Floor Triceps Dip — how to, muscles worked, alternatives

How to do the Floor Triceps Dip

Sit with knees bent, palms on the floor behind your hips.
Point your fingers toward your feet.
Straighten your arms to lift your hips off the floor.
Lower your hips back toward the floor under control.

Full technique — 7 steps

Sit on the floor with knees bent and heels on the floor in front of you.
Place your palms flat on the floor behind your hips, fingers pointing toward your feet.
Lean back slightly with elbows a little bent and hips resting on the floor.
Press through your palms and extend your elbows to lift your hips off the floor.
Finish with arms straight and vertical under your shoulders.
Bend your elbows and lower your hips back toward the floor under control.
Keep your hands and feet in place for every rep.

Common mistakes

Pushing up with the legs instead of the arms
Stopping short of full extension
Shrugging shoulders toward ears
Hands set too far behind the hips
Dropping too fast into bottom

Form cues

Press through the palms
Fingers point toward feet
Straighten arms fully
Keep shoulders down
Move only at elbows

Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

Machine

Seated Dip Machine Harder

Weight plates

Plate Curl to Press with Triceps Extension Harder

Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

This exercise Floor Triceps Dip 30% of bodyweight
Harder Bench Dip 45% of bodyweight
Harder Triceps Dip 100% of bodyweight

Quick answers

What muscles does the Floor Triceps Dip work?

Primary: Triceps 9/10. Also works: Front delts 5/10, Lower chest 3/10, Rotator Cuff 3/10.

When should I do the Floor Triceps Dip in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 5 min with rest.

How many sets and reps of the Floor Triceps Dip?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.