Instructions

1

Sit upright on a chair with back against the backrest, feet flat on floor or extended, hands gripping the chair seat beside hips with palms facing downward

2

Position hands shoulder-width apart on the chair seat, ensure torso is upright and core is engaged, prepare to push through hands to lift body off chair

3

Lower body slowly by bending elbows, allowing chest to descend toward the chair seat while maintaining upright torso position and keeping shoulders depressed, continue lowering until elbows reach approximately 90 degrees

4

Press through hands to extend elbows and drive body upward back to starting position, squeeze chest muscles at the top of the movement, return to seated upright position with controlled motion

PRIMARY MUSCLESPectoralis Major

SECONDARY MUSCLESAnterior Deltoid, Triceps, Serratus Anterior, Clavicular Head

EQUIPMENTBody weight

DIFFICULTYIntermediate

Overview

Focusing on the Dip on Floor with Chair allows you to target the Pectoralis Major with precision. As a foundational Strength exercise, the integration of Body weight provides the necessary tension to trigger hypertrophy, while avoiding excessive joint strain.

Benefits

Acts as a highly scalable Strength movement, perfect for both beginners and elite athletes.
Improves overall Chest stability and proprioception during heavy loads.
Significantly enhances the structural integrity and power of the Pectoralis Major.
Promotes balanced muscular development by effectively recruiting the Pectoralis Major and associated synergists.
Utilizes Body weight to create sustained mechanical tension, forcing deep muscle adaptation.

Common Mistakes

Losing core tension, leading to poor spinal alignment and reduced power output.
Using excessive momentum to swing the Body weight rather than controlling the eccentric phase.
Rushing the repetition tempo instead of focusing on the mind-muscle connection with the Chest.

Pro Tips

Keep your breathing rhythmic: exhale sharply on the concentric push/pull, and inhale smoothly on the way down.

Muscle Anatomy

The primary driver is the Pectoralis Major. However, the movement also recruits Anterior Deltoid, Triceps, Serratus Anterior, Clavicular Head to maintain control of the Body weight.

Exercise Variations

Dumbbell Dip on Floor with Chair
Cable Dip on Floor with Chair
Banded Dip on Floor with Chair

Dip on Floor with Chair