Exercise Comparison
Bench Dips vs Cable One Arm Tricep Extension




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Bench Dips
Instructions
Bench Dips
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.
Cable One Arm Tricep Extension
With your right hand, grasp a single handle attached to the high-cable pulley using a supinated (underhand; palms facing up) grip. You should be standing directly in front of the weight stack.
Now pull the handle down so that your upper arm and elbow are locked in to the side of your body. Your upper arm and forearm should form an acute angle (less than 90-degrees). You can keep the other arm by the waist and you can have one leg in front of you and the other one back for better balance. This will be your starting position.
As you contract the triceps, move the single handle attachment down to your side until your arm is straight. Breathe out as you perform this movement. Tip: Only the forearms should move. Your upper arms should remain stationary at all times.
Squeeze the triceps and hold for a second in this contracted position.
Slowly return the handle to the starting position.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and then perform the same movement with the other arm.
Verdict
Both exercises target the triceps. Bench Dips is a beginner exercise using bodyweight, while Cable One Arm Tricep Extension is beginner and uses cable. Choose Bench Dips if you have access to bodyweight, or Cable One Arm Tricep Extension if you prefer cable. Bench Dips is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Cable One Arm Tricep Extension isolates the target muscle for focused development.