat until you complete two to three sets of eight to twelve reps.

3. Jumping Dips

Jumping dips are an excellent dip variation for beginners as they closely mimic the full dip movement and assist in building strength. 

Here's how to perform them:

1. Begin by grabbing the handles of parallel bars and slightly bending your knees.
2. Explosively jump up while pressing your hands through the bars, fully extending your elbows.
3. Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body down in a controlled manner.
4. Once your feet touch the ground, prepare for the next repetition.
5. Repeat the same steps for two to three sets, aiming for eight to twelve reps per set.

I often recommend machine-assisted dips to beginners who are just getting used to the dip movement.

I guide them to adjust the weight on the machine, gradually decreasing the assistance, which allows them to challenge themselves and build strength effectively.

Here's how to perform this exercise:

1. Set the weight of the machine based on your current fitness level. Remember, higher numbers provide more assistance.
2. Position your arms on the handles and your knees on the machine’s footpad.
3. Lower your body down as far as you can while keeping your shoulders back and your core engaged.
4. Push through your arms and return to the starting position.
5. Repeat the same steps for two to three sets, aiming for eight to twelve reps per set.

“Don't lock your elbows at the top of the movement. Keeping them slightly soft maintains tension on the triceps.”

- Paul Rogers, Personal Trainer

5. Tricep Dips with Resistance Bands

Dips with resistance bands serve the same purpose as the previous exercise but add instability, making it more challenging and engaging for the triceps.

To do this exercise:

1. Hang the resistance band between the bars, ensuring it is secure and properly anchored.
2. Place both hands on the dip bars, gripping them firmly.
3. Hook your knees onto the resistance band.
4. Lift your feet off the ground, allowing your body to hang between the dip bars. This is the starting position.
5. Bend your elbows and lower your body down, keeping your chest lifted and your shoulders back. Aim to lower yourself to a comfortable depth.
6. Push through your hands and triceps to extend your arms, raising your body back to the starting position.
7. Repeat as long as you comfortably can.

“Use a resistance band to support yourself on the dip bars. This will reduce the weight you have to dip and make doing a full dip easier. Once you can do 10 or 20 resistance band assisted dips, try a full dip.”

- Thom Dwyer, Fitness Expert

Side to side dip can be an effective way to overcome plateaus in your dip training.

This exercise challenges your stability and helps develop strength that can be transferred to more advanced movements like ring dips.

Here's how to perform this exercise:

1. Place your arms on the dip bars with your elbows extended and raise your feet from the ground.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your body down, shifting most of your body weight onto your left triceps, shoulder, and chest.
3. Push back up to the starting position, focusing on engaging the muscles on your left side to drive the movement.
4. Repeat the same movement on the other side, dipping down and shifting your weight to the right side.
5. Continue alternating sides, performing as many repetitions as you comfortably can.

7. Weighted Dips

As a trainer, I've introduced clients to weighted dips as an advanced variation of regular dips, adding extra weight to ramp up the exercise's intensity.

We've explored various methods to incorporate weight, including using a dip belt, holding a dumbbell between the ankles, wearing a weighted vest, or draping heavy chains over the shoulders.

Here is how to perform weighted dips:

1. Secure a dip belt around your waist and attach your desired weight to the belt.
2. Find a dip station and grab the handles of the dip bars or parallel bars firmly.
3. Push yourself up, lifting your body off the ground. Keep your chest lifted and legs bent.
4. Lower your body by bending your elbows, aiming to go past a ninety-degree angle while maintaining a neutral spine.
5. Push back up using your arm and chest muscles to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat the movement for as many repetitions as you comfortably can.

“Bring your shoulder blades back and keeping them in position throughout each set. If you cannot do that, remove the external load and focus on building up your upper back strength.”

- Philip Stefanov, Personal Trainer

Korean dips are an advanced dip variation that can significantly challenge upper body muscles.

It is important to note that this exercise should only be incorporated into your routine if you have sufficient shoulder mobility and strength.

Here's how to perform Korean dips:

1. Sit on a bar and firmly grip the bar with your hands.
2. Use your arms to push yourself off the bar, extending your elbows and raising your body off the seat.
3. As you lower yourself, move downward and lean slightly backward.
4. Press yourself back up by engaging your arms and pushing through your hands.
5. Perform as many repetitions as you comfortably can.

9. Bulgarian Ring Dip

Ring dips are highly popular amongst crossfitters and bodybuilders because the instability forces your muscles to work harder to maintain control and counteract the rings' movement in various directions.

