Bench Dip With Knees Bent

Body Part: Arms

Muscle: Triceps

Equipment: Flat Bench

The Bench Dip With Knees Bent is a bodyweight triceps exercise performed with the hands on a bench behind the hips and the feet on the floor. Bending the knees brings the feet closer to the body, reducing the load compared with straight-leg bench dips and making the movement easier to control.

The triceps are the main target, while the front shoulders and chest assist as the elbows bend and extend. Because the shoulders move into extension behind the body, depth should be conservative and pain-free. The hips stay close to the bench so the elbows can bend straight back rather than flaring wide.

Set up by sitting on the bench edge, placing the hands beside the hips, and walking the feet forward until the hips are just in front of the bench. Lower by bending the elbows, stop before the shoulders feel strained, and press through the hands to straighten the elbows and lift back up.

Use this variation as an accessible triceps accessory, a home-workout pushing movement, or a step before harder straight-leg dips. Keep the range controlled and adjust difficulty by moving the feet closer or farther from the bench. Stop if the front of the shoulder feels sharp or crowded.

Instructions

• Sit on the edge of a flat bench and place your hands beside your hips with fingers gripping the edge.
• Walk your feet forward until your hips are just in front of the bench and your knees stay bent.
• Keep your chest lifted and shoulders pulled gently away from your ears.
• Bend your elbows to lower your hips straight down close to the bench.
• Keep the elbows pointing mostly backward instead of flaring wide.
• Stop at a depth where the shoulders still feel comfortable.
• Press through your palms to straighten your elbows and lift your body back up.
• Reset with hips close to the bench before starting the next rep.

Tips & Tricks

• Keep the feet closer to your body to make the dip easier.
• Move the feet farther away only if you can keep the same shoulder comfort.
• Keep your hips close to the bench so the elbows can bend cleanly.
• Do not drop below a comfortable shoulder range just to make the rep deeper.
• Press evenly through both hands so one shoulder does not carry more load.
• Keep the neck relaxed and avoid shrugging at the bottom.
• Use a slow lower to prevent bouncing out of the shoulder stretch.
• Choose close-grip push-ups if bench dips bother your shoulders.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do bench dips work?

They mainly work the triceps, with help from the shoulders and chest.

Why bend the knees?

Bent knees reduce the load and make the exercise easier to control.

Are bench dips okay for shoulders?

They can be, but use a comfortable depth and stop if the shoulder position causes pain.

Where should my hips be?

Keep them close to the bench throughout the rep. Letting them drift away can stress the shoulders.

Should my elbows flare out?

No. Aim them mostly backward so the triceps do the work and the shoulders stay more controlled.

How do I make bent-knee bench dips harder?

Move your feet slightly farther away or progress to straight-leg bench dips if your shoulders tolerate them.

How deep should I lower?

Lower only as far as you can keep shoulder comfort and control. A shallow range is fine.

What can I do instead?

Close-grip push-ups, cable pressdowns, or overhead triceps extensions can train the triceps with a different shoulder position.