Dip form check: a live coach on your phone
The dip works the chest, shoulders and triceps with your own bodyweight. The depth is the point: lower until your elbows are about 90 degrees, then press all the way back to straight arms. Dropping far below that loads the front of the shoulder, and stopping well above it makes it a partial rep.
No equipment needed. Practise at home. Just do the rep properly in front of your phone. Bodyweight squats, push-ups and lunges need nothing at all, and you can check the hinge and press patterns with a very light weight or none: the coach judges your movement, not your kit.
What good looks like
- Support yourself on the bars with straight arms, shoulders pushed down and away from your ears.
- Lower under control until your upper arms are about level with the floor and your elbows are near 90 degrees.
- Keep your shoulders down and your elbows from flaring wide as you lower.
- Press all the way up to straight arms before the next rep.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Dropping too deep
Lowering far past 90 degrees puts heavy load on the front of the shoulder. Stop when your upper arms are level with the floor.
Partial reps
Only lowering a little leaves most of the movement undone. Aim for about 90 degrees at the elbow.
No lockout
Stopping with bent arms at the top cuts the rep short. Finish each rep with straight arms.
What Formanti checks on your dip
The top of every rep, judged the same way.
- Elbows: 150–186°. press all the way up to straight arms
Your bottom
The low point of every rep, judged against the guide ranges.
- Elbows: 45–105°. lower until your elbows are about 90 degrees
What you hear and see when you are off
Don't drop so deep
The coach says: “Not so deep”
On screen: Don't drop so deep.
Drill: Dips to a box or a bench set at the depth you want, touching it lightly.
Lower until your elbows reach about 90 degrees
The coach says: “Lower all the way”
On screen: Lower until your elbows reach about 90 degrees.
Drill: Bench dips or band-assisted dips, lowering for 3 seconds and pausing 1 second at the bottom.
Press all the way up to straight arms
The coach says: “Lock it out”
On screen: Press all the way up to straight arms.
Drill: Dips with a 1 second pause at the top, arms locked.
Drills you can do alone
- Bench dips or band-assisted dips to learn the depth, lowering for three seconds and pausing for one at the bottom.
- Dips to a box set at the right depth, touching it lightly so you stop at the same point every time.
How to set up your phone
Phone at chest height, 2 to 3 metres to your side, with the bars and your whole body in view. Film from the side: back and hip angles cannot be judged head-on. It all runs on your phone and nothing is uploaded.
New: ranges from standard coaching references, not yet checked against real lifters.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should a dip go?
Until your elbows are about 90 degrees, with the upper arms about level with the floor. That is deep enough for the muscle and gentle on the shoulder.
Where should the phone go?
At chest height two to three metres to your side, with the bars and your whole body in view.
More lifts to check
Deadlift · Squat · Push-up · Lunge · Overhead press · Bent-over row · Romanian deadlift · Bicep curl · Tricep extension · Lateral raise · Glute bridge · Pull-up · Sit-up · Jumping jack · Plank · Wall sit