10 Best Impossible Dips Alternatives for Triceps Strength
If you can't do Impossible Dips, use close-grip push-ups, bench dips, diamond push-ups, decline close-grip push-ups, or bodyweight skull crushers to target the triceps. Cue: tuck your elbows 30–45° and drive through the palms to emphasize the long and lateral heads while reducing shoulder extension stress.
Original Exercise: Impossible Dips
How to Perform Impossible Dips
- Position yourself between two parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body suspended in the air.
- Bend your knees and cross your ankles.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Impossible Dips Alternatives
1. Dips - Triceps Version
73.4% 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. Elbow Dips
71.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
3. Bench Dips
68.7% 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.
4. Dip Machine
59.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit securely in a dip machine, select the weight and firmly grasp the handles.
- Now keep your elbows in at your sides in order to place emphasis on the triceps. The elbows should be bent at a 90 degree angle.
- As you contract the triceps, extend your arms downwards as you exhale. Tip: At the bottom of the movement, focus on keeping a little bend in your arms to keep tension on the triceps muscle.
- Now slowly let your arms come back up to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Assisted Triceps Dip (kneeling)
57.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the machine to your desired weight and height.
- Kneel down on the pad facing the machine, with your hands gripping the handles.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and close to the machine.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Ez Bar Standing French Press
57.1% 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.
7. Chest Dip
57.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Position yourself on parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows until your shoulders are below your elbows.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Ez Barbell Seated Triceps Extension
55% 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.
9. Cable Overhead Triceps Extension (rope Attachment)
54.7% 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.
10. Cable Kneeling Triceps Extension
54.4% 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 Impossible Dips Alternative
You may substitute Impossible Dips for shoulder pain, limited equipment, or a need for different stability demands. Dips load the triceps with large shoulder extension and vertical compression—this can exacerbate impingement or tendon irritation. Choose alternatives that reduce shoulder extension (for example, close-grip push-ups keep the shoulder in a safer range) or lower stability demands (bench dips remove the vertical support challenge). Cue: control the eccentric for 2–3 seconds and keep the scapula packed to protect the shoulder while maintaining triceps tension. Each alternative shifts biomechanics—narrow hand placement increases triceps torque while a more upright torso shifts load away from the chest.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on joint health, desired muscle emphasis, and progression path. If your shoulders limit overhead or deep flexion, pick close-grip or diamond push-ups to keep the humerus less extended and preserve triceps activation. If you need higher intensity with low equipment, elevate feet on a bench to increase load. Cue: keep elbows tucked and a neutral wrist to maximize triceps long-head recruitment. Consider range of motion, stability (bars versus bench), and how you will progressively overload—add reps, change leverage, or introduce slow eccentrics to increase stimulus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Impossible Dips work?
Impossible Dips predominantly target the triceps, emphasizing the long and lateral heads during full elbow extension. They also recruit the anterior deltoid and pectoralis major as stabilizers; keep the scapula retracted and torso slightly forward to manage chest involvement.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Impossible Dips?
Close-grip push-ups are the top bodyweight alternative because they load the triceps with a safer shoulder angle. Cue: place hands shoulder-width or slightly narrower, tuck elbows 30–45°, and lower with a controlled 2–3 second eccentric to maximize triceps activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Impossible Dips?
Yes—you can build triceps mass using progressive alternatives like weighted or decline close-grip push-ups, bench dips with feet elevated, and bodyweight skull crushers on a bar. Focus on progressive overload, full range of motion, and controlled eccentrics to stimulate hypertrophy while monitoring shoulder comfort.
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