General exercise guide
Assisted Tricep Dip
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Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Chest, Front Shoulders
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Push
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The example below shows one possible placement. Your purchased plan is built from your assessment, and Ely checks every exercise before approving it.
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This page is not medical advice or a rehabilitation protocol. Ely's personal review applies to purchased workout plans and does not replace an in-person assessment by a licensed healthcare professional.
Assisted dips use a machine that supports a portion of your bodyweight, allowing you to perform dips before you are strong enough for full bodyweight versions. This builds the specific strength pattern needed for unassisted dips while training triceps, chest, and shoulders effectively.
When to use it
Use to build strength for bodyweight dips or high-rep tricep work.
Who it's for
Beginners or those unable to perform full bodyweight dips.
Coaching Note
Set the assistance weight based on your strength—more weight means easier reps. Grip the handles and place your knees on the pad. Keep your body upright to emphasize triceps, or lean forward slightly for more chest involvement. Lower until your elbows reach 90 degrees, then press back up.
Muscles worked: Assisted Tricep Dip
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Assisted Tricep Dip form guide
- 1
Set the assistance weight on the machine for your level.
- 2
Grip the handles and place your knees on the assistance pad.
- 3
Start at the top with arms fully extended.
- 4
Lower yourself by bending elbows to about 90 degrees.
- 5
Keep your body upright to emphasize triceps.
- 6
Press back up by extending your elbows fully.
What are the best tips for the Assisted Tricep Dip?
More assistance weight makes the exercise easier.
Keep body upright for tricep focus, lean for chest.
Control the descent, do not drop into the bottom.
Progress by reducing assistance weight over time.
When to Use the Assisted Tricep Dip
Use assisted dips as your progression toward full bodyweight dips, or for high-rep tricep work when bodyweight dips are too taxing. Gradually reduce the assistance weight over weeks until you can perform unassisted dips. This is also useful for drop sets—start unassisted, then add assistance as you fatigue.
What are common Assisted Tricep Dip mistakes to avoid?
Setting assistance too high and not challenging muscles.
Your foot position during the Assisted Tricep Dip determines how force transfers through your body. Keep your feet flat with weight distributed evenly — losing contact with the ground means you're losing power and stability.
Dropping too fast instead of controlling the movement.
Rushing through the Assisted Tricep Dip makes it easier to lose position and harder to keep tension on your Triceps. Slow down enough to control both the lifting and lowering portions of each rep.
Leaning forward excessively which shifts work to chest.
During any pressing movement like the Assisted Tricep Dip, this mistake reduces how effectively your Triceps can produce force. Focus on the muscle you're trying to work — if you can't feel your Triceps driving the movement, something is off.
Not going through full range of motion.
Cutting the range of motion short on the Assisted Tricep Dip can reduce the training stimulus for your Triceps. Use the largest comfortable range you can control without changing the intended setup.
Is the Assisted Tricep Dip right for you?
Beginners or those unable to perform full bodyweight dips.
Programming examples for Assisted Tricep Dip
These ranges illustrate ways to organize training. They are not an individual prescription. Adjust them for the exercise, your experience, and the rest of your program.
Strength6-8 reps
Heavier loads can be useful for developing maximum strength. The range shown is an example, and the load must match your current technique and capacity.
Muscle Growth8-15 reps
Muscle growth can occur across different loads and repetition ranges. This example is not a uniquely effective zone; your overall program and effort also matter.
Endurance15-20 reps
This is an example of a longer set. A repetition target alone does not establish joint safety or whether the exercise is appropriate for you.
Example: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps. Rest 60-90 seconds.
Background for resistance exercises: the 2026 ACSM position stand covers healthy adults, and a load-comparison review found similar muscle growth across loads in studies using sets taken to muscular failure. These findings do not validate every exercise-specific range shown here or require training to failure.
Where Assisted Tricep Dip fits in your workout
This is one example of how Assisted Tricep Dip could sit inside a complete workout. Your plan may use different movements after Ely checks your assessment.
Sample workout
- Bench Press4 × 8
- Incline Dumbbell Press3 × 10
- Assisted Tricep Dip3 × 12
- Overhead Triceps Extension3 × 15
Use this exercise in Gym Mode
MySetPlan guides you set by set, times your rest, records your work, and tells you what to do next from the plan Ely approved.
Start My $19 WeekWhat are good alternatives to the Assisted Tricep Dip?
Dip
TricepsDip StationIntermediate
Bench Dip
TricepsBodyweightBeginner
Machine Tricep Dip
TricepsMachineBeginner
Other Variations
- Band Assisted Dip
- Machine Dip
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Safety Notes
- Set appropriate assistance level for your strength.
- Do not go too deep to protect shoulder joints.