Assisted dip
Log this in the trackerA dip on a counterweighted machine, so you can train the pattern before you own it.
What it is
A dip where a machine takes part of your bodyweight through a knee pad, letting you train full range with the load you can actually control.
Muscles worked
Primary: Chest (pectorals), Triceps. Secondary: Front deltoids.
How to perform it
- Set the assistance so you can complete around eight clean reps, and kneel on the pad.
- Grip the handles, arms straight, chest tall and shoulder blades set down.
- Lower until the upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, elbows tracking back.
- Press up to straight arms without shrugging at the top.
Common form faults
- Dropping fast and bouncing out of the bottom. Two seconds down, pause, then press. The shoulder does not enjoy a bounced dip.
- Shoulders rolling forward at the bottom. Keep the chest up and stop at the depth where the shoulders stay set, not where the range ends.
Programming
8 to 12 reps, reducing the assistance as you get stronger. When you need less than about ten kilos of help, try an unassisted set.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- How does assistance weight work?
- The number on the stack is how much bodyweight is taken off you, so a higher number is easier. Track it going down over the weeks.
- Leaning forward or upright?
- Leaning forward biases the chest; staying upright biases the triceps. Both are valid, so pick per goal and keep it consistent within a block.