Single Leg Dip On Floor

Body Part: Upper Arms

Muscle: Triceps

Equipment: Body Weight

Single Leg Dip On Floor is a bodyweight triceps exercise performed with your hands planted on the floor behind your hips, one leg extended, and the other leg bent for support. The position shortens the range compared with a bench dip, but the one-leg setup still creates a demanding lever that shifts a lot of work to the triceps, front shoulders, and the muscles that stabilize the torso.

The movement is useful when you want a floor-based pressing pattern without needing a bench or dip station. The extended leg changes how much of your body weight you have to manage, so the exercise rewards clean shoulder positioning and a steady trunk more than sheer speed. In anatomy terms, the main work centers on the triceps brachii, with help from the anterior deltoids, forearm flexors, and rectus abdominis.

Set your hands slightly behind your hips with your fingers pointing forward or slightly outward if that feels better on your wrists. Keep your chest lifted, shoulders down away from your ears, and the support foot planted firmly while the working leg stays straight and active. That starting shape matters because it keeps the shoulders from collapsing forward and gives the triceps a stable base to press from.

Each rep should begin by bending the elbows and lowering only as far as you can keep the shoulder blades controlled and the torso steady. From the bottom, press the floor away until the elbows extend without snapping hard into lockout. The movement should feel like a controlled reverse dip, not a hip thrust or a bounce, and the leg position should stay consistent from rep to rep.

Single Leg Dip On Floor fits well in accessory work, arm-focused sessions, or home workouts where bodyweight training is the main option. It can be scaled by bending the extended knee more, shortening the lowering range, or using both legs for an easier version. If the shoulders drift forward, the wrists ache, or the hips start swinging, the set is too hard or the range is too deep for clean reps.

Instructions

• Sit on the floor with your hands behind your hips, fingers pointing forward or slightly out, and your palms flat under your shoulders.
• Bend one knee and keep that foot planted close to your body while extending the other leg straight in front of you.
• Lift your hips just off the floor so your arms are supporting your weight and your chest stays open.
• Keep your shoulders down and back, then brace your midsection before the first rep.
• Bend your elbows to lower your body in a controlled path, letting the support arm do the work instead of dropping the hips.
• Stop when your upper arms are close to parallel with the floor or when your shoulders start to roll forward.
• Press through both palms to straighten the elbows and return to the start without bouncing.
• Keep the extended leg quiet and finish each rep with the torso steady and the neck relaxed.
• Repeat for the planned reps, then lower your hips to the floor with control.

Tips & Tricks

• Keep the support hand slightly behind the shoulder so the triceps, not the wrists, take the main load.
• If your shoulders pinch, move your hands a little farther back and shorten the lowering range.
• The straight leg makes the dip harder; bend that knee more if you need a lighter version.
• Do not let the hips sag toward the floor on the way down or the press turns into a shoulder dump.
• Lower under control for a clean eccentric instead of dropping fast and rebounding out of the bottom.
• Keep the planted foot close enough that you can press evenly through the hand and the heel of the bent leg.
• Exhale as you press up so the ribcage stays from flaring and the trunk stays tight.
• Stop the set when the elbows start flaring hard or you have to swing the extended leg to finish the rep.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Single Leg Dip On Floor train most?

It mainly trains the triceps, with the front shoulders, forearms, and core helping you stay stable.

Why is one leg extended during Single Leg Dip On Floor?

The extended leg increases the lever challenge, which makes the triceps work harder than a two-leg floor dip.

Where should my hands be for Single Leg Dip On Floor?

Place your palms on the floor just behind your hips, usually in line with or slightly wider than your shoulders.

How low should I go on Single Leg Dip On Floor?

Lower only until your shoulders stay organized and your upper arms are near parallel, then press back up without bouncing.

Is Single Leg Dip On Floor beginner friendly?

Yes, if you shorten the range or keep the bent leg more involved. The one-leg version is still demanding, so start conservatively.

What if my wrists hurt during this exercise?

Turn the hands slightly outward, keep the palms under the shoulders, and reduce how far back the hands sit if needed.

How is Single Leg Dip On Floor different from a bench dip?

The floor version limits the range and changes the angle, so it is often a little more shoulder-friendly than a deep bench dip.

How can I make Single Leg Dip On Floor easier?

Keep both feet on the floor, bend the working-side knee more, or stop the descent higher before the shoulders start to roll forward.