Can’t Do a Dip Yet? Start Here (Chair → Elevated Chair → Regular Dips

Can't do a dip? No worries; you aren't alone! Dips use most of your body weight, so they can be very difficult at first. Therefore, there is no shame in starting from zero. By following a simple progression with your dip training, you'll gain enough strength and confidence to successfully perform your first full dip.

Our beginner's guide will help you build strength with three levels of dip exercises you can do at home. You'll have a clear understanding of how to advance safely and effectively through all levels. We all started from somewhere, so let's start at the beginning!

Psst... want a ready-made plan on your phone? Unlock the Dip Progression Program and save it to your phone for step-by-step guidance.

Why Dips Feel Impossible at First (It’s Not Just You)

Dips have a reputation for being tough, especially for beginners. Here’s why they feel so hard:

You’re Lifting a Lot of Weight

Your legs assist you when doing push-ups, allowing you to lift only 50-70% of your total body weight. Conversely, dips on parallel bars require you to push your entire bodyweight. Therefore, even if you do half of your bodyweight with push-ups, pushing all of your bodyweight for dips is far more strenuous than doing half of your bodyweight for push-ups and places greater emphasis on chest, shoulders and triceps.

Full Range of Motion & Stretch

Dips allow your muscles to use a lot of range. When you go down so that your elbows are below your shoulders, the motion allows for greater stretching of both your chest and shoulders. Therefore, you're training these upper-body muscles for strength while they are stretched. Because you have now stretched your upper body muscles, when they're in the "down position," they won't be able to produce as much force as they could if they were in a "bottom position."

Shoulder Stability Required

To dip safely, you need good shoulder stabilization. Beginners often lack shoulder stability and the ability to keep their scapulae down and back, which is required for dips. Without this, trying a full dip can feel wobbly or even painful. Don’t worry. Your stability improves with practice and the easier variations.

It’s a Compound Movement

A proper dip engages your triceps, chest, shoulders, and even your core all at once. If any of these areas are underdeveloped, the dip will expose them. Many beginners have enough arm strength but struggle with the chest or shoulder part of the movement. The progression will gradually strengthen all the required muscles.

Safety Tips for Correct Dip Progression

Be careful to notice any pain in your shoulders so you can avoid injuring them. When you're doing any type of dips, don't let your elbows bend deeper than 90 degrees. Keep your shoulders above your elbows. Don't try to force them lower. Always be in control of the movement.

The 3-Level Dip Progression Path

Below you'll find an easy way to progress through the 3 levels of dips for beginners to get to the first full parallel bar dip, using just a few different exercises and easy-to-understand goals per level, so you'll know when you're ready to go to the next level! It's all clearly laid out so that you can focus on getting stronger.

Level 1 – Chair Dips (The Easiest Starting Point)

Chair dips are the first step in your progression. Here, you’ll use a chair, a bench, or a sturdy coffee table as your dip surface. The exercise positions your body higher than in an elevated chair or regular dip, so you’ll be lifting a portion of your body weight that is suitable for beginners, with plenty of room to grow as you progress. 

Chair dips primarily target the triceps and chest. They’re a convenient way to build strength for parallel bar dips, but we’ll do them carefully to protect the shoulders.

Setting Up

Sitting on the front edge of the chair/bench with both hands beside each hip, gripping the front edge of the chair/bench about shoulder-width apart, palms faced down, fingers pointed off the front of the chair/bench, place a firm chair or bench against the wall.

If you are new to this exercise, you may need to keep a slight bend in your knees to keep your legs close together.

How to Perform Chair Dips

Beginning with your arms straight, bend your elbows and descend directly. Your hips will fall toward the floor just ahead of the chair. Descend until your upper arms are almost parallel to the ground. Avoid dipping too low to prevent front shoulder strain. Push back up now, straighten your arms, and lift your body till your arms are outstretched by pressing through your palms.

Form Tips

• To effectively use the triceps while safely holding your shoulder, keep your back in line with the chair.

• To avoid pulling on your shoulders, keep your chest open while pulling your shoulders down and close to each other.

• With your elbows positioned to point directly back behind you, you will use the triceps while minimizing any stress on your shoulders.

• Your foot position determines your leg straightness and, therefore, the difficulty of getting up from the chair. Your foot position also allows you to control the intensity of the exercise.

• To maximize the effectiveness of the exercise, during each repetition, you should lower down evenly and slowly; do not bounce or lock out your elbows.

Common Mistakes

The biggest mistake is letting the hips drift too far forward away from the chair. This makes it a more awkward, shoulder-stressing position. Remember to drop straight down, keeping your back close to the seat. Another mistake is going too low. If your shoulders dip way below your elbows, you risk impingement. Stop when your shoulders are at about the level of your elbows or just below. 

