10 Best Elbow Dips Alternatives for Limited Equipment
What can you do instead of Elbow Dips? Use close-grip push-ups, bench dips, cable triceps pushdowns, dumbbell overhead extensions, or diamond push-ups. Prioritize controlled elbow extension: keep elbows tucked to your sides and lower with a 2–3 second eccentric to maximize triceps activation while protecting the shoulder joint.
Original Exercise: Elbow Dips
How to Perform Elbow Dips
- Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge next to your hips.
- Slide your hips forward off the bench and straighten your legs, keeping your heels on the ground.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Elbow Dips Alternatives
1. Dips - Triceps Version
89.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- To get into the starting position, hold your body at arm's length with your arms nearly locked above the bars.
- Now, inhale and slowly lower yourself downward. Your torso should remain upright and your elbows should stay close to your body. This helps to better focus on tricep involvement. Lower yourself until there is a 90 degree angle formed between the upper arm and forearm.
- Then, exhale and push your torso back up using your triceps to bring your body back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
2. Ez Bar Standing French Press
80.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
- Raise the barbell above your head, fully extending your arms.
- Keeping your upper arms close to your head, slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension (rope Attachment)
79.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a rope to a cable machine at a high position.
- Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the rope with both hands, palms facing each other, and bring your hands above your head.
- Keep your upper arms close to your head and your elbows pointing forward.
- Slowly lower the rope behind your head by bending your elbows.
4. Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension
79.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a rope to the bottom pulley of the pulley machine.
- Grasping the rope with both hands, extend your arms with your hands directly above your head using a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Your elbows should be in close to your head and the arms should be perpendicular to the floor with the knuckles aimed at the ceiling. This will be your starting position.
- Slowly lower the rope behind your head as you hold the upper arms stationary. Inhale as you perform this movement and pause when your triceps are fully stretched.
- Return to the starting position by flexing your triceps as you breathe out.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Bench Dips
75.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- For this exercise you will need to place a bench behind your back. With the bench perpendicular to your body, and while looking away from it, hold on to the bench on its edge with the hands fully extended, separated at shoulder width. The legs will be extended forward, bent at the waist and perpendicular to your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Slowly lower your body as you inhale by bending at the elbows until you lower yourself far enough to where there is an angle slightly smaller than 90 degrees between the upper arm and the forearm. Tip: Keep the elbows as close as possible throughout the movement. Forearms should always be pointing down.
- Using your triceps to bring your torso up again, lift yourself back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
6. Dumbbell Standing Palms In Press
73.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing inwards.
- Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, press the dumbbells upwards until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Dumbbell Arnold Press V. 2
73.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward.
- Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms end up facing forward at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Dumbbell Cuban Press
73.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing down.
- Keeping your core engaged and your elbows slightly bent, press the dumbbells up and overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, rotating your wrists back to the starting position as you do so.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Ez Barbell Seated Triceps Extension
71.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold the ez barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Raise the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position by extending your arms.
10. Cable Kneeling Triceps Extension
71.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a rope handle to a high pulley and kneel down facing the cable machine.
- Grasp the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and bring your hands to the sides of your head.
- Keep your elbows close to your head and your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise.
- Extend your forearms by contracting your triceps until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position by bending your elbows.
Why You Might Need a Elbow Dips Alternative
You might swap Elbow Dips for shoulder pain, limited access to parallel bars, or to break a strength plateau. Biomechanically, Elbow Dips load triceps via elbow extension with some shoulder extension; if the shoulder lacks stability or you feel anterior pain, choose a substitute that reduces shoulder extension. For example, close-grip push-ups keep the torso more vertical to limit shoulder stretch—cue a tight scapula retraction and avoid flaring elbows. Other reasons include desire for easier progression (add weight or bands) and specific triceps head emphasis (overhead work biases the long head).
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching movement pattern, equipment, joint stress, and progression options. If you lack bars, pick close-grip push-ups or bench dips; cue a 2–3 second eccentric and full elbow lockout. If you have cables or dumbbells and need lower shoulder strain, use triceps pushdowns or overhead extensions—keep wrists neutral and control the eccentric. Consider which triceps head you want to target: overhead positions load the long head, while pressing actions bias the lateral and medial heads. Prioritize exercises that let you progressively overload with reps, tempo, or added resistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Elbow Dips work?
Elbow Dips primarily target the triceps via elbow extension, recruiting all three heads with a bias toward the lateral and medial heads. The chest (pectoralis major) and anterior deltoid assist, while scapular stabilizers control the shoulder—cue downward scapular control and drive through elbow extension.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Elbow Dips?
The best bodyweight alternative is the close-grip push-up: place hands shoulder-width or slightly narrower, keep elbows tucked, descend with a 2–3 second eccentric and press to full elbow extension. This preserves the elbow-extension pattern and lets you adjust load via incline or tempo to progress triceps strength.
Can I build muscle without doing Elbow Dips?
Yes. You can hypertrophy the triceps with other compound and isolation moves like close-grip push-ups, bench dips, pushdowns, and overhead extensions. Emphasize progressive overload—add reps, slow eccentrics (3–4 seconds), or external load—and maintain full elbow range of motion to maximize muscle activation.
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