# Triceps Dip Floor To Table Top Plank - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10206/triceps-dip-floor-to-table-top-plank/ - Media ID: 10206 - Primary muscle: Triceps - Body part: Upper Arms - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10206/triceps-dip-floor-to-table-top-plank.mp4 ## Description The Triceps Dip Floor To Table Top Plank is a bodyweight movement performed from a crab or reverse tabletop position on the floor. You sit with your hands planted behind your hips, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the ground. From there, you dip your hips toward the floor by bending your elbows, then press back up until your torso and thighs form a raised tabletop line. Unlike bench dips, there is no seat behind you — the floor itself is your starting point, and your hips begin at or near ground level before lifting into the full reverse plank position. This exercise earns its place in home and travel workouts because it needs no equipment at all. It is especially useful for people who want to load the triceps without a bench, chair, or dip station, and for anyone building toward more demanding pressing movements. Because the hips stay unsupported and must travel from the floor up into an elevated hold, the core and hip flexors work hard to keep the body in one clean line, which is why the midsection feels involved from the first rep. The main muscles at work are the triceps at the back of the upper arms, which extend the elbows every time you press up. The fronts of the shoulders assist the press, while the abs and hip flexors hold the pelvis up and keep your ribs from flaring as you lift into the tabletop position. The glutes and thighs contribute as stabilizers, keeping your knees stacked over your ankles throughout the dip. Setup matters more here than in a standard bench dip because your hand position and hip height determine everything. Hands placed too far behind you turn the movement into a shoulder stretch rather than a triceps exercise, while hands too close under the hips make the press cramped and awkward. Aim for hands roughly shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing toward your heels, with your weight shifted slightly back over the palms before you begin. To execute it well, think of the press as a single motion: bend the elbows straight back — not out to the sides — to lower your hips close to the floor, then drive through your palms and heels together to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees sit in a straight, elevated line. Squeeze the glutes at the top and hold the tabletop briefly before lowering with control for the next rep. Keep the movement honest by avoiding momentum. If your hips sag between reps or your elbows flare wide, reset rather than grinding out extra repetitions. If wrist discomfort appears, shift your hands slightly wider or angle your fingers outward a few degrees, and keep the range of motion within what your shoulders and wrists handle comfortably. ## Instructions 1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart, roughly a foot or more in front of your hips. 2. Place your palms on the floor behind you, shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing toward your heels or turned slightly outward, with your arms fully straight. 3. Shift your weight back over your palms so your shoulders stack over your wrists, and brace your abs before you move. 4. Inhale, then bend your elbows straight back — not out to the sides — to lower your hips down toward the floor between your hands. 5. Stop when your elbows reach about a 90-degree bend or your hips hover just above the floor, keeping your chest open and shoulders pulled back. 6. Exhale and press firmly through your palms and heels, straightening your elbows as you lift your hips up toward the ceiling. 7. At the top, hold the tabletop position briefly: shoulders, hips, and knees in one straight line, glutes squeezed, neck relaxed and gaze forward or slightly down. 8. Lower back down with control by bending the elbows again, resisting gravity instead of dropping. 9. Breathe steadily throughout — inhale on the way down, exhale on the press up. 10. Finish the set by lowering your hips fully to the floor, releasing your hands, and shaking out your wrists and shoulders before the next set. ## Tips & Tricks - If your hips barely clear the floor, your hands are probably too far behind you — walk them an inch or two closer to your hips so your press has leverage. - Squeeze your glutes hard at the top of each rep; a soft hip line is the most common reason the tabletop position collapses into a sag. - Check your elbow path in a mirror or with a video: elbows should track straight back, and flaring them wide shifts work off the triceps and irritates the shoulders. - Keep weight in your heels, not your toes — pressing through the heels keeps your knees stable and helps your hip flexors lift the pelvis. - If your wrists complain, angle your fingers out slightly or press through the base of the palm rather than dumping all your weight onto the heel of the hand. - Do not let your head jut forward at the top of the press; keep the neck long by looking slightly downward instead of chasing the ceiling. - Beginners can shorten the range: dip halfway down and lift to a lower tabletop line, then deepen gradually as the triceps and wrists adapt. - Avoid bouncing the hips off the floor between reps — the pause in the dipped position is where the triceps do their controlled work. - Spread your fingers wide and grip the floor lightly; this steadies the shoulders and reduces wobbling as you press up into the plank hold. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Triceps Dip Floor To Table Top Plank work? The triceps are the primary movers, extending the elbows on every press. The fronts of the shoulders assist, while the abs, hip flexors, and glutes hold your hips up in the tabletop position. ### How is this different from a regular bench dip? A bench dip starts with your hips already supported on a bench or chair, while here you begin on the floor and press up into an unsupported reverse plank. That extra lift demands more from your hip flexors and core, and there is no surface behind you to cheat the range. ### Is the Triceps Dip Floor To Table Top Plank suitable for beginners? Yes, with a reduced range of motion. Start with a partial dip and lift your hips only a few inches, keeping the elbows tracking back, and build up to the full tabletop hold as your triceps and wrists get comfortable. ### Why do my wrists hurt during this exercise? The wrists sit in full extension while carrying your bodyweight, which is demanding. Angle your fingers slightly outward, spread the load across the whole palm instead of the heel of the hand, and stop the set if sharp pain appears. ### Should my hips touch the floor at the bottom of the dip? Hover just above the floor rather than resting on it. Touching down between reps removes the triceps tension and turns the movement into stop-and-go reps instead of continuous work. ### How do I keep my hips from sagging in the tabletop position? Squeeze your glutes and think about driving your hips toward the ceiling while pressing the floor away. If your lower back arches and your hips drop, shorten the hold and build strength gradually. ### What can I substitute if I don't have the wrist mobility for this exercise? Bench dips, chair dips, or triceps push-ups train the triceps with a neutral or less extended wrist position. You can also perform the same floor movement using a pair of push-up bars or dumbbells as handles to keep the wrists straight. ### How many reps and sets should I do? Two to four sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps works well for most people. Prioritize a clean elbow path and a solid tabletop hold at the top over piling on repetitions. ### Can I do the Triceps Dip Floor To Table Top Plank every day? It is a moderate-load bodyweight exercise, but your triceps and shoulders still need recovery. Two to four sessions per week with at least a day between sessions is a sensible rhythm. ### Is it safe for my shoulders? It is generally fine when your elbows stay back, your shoulders stay pulled away from your ears, and you avoid dipping deeper than a 90-degree elbow bend. If you have a history of shoulder instability, keep the range shallow and stop any rep that causes pinching at the front of the shoulder.