Ready to Progress When

Aim for 3 sets of 8–12 reps of chair dips. Initially, you might do sets of 5–6 – that’s fine. Build up reps gradually. Once you can do around 8 reps, consider extending your legs to increase the challenge, and work up to 12 reps per set with your legs straight.

Once you can comfortably perform 3×12 chair dips with straight legs and zero shoulder pain, you'll be ready for the third and final level. Your shoulders should feel stable, and your elbows track well. In short, when regular chair dips feel “easy” for 3 sets of 12 or more, you’re ready to test the waters with real parallel bar dips.

(By the way, to follow this progression on the go, you can unlock the Dip Progression Program and save it to your phone – never miss a step in your training!)

Level 2 – Elevated Chair Dips

Mastering the fundamental chair dip naturally leads on to elevated chair dips. You shift more of your body weight onto your arms by lifting your feet onto a different piece of furniture. 

This gets you ready for the full-body weight you will manage during conventional parallel bar dips by raising the strain on your chest and triceps. This level marks your bridge between "this feels manageable" and "I'm almost ready for the real thing."

Setting Up

You will need two strong pieces of furniture of comparable height. Two comparable chairs, a stool or a coffee table with great weight are examples of this. Set them roughly leg-length apart, facing one another. 

Sit on the edge of one chair with your hands alongside your hips, palms down, fingers pointed forward, gripping the front edge. Now put your heels on the second stool/chair facing you. Your legs should be straight with just a bend in the knees. Your hips should be resting off the first chair, supported only by your heels and arms. Your starting point is this. 

Begin with your feet closer to you on the second chair, with bent knees to lower the load if this initially seems too intense; then slowly stretch them out as you gain strength. 

How to Perform Elevated Chair Dips

From your arms-straight starting position, slowly drop your hips straight down toward the ground, bending your elbows. Drop yourself till your elbows reach about a 90-degree angle or your upper arms are parallel with the ground. Avoid probing any further if you notice any stabbing or pinching discomfort on the front of your shoulders.

Pause for a moment at the base, then push hard through your palms to raise your body back to the starting point till your arms are straight. That's one set. Keep the motion steady and under control throughout. Remember not to drop or bounce. 

Form Tips

• Maintain back-pressed shoulder position during the movement. Don't let them hunch up toward your ears or roll forward.

• Not flaring out to the sides, your elbows should follow straight back behind you. This effectively aims at training the triceps and protects your shoulders.

• Lower yourself with your back close to the front chair. Should your hips drift forward too far, you will move strain away from your triceps and place excessive stress on your shoulder joints.

• The further your feet are from you, the harder the exercise. Start with feet closer and gradually increase the distance as you get stronger. When your legs are almost straight, and your feet are fully on the second chair, you're at full difficulty.

• Inhale as you lower down, exhale as you push back up.

Common Mistakes

The most often made mistake is pushing your hips forward and away from the chair, therefore converting the motion into more of a shoulder stretch than a controlled strength workout. Keep your back near the edge of the chair and descend straight down.

Another mistake is lowering too quickly and using momentum to bounce back up. This reduces muscle engagement and increases injury risk. Control is key—aim for a 2-3 second descent on every rep.

Lastly, avoid locking your elbows aggressively at the top of the movement. Keep a soft micro-bend in your elbows to maintain tension on your triceps and protect your joints.

Ready to Progress When

Your target for Level 2 is to finish three sets of 8–12 elevated chair dips with great form. Once you can comfortably complete 3 sets of 12 reps with straight legs, stable shoulders, and no pain or discomfort, you're ready to move on to Level 3. You have developed enough strength at this time to sustain your entire body weight; therefore, you may start performing daily parallel bar drops.

Level 3 – Regular Dips

Regular dips are the classic parallel bar dip exercise, and the end goal of the progression guide. These dips have you support your entire body on two parallel bars and perform the dip motion unassisted. It’s a tough move that demands upper-body strength and stability. Let’s set you up for success on your first dip.

Setting Up

The ideal scenario uses parallel bars or a dip station at a gym or at home. If you don’t know how to do dips at home, try two very sturdy chairs. Or use the corner of two countertops. However you do it, ensure the supports are secure and can handle your weight. 

Grip the bars, shoulder-width apart. Jump or step to the top. Keep your arms straight, while also holding yourself off the ground, with your feet hanging off the ground, plus keep your head straight, looking forward.

How to Perform a Regular Dip

Inhale from the top support position, and lower your body by bending your elbows. When you bend your elbows back, you may also bend them out slightly. Lean forward about 10-15 degrees as you lower your body. Lower yourself in a controlled way until your shoulder reaches the same level as your elbow or until you have a good stretch between your shoulder and the front of your chest.

Do not go too low to reduce the strain on your shoulders. Within a couple of seconds pause at the bottom, then exhale while pushing through with your arms back to the starting position, straightening your arms out fully to the top and finishing with your shoulders down and your chest up. That's 1 dip.

