Execution form
- EquipmentMachine
- PatternPush
- Reps5 to 15 reps
- Joint loadShoulder and Wrist
How to do the Assisted Dip
Set up. Choose an assistance weight, kneel or stand on the platform and grip the dip handles with straight arms.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body under control.
- Go down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor or as deep as your shoulders allow.
- Press back up to straight arms.
Form cues
- More assistance weight makes it easier.
- Keep the shoulders down.
- Lean slightly forward.
Common mistakes
- Going deeper than the shoulders tolerate.
- Bouncing out of the bottom.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Triceps and Front delts.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Assisted Dip, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Seated Cable Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Cable Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Assisted Dip first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Assisted Dip 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Seated Cable Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Cable Upright Row 3 × 10 to 15 reps
- Cable Shrug 3 × 10 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dip
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Smith Machine Bench Press
Smith machine
Less load on the shoulder
Dumbbell Bench Press
The Assisted Dip loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Dip.
Other variations of the Dip: Bench Dip.
Do before it: Bench Dip (same movement, lighter), Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range) and Assisted Dip (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Assisted Dip is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Assisted Dip?
Set up: Choose an assistance weight, kneel or stand on the platform and grip the dip handles with straight arms. Steps: 1. Bend your elbows and lower your body under control. 2. Go down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor or as deep as your shoulders allow. 3. Press back up to straight arms. Form cues: More assistance weight makes it easier. Keep the shoulders down. Lean slightly forward. Common mistakes: Going deeper than the shoulders tolerate. Bouncing out of the bottom.
What muscles does the Assisted Dip work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the triceps and front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Assisted Dip?
At home: Dip. In a gym: Smith Machine Bench Press. With less load on the shoulder: Dumbbell Bench Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Assisted Dip with?
Good partners in the same workout are Seated Cable Row, Cable Upright Row and Cable Shrug.
How heavy should the Assisted Dip be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.