10 Best One Arm Dip Alternatives for Strength and Rehab
If you can't do a One Arm Dip, choose exercises that preserve elbow extension strength and scapular stability. Try close-grip push-ups, bench dips, ring triceps extensions, or assisted single-arm dips. Keep your elbow tucked and shoulders packed to prioritize triceps long-head activation and reduce shoulder shear during each rep.
Original Exercise: One Arm Dip
How to Perform One Arm Dip
- Stand facing away from a bench or chair, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Place one hand on the bench or chair behind you, fingers pointing towards your body.
- Extend your legs out in front of you, keeping your heels on the ground.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench or chair.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides and repeat with the other arm.
Best One Arm Dip Alternatives
1. Exercise Ball Dip
86.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Place your hands on the ball beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Engage your triceps and push through your hands to lift your body off the ball, straightening your arms.
- Lower your body back down by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Dumbbell Standing Bent Over One Arm Triceps Extension
81.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and parallel to the ground.
- Extend your arm straight back, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
3. Dumbbell Tricep Kickback With Stork Stance
78.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Bring your right elbow up to your side, keeping it bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Extend your right arm straight back, squeezing your triceps.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
4. Bench Dip (knees Bent)
75.1% 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 butt off the bench and straighten your legs in front of you, 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 yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Close-Grip Push-Up Off Of A Dumbbell
75.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on the floor and place your hands on an upright dumbbell. Supporting your weight on your toes and hands, keep your torso rigid and your elbows in with your arms straight. This will be your starting position.
- Lower your body, allowing the elbows to flex while you inhale. Keep your body straight, not allowing your hips to rise or sag.
- Press yourself back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Breathe out as you perform this step.
- After a pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
6. Bench Dip On Floor
74.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge, fingers pointing forward.
- Slide your butt off the bench, supporting your weight with your hands.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Body-up
74.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by placing your hands on a raised surface, such as a bench or parallel bars, with your palms facing down and fingers pointing forward.
- Extend your legs out in front of you, keeping your heels on the ground and your body straight.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides, until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your palms to straighten your arms and lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Dumbbell Standing Bent Over Two Arm Triceps Extension
72.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
- Extend your arms straight back, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Circus Bell
71% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- The circus bell is an oversized dumbbell with a thick handle. Begin with the dumbbell between your feet, and grip the handle with both hands.
- Clean the dumbbell by extending through your hips and knees to deliver the implement to the desired shoulder, letting go with the extra hand.
- Ensure that you get one of the dumbbell heads behind the shoulder to keep from being thrown off balance. To raise it overhead, dip by flexing the knees, and the drive upwards as you extend the dumbbell overhead, leaning slightly away from it as you do so.
- Carefully guide the bell back to the floor, keeping it under control as much as possible. It is best to perform this event on a thick rubber mat to prevent damage to the floor.
10. Diamond Push-up
70.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe, engaging your core and glutes.
- Lower your chest towards the diamond shape formed by your hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a One Arm Dip Alternative
People replace the One Arm Dip for several reasons: shoulder pain, insufficient unilateral strength, or no access to a stable dip station. Biomechanically, the One Arm Dip produces large shoulder extension torque and demands strong scapular control, which can aggravate impingement or instability. Substitutes let you redistribute load and isolate the elbow extensors while lowering shoulder shear—for example, close-grip push-ups and bench dips shift force toward the triceps, and ring variations increase stability demands for motor control. Cue each rep to maintain scapular retraction and avoid excessive forward lean so the triceps, not the anterior deltoid, do the work.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching the limiting factor: joint tolerance, stability, or unilateral strength. If the shoulder hurts, favor movements that reduce shoulder extension torque—close-grip push-ups or triceps extensions. If you lack unilateral strength, use assisted single-arm dips or elevated-feet unilateral push-ups to progress load. Consider range of motion, tempo, and grip width: slow the eccentric to 3 seconds to increase time under tension, keep elbows close to the body to boost triceps activation, and monitor scapular control to avoid compensatory shoulder motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does One Arm Dip work?
The One Arm Dip primarily targets the triceps—especially the long head due to the shoulder extension component. It also loads the anterior deltoid, lower pectoralis major, and scapular stabilizers while your core resists rotation. Cue: drive through the palm and finish with full elbow extension to maximize triceps recruitment.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to One Arm Dip?
A close-grip push-up is the most practical bodyweight substitute for most people. Place hands shoulder-width or slightly narrower, tuck elbows about 45 degrees, and lower with control to emphasize elbow extension and triceps activation while reducing shoulder shear. Progress by elevating feet or slowing the eccentric to increase load.
Can I build muscle without doing One Arm Dip?
Yes. You can stimulate triceps hypertrophy with progressive overload using push-up variations, bench dips, ring triceps extensions, and slow eccentrics. Cue controlled tempo and full elbow extension on every rep, and increase load or difficulty over time to drive muscle growth.
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