Suspension dip
A dip taken in suspension handles instead of on fixed bars, which loads the chest and triceps while the shoulders hold the moving straps still.
NeedsSuspension trainer
The movement
2 stages
Top
01 Top
Arms straight in the handles, heels on the floor out in front, hips lifted clear.
02 Bottom
Bend the elbows straight back until your shoulders reach the height of your hands.
How to do it
Setup
- Set both handles to about hip height and stand between them.
- Grip a handle in each hand with your palms facing in, then press down until your arms are straight and your hips lift clear of the floor.
- Walk your heels out in front of you until your legs are straight.
Execution
- Bend your elbows and let them travel straight back to lower your chest.
- Stop when your shoulders reach the height of your hands.
- Press back to straight arms without letting the handles swing outward.
- Finish every rep with the handles the same distance apart.
BreathingInhale as you lower, exhale as you press back up.
Getting it right
Form cues
- Elbows travel back along your ribs, never out to the sides.
- Squeeze the handles inward so they cannot drift apart.
- Take the weight through the heel of each hand.
Common mistakes
- Letting the handles drift wide, which turns the set into a fight to stop the arms splaying.
- Sinking until the shoulders drop well below the hands, which loads the front of the shoulder at its longest.
Worth knowing
- The handles move, so the shoulder has to hold the joint together at the same time as it presses. Keep the depth moderate, and go back to bench dips or push-ups if the front of your shoulder complains.
General guidance, not medical advice. See how Setkit works.
Notes
A dip on fixed bars asks the chest and triceps to press. The suspension version asks them to press while the handles are trying to swing apart, and that second job is what makes it hard. Most people manage far fewer reps on straps than on bars at the same bodyweight.
Your feet are the dial. With your heels close in under your hips, your legs carry a large share of the load and the dip stays manageable. Walking the heels further out shifts weight onto your arms, and taking the feet off the floor entirely is the hardest version. Move out one step at a time rather than jumping straight to hanging.
Depth is where this goes wrong. Nothing stops you sinking on straps, and the bottom of a dip is where the front of the shoulder is least protected. Stop when your shoulders reach the height of your hands. If you cannot hold the handles steady at that depth, the set is finished.