Exercise Comparison
Bench Dips vs Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension




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Muscle Analysis
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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.
Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension
Sit down at the end of a flat bench with a dumbbell in both arms using a neutral grip (palms of the hand facing you).
Bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Make sure that you keep the head up.
The upper arms with the dumbbells should be close to the torso and aligned with it (lifted up until they are parallel to the floor while the forearms are pointing towards the floor as the hands hold the weights). Tip: There should be a 90-degree angle between the forearms and the upper arm. This is your starting position.
Keeping the upper arms stationary, use the triceps to lift the weight as you exhale until the forearms are parallel to the floor and the whole arm is extended. Like many other arm exercises, only the forearm moves.
After a second contraction at the top, slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position as you inhale.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the triceps. Bench Dips is a beginner exercise using bodyweight, while Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension is intermediate and uses dumbbell. Choose Bench Dips if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension for a greater challenge. Bench Dips is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension isolates the target muscle for focused development.