10 Best Reverse Dip Alternatives for Triceps Strength

Original Exercise: Reverse Dip

Primary Muscle

Triceps

Equipment

Body-weight

Difficulty

Intermediate

Type

Compound

Secondary Muscles: Chest, Shoulders

How to Perform Reverse Dip

1. Position yourself between two parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
2. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
3. Pause for a moment, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Best Reverse Dip Alternatives

Best Match

1. Elbow Dips

88.7% Match

Triceps Body-weight Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge next to your hips.
2. Slide your hips forward off the bench and straighten your legs, keeping your heels on the ground.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground, keeping your back close to the bench.
4. 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.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

2. Bench Dips

84% Match

Triceps Body-weight Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Using your triceps to bring your torso up again, lift yourself back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

3. Dips - Triceps Version

81.2% Match

Triceps Body-weight Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. To get into the starting position, hold your body at arm's length with your arms nearly locked above the bars.
2. 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.
3. Then, exhale and push your torso back up using your triceps to bring your body back to the starting position.
4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

4. Dip Machine

78.6% Match

Triceps Machine Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit securely in a dip machine, select the weight and firmly grasp the handles.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Now slowly let your arms come back up to the starting position as you inhale.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

5. Assisted Triceps Dip (kneeling)

77.2% Match

Triceps Lever Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Adjust the machine to your desired weight and height.
2. Kneel down on the pad facing the machine, with your hands gripping the handles.
3. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and close to the machine.
4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

6. Chest Dip

76.4% Match

Pectorals Body-weight Advanced Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Position yourself on parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
2. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your shoulders are below your elbows.
3. Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

7. Cable Press On Exercise Ball

70.4% Match

Pectorals Stability-ball Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees at a 90-degree angle.
2. Hold the cable handles at chest height with your palms facing down and your elbows bent.
3. Engage your core and press the cable handles forward until your arms are fully extended.
4. Pause for a moment, then slowly release the tension and bring the cable handles back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

8. Ez Bar Standing French Press

70.4% Match

Triceps Ez-barbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
2. Raise the barbell above your head, fully extending your arms.
3. Keeping your upper arms close to your head, slowly lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
4. Pause for a moment, then extend your arms back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

9. Double Kettlebell Push Press

70% Match

Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders.
2. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebells overhead.
3. Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and repeat.

10. Dumbbell Push Press

69.4% Match

Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
2. Bend your knees slightly and dip your body down, then explosively extend your legs and press the dumbbells overhead.
3. Lock out your arms at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Reverse Dip Alternative

You may substitute Reverse Dips for several practical reasons: shoulder pain, limited upper‑body pushing capacity, lack of a secure elevated surface, or program variation for hypertrophy. Reverse Dips place high posterior shoulder and scapular stress; choosing an alternative can reduce anterior shoulder compression and external rotation torque. For example, bench dips shorten the moment arm and reduce shoulder extension demand when you keep the scapula depressed and limit depth. Supine triceps extensions let you target elbow extension torque while keeping the shoulder in a safer, neutral position. Select alternatives that lower joint stress while preserving triceps long‑head loading through full elbow extension.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Decide based on joint tolerance, available equipment, and your training goal. For hypertrophy pick slow eccentrics and full extension—use supine triceps extensions with a controlled 3–4 second lowering phase to maximize time under tension. If you need stability work, choose decline triceps push‑ups and cue hands under shoulders and a rigid plank line to maintain scapular control. For strength prioritize progressive overload: use weighted close‑grip dips or deficit push‑ups to increase elbow moment arm. Consider which triceps head you want to emphasize; exercises that combine shoulder extension will recruit the long head more than isolated elbow extensions.

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