Form Tips

• Before starting, set and maintain your shoulder blades down and back to create a stable foundation and reduce the risk of injury.

• Keep your elbows at about a 30–45 degree angle from your torso to balance tricep and chest engagement safely.

• Find a natural, moderate forward lean of about 15–30 degrees to stay balanced and effectively work the chest and triceps.

• Keep your core tight and your body stable by engaging your glutes and, if needed, crossing your legs to prevent swinging.

• Only lower yourself to a depth you can comfortably control, aiming for a 90-degree bend in your elbows as a standard.

What if You Can’t Push Back Up Yet?

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t do dips yet. Instead, build strength using these techniques. Start with Negative Dips, where you slowly lower yourself down with control, then assist yourself back to the top. Aim for a 3-5 second descent. 

You can also use Band-Assisted Dips to support part of your weight, focusing on good form and moving to thinner bands over time. Other options include practicing Partial Dips and increasing depth gradually, or lightly using your toes for assistance. Finally, Top Position Holds at the lockout build supporting strength in your shoulders and arms.

Ready to Progress When

The initial goal here is to complete 1 full dip with good form. Once you can do one, aim to do a few in a row. Work up to 3 sets of 5+ dips over time. At that point, you’ve really conquered the beginner stage. 

Start at your level, save the program to your phone, and follow it step by step.

A Simple Weekly Schedule for Dips Progression Beginners 

What exercise to pick, and how often to work out? As a newbie, you don't need to train every single day. In fact, you can get really good at working out from 2 to 3 sessions per week, rather than working out daily, like you probably would do if you were trying to get in shape. 

However you choose to go about the specific planning, following a few rules can help you get the results you seek in a safe manner. First of all, you should work on increasing the number of repetitions you can do, then add additional sets, and once you are happy, you can progress to the next level. Below is a weekly schedule example you can try today.

Troubleshooting

Even with a solid plan, you might run into a few common issues along the way. Here are the “big four” dip problems and how to solve them.

• Dips Shoulder Pain: If your bench dips hurt shoulders or other muscle groups, your form might be wrong. Keep shoulders down/back and limit depth. Avoid excessive forward roll. Never push sharp pain, and consider band-assisted bar dips if discomfort persists.

• Elbows Flaring Out: Keep elbows tucked at ~45° angle. Adjust to a narrower grip and consciously think “elbows toward ribs” as you dip.

• Hips Drifting / Body Swinging: Keep your back close to the chair and engage your core/glutes. Pause at the extremes of movement to control momentum and stop swinging.

• Lack of Progress: Ensure training consistency and adequate intensity. Add accessory exercises, regress to build strength, and prioritize recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dips

Below are answers to some common beginner questions about dip training. These short Q&As are handy if you’re looking for quick info or troubleshooting advice.

How long will it take to do my first dip?

It often takes a few weeks to a couple of months for a complete beginner. Practicing consistently 2–3 times per week is key. Some progress faster with prior training, while others need more time. Focus on the process.

Are chair dips (bench dips) effective for beginners?

Yes, chair dips for beginners are very effective for building triceps, chest, and shoulder strength. Tricep dips at home or the gym help you learn the motion with partial body weight. Use proper form and don't over-stretch to strengthen safely for regular dips.

Can I practice dips at home without parallel bars?

Absolutely. Use sturdy kitchen counters, chairs, or benches. Start with regular chair dips, progress to elevated chair dips, and for the regular dips, use two stable chairs or countertop corners as makeshift bars. Always prioritize safety.

What if dips hurt my shoulders?

Don't push through shoulder pain. First, keep your shoulders down and limit depth. If pain persists, modify your grip, strengthen with easier progressions, or take a break. Sharp pain warrants professional consultation.

How often should I train with dips per week?

For beginners, 2–3 times per week is ideal. This allows for progress while ensuring adequate recovery. Never train dips on consecutive days. Consistency with this frequency yields the best initial results.

What muscles do dips work?

Dips primarily work the triceps, chest (pectorals), and front shoulders (anterior deltoids). They also engage core and back stabilizers, making them an efficient compound exercise for upper-body strength.

Should I use an assisted dip machine or a resistance band?

Yes, these are excellent tools. They reduce the load, allowing you to practice the full motion safely. Use them to build strength, and gradually reduce assistance as you progress toward unassisted dips.

Conclusion

Learning to do dips is a journey built on consistency and patience. Start at the easiest level that allows for perfect form. From there, progress slowly, celebrating the small improvements along the way. Trust that your regular, steady practice will lead to strength.

Stay calm, stay consistent, and enjoy the process. Remember that every expert was once a beginner who couldn’t do a single dip. Happy dipping! 

Download your level-based dip plan, so you always know what to do next.