seated push up

The seated push-up, commonly called a bench dip, is a bodyweight pressing exercise performed with the hands placed on a chair or bench behind the body and the legs extended in front. It builds pressing strength in the triceps, front shoulders, and lower chest while being easier on the wrists than a floor push-up, since the hands stay in a neutral position on the bench edge. It is a common regression for lifters working toward parallel-bar dips.

Muscles Targeted

• Primary: Triceps brachii
• Secondary: Anterior deltoids, pectoralis major (lower fibers)
• Tertiary: Core stabilizers, rhomboids

Starting Position

Sit on the edge of a stable chair or bench and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge, fingers pointing forward. Walk your feet out and slide your hips just off the front of the seat so your body weight is supported by your arms, with your legs extended and heels on the floor. Keep your back close to the bench and your shoulders down away from your ears.

Execution Steps

1. Straighten your arms to support your body weight at the edge of the bench, hips just clear of the seat
2. Bend your elbows and lower your hips straight down, keeping them close to the bench
3. Descend until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor, feeling a stretch across the front of the shoulder and triceps
4. Keep your elbows tracking backward, not flaring out to the sides
5. Push through your palms and extend your elbows to press your body back up to the starting position
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps, keeping the movement controlled on both the way down and up

Form Cues

• Keep hips close to the bench: Drifting the hips forward turns the movement into more of a shoulder stretch and increases joint stress
• Bend the knees for an easier variation: Placing feet closer to the bench reduces the load if full-leg-extension reps are too difficult
• Track elbows straight back: Avoid letting elbows splay outward, which stresses the shoulder joint
• Don't drop too low: Stop the descent once the upper arms are about parallel to the floor to protect the shoulders
• Keep shoulders down and back: Avoid shrugging up toward the ears during the press

Common Mistakes

• Descending too far: Going below parallel places excessive stress on the shoulder joint and increases injury risk; stop at upper arms parallel to the floor.
• Letting the hips drift forward: This shifts stress away from the triceps and strains the shoulders; keep hips tracking close to the bench edge.
• Locking the elbows aggressively at the top: Snapping into full extension repeatedly can irritate the elbow joint over time; extend firmly but without slamming.
• Using a bench that isn't stable: An unstable or rolling chair can slip and cause a fall; always use a secured, sturdy surface.
• Rushing the reps: Fast, bouncy reps reduce muscle tension and increase shoulder strain; control both the descent and the press.

Variations

• Bent-knee bench dip: Feet flat on the floor close to the bench, reducing bodyweight load for beginners
• Straight-leg bench dip: Legs fully extended, as described above, for a greater strength challenge
• improved-feet bench dip: Feet placed on a second bench or box to increase resistance further
• Weighted bench dip: A plate held across the lap adds load once bodyweight reps become easy
• Parallel bar dip: The full free-standing progression that removes the bench and increases range of motion

Tips for Progression

• Master bent-knee reps with full control before progressing to straight-leg bench dips
• Increase reps toward 12-15 with good form before adding load or changing variation
• Add a pause at the bottom of the rep to build strength through the deepest, hardest part of the range
• Progress to improved-feet or weighted dips, and eventually parallel bar dips, as strength improves

Training Notes

Include seated push-ups 2-3 times per week as an accessory triceps and shoulder exercise, typically after compound pressing movements. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest between sets. Anyone with shoulder impingement or wrist pain should limit depth or choose an alternative triceps exercise, since the fixed hand position increases shoulder joint stress at the bottom of the movement.