Research by the National Institute of Health (NIH) has shown that ring dips increase upper body push strength and may be prescribed to rehabilitate upper extremity injury [1].

Here's how to perform Bulgarian ring dips:

1. Adjust the rings so that the bottom of each ring is positioned just below the bottom of your pectoral muscles.
2. Place your arms at a ninety-degree angle, parallel to the ground. Keep your head up and your eyes focused forward.
3. Press against the rings and extend your arms, lifting your body upward.
4. Lower yourself back to the starting position with controlled movement.
5. Perform as many repetitions as you comfortably can while maintaining proper form.

“Your shoulders should remain strong and stable, rather than move forward as you lower yourself. Likewise, your core should remain engaged, not lax, in order to protect your spine.”

- Amanda Capritto, Fitness Expert

I've seen that parallel bar dips, or straight bar dips, are advanced exercises that require significant core stabilization.

They're effective for working the chest muscles, but it's crucial to use proper technique to avoid extra stress on the wrists.

I generally don't recommend these dips for beginners due to their complexity and the strength required.

How to perform straight bar dips:

1. Stand between two parallel bars and grip them with your palms facing downward. Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift your body off the ground, keeping your legs straight and engaging your core and glutes to maintain a stable position.
3. Bend your arms and lean your upper body slightly forward, maintaining an upright posture. Make sure your elbows are above your wrists throughout the movement.
4. Lower your body by bending your elbows, allowing your chest to move closer to the bars. Descend to a comfortable depth.
5. Push through your hands and straighten your arms, returning to the starting position.
6. Repeat the exercise for as many repetitions as you comfortably can.

11. Gironda Dips (Chest Dips)

The Gironda dip, named after one of the most renowned bodybuilders Vince Gironda, is an advanced dip variation specifically targeting the lower pecs.

To do this exercise:

1. Grip the handles firmly, ensuring a secure grip throughout the exercise.
2. Start upright with your chest lifted and your chin tucked.
3. Position your hips slightly behind the handles and extend your legs forward, resembling a hanging leg raise position.
4. Lower your body by bending your elbows, allowing your chest to descend between the handles.
5. At the bottom of the movement, create a slight bounce or stretch reflex, and then forcefully push yourself back up.
6. Continue raising and lowering your body, maintaining control, and focusing on engaging your lower pecs throughout the exercise.
7. Perform as many repetitions as possible while maintaining proper form and control.

Related: Chest Dip Alternatives

Single-arm dips are effective for building individual arm strength and improving the mind-body connection.

By isolating each limb, you can create equal tension and prevent muscle imbalances when training with both arms simultaneously.

To do this exercise:

1. Attach a resistance band to the bar.
2. Hold the bar with one hand while extending the other to grip the resistance band for added stability. Maintain engagement in your core throughout the entire movement.
3. Lower your body by bending your elbow, leaning towards the side of the limb you use for support.
4. Push your body back up, focusing on engaging the muscles of the working arm.
5. Perform as many repetitions as you comfortably can while maintaining proper form.

13. Russian Dips

As a personal trainer, I've found Russian dips to be an advanced exercise demanding significant triceps strength and mobility.

I advise beginners or those not adequately prepared to steer clear of this exercise due to the increased risk of shoulder and elbow injuries.

However, for clients who possess the requisite tricep strength and mobility, Russian dips can be a highly effective way to intensely target the triceps.

How to do this exercise:

1. Begin in the same starting position as regular dips, with your hands gripping the bars and your body suspended.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your body all the way down as you would in a regular dip.
3. Lean your upper body backward while keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides. Simultaneously, allow your lower body to move forward, creating a slight backward lean in your upper body.
4. Create momentum and go back up.
5. Perform as many reps as you comfortably can.

While the standard dip and its advanced variations can be demanding, numerous alternative variations are available that cater to individuals of different fitness levels.

This allows you to gradually build strength and proficiency at a pace that suits you best and promotes a gradual approach and steady progression.

Increased Muscle Growth and Strength

First, as NIH notes, dips target and engage key muscle groups such as the chest and triceps [3]. This focused activation promotes significant muscle growth in these areas.

Moreover, the stabilizing muscles, including the back, forearms, and core, are crucially engaged during dips.

They are vital in maintaining balance, minimizing unnecessary movements, and enabling you to execute the exercise with precision and stability.

Consistently challenging and involving these muscle groups through dips will substantially enhance your upper body strength and muscle growth.