Chest Dips Alternative Exercises: for a Pumped-Up Chest 2022

Chest Dips Alternative Exercises (Our 10 Recommendations)

1. Decline Bench Press

If your aiming to target your lower pectoral muscles, then this inverted version of a typical bench press is what you need! Decline bench presses lessen the strain on your shoulders and back while carrying the extra effort to the lower chest. When doing a decline bench press, it’s best to have a spotter. Also, this exercise is considered the most similar to a chest dip.

How to do it

• Set up a decline bench press.
• While laying at a 45-degree declining angle, position your shoulders directly under the bar.
• Put your legs firmly under the leg brace to keep a secure stance during the exercise.
• Steer the base of your hand through the bar and wrap your thumb around it.
• Using the weight of the bar, drive your shoulders back into the bench.
• Produce additional tension by pulling your traps downwards and pushing your chest upwards.
• After unracking the bar, bring it forward until it’s in line with your lower chest or upper abdomen. 
• Control the bar by rowing it down towards your lower chest or upper abdomen. 
• When you reach the bottom, direct the weight of the bar away from your torso until your elbows are completely extended.
• Repeat as many reps as necessary. 

2. Close Grip Bench Press

The close grip bench press is a perfect alternative because it adds muscle mass to your upper body and recruits your triceps and chest muscles. Since this exercise has a narrow hand position, it has an increased range of motion than a bench press. With a close grip bench press, you’ll experience greater duration, mobility, and challenge. 

How to do it

• Lie under the bar. Keep your shoulders slightly in front of it to lessen the line of travel after you unrack.
• The hand placement should be about shoulder-width apart or slimmer than a conventional grip.
• Move the base of your hand through the bar, and wrap your thumb around it.
• With the weight of the bar, direct your shoulders back into the bench.
• Produce additional tension by pulling your traps downwards and pushing your chest upwards. 
• After unracking the bar, bring it forward until it’s parallel with your lower chest or upper abdomen.
• Slowly propel down the bar to your lower chest or upper abdomen.
• When you reach the bottom, guide the weight of the bar away from your torso until your elbows are completely stretched.
• Repeat as many reps as necessary.

3. Push-Ups

Another alternative to include in your workout routine is Push-Ups. This exercise can be one of the best bodyweight training that you can do if you nail the correct form. Like chest dips, this exercise target muscles in your chest and triceps but, it’s much easier to execute and easily adapted. 

Just avoid flaring your elbows as you lower yourself because the tighter they are to your body, the more challenging the push-ups become.

How to do it

• Keep your shoulder, elbows, and wrist aligned. Then, put your hands flat on the floor with your arms extended.
• Your legs should also be straight behind you with your toes touching the ground. For a more convenient version, you can put your knees on the floor instead of keeping your leg straight.
• Bend your elbows and lower yourself down towards the floor, but don’t let your body touch it.
• Use your hands to push yourself up until your arms are straight. Then, return to the starting position.
• Repeat twelve to fifteen times or do as many as you can.

4. Diamond Push-Ups

Similar to having a closer grip on the bench press, this variation of the traditional push ups engages the pressing mechanics of your triceps. Because diamond push-ups are a bodyweight exercise, you don’t need any equipment, making it an excellent home workout.

Because of the closer proximity of the hands, more shoulder stability and range of motion are needed to be exerted to execute this exercise. If your target is bulking up your triceps, then this alternative will help you achieve your goal.

How to do it

• Form a diamond using your index finger and thumb.
• Place your hand on the ground under your lower chest or upper abdomen.
• With your face lying down, push the ground away from yourself until your elbows are completely extended. 
• While doing the movement, make sure that your hips don’t drop or shift so much.
• Repeat as many reps as you can.

5. Dumbbell Bench Press

If you’re comfortable doing bench presses, then a Dumbbell Bench Press will not be a problem. This upper body workout allows for a broader range of motion, enabling greater muscle recruitment in your pecs and triceps. 

Since dumbbells allow more freedom with movement, the weights are not fixed in one direction. Because of this, there’s a challenge in the stability of the pectoralis muscles, triceps, and shoulders. The more you improve the strength in these muscles groups, the healthier your pecs and shoulder muscles will be.

In addition, the manner in which you press the weight can be customized, allowing you to change the stress on your shoulders. If you compare this with fixed dip handles, the dumbbells will enable you to move in a way that’s also protecting your shoulder muscle. 

How to do it

• Get the dumbbells that you’ll be using for the set and let them rest on your thighs.
• Drive the dumbbells back into the starting position as you begin the set.
• With your palms facing down, assume a pronated hand stance for the whole duration of the exercise.
• Now, lay down on the flat bench like you are going to do traditional bench presses. 
• Bring the dumbbells down until they are parallel with your lower chest or upper abdomen.
• Push the dumbbells away from your torso until your elbows are completely extended.
• Repeat as many reps as you can or as prescribed.

6. Ring or Straps Chest Press

Straps chest press copies the movement of chest dips or a parallel bar dip. Aside from your shoulders and chest, it also trains your core intensely, improving your balance and overall strength. Also, instead of the normal weights, this workout uses suspension cables, challenging your body to perform the movement while in an unstable environment. 

How to do it

• Attach the cables to an anchor point above your head. The handles or rings should hang down at about your waist height.
• Hold the handles with your hands facing opposite the anchor point.
• Lean forward until your body is at a 40-degree angle. Keep your body linear from head to toe by extending your arms straight and engaging your core.
• Lower yourself while bending your elbows until your chest reaches the handles’ level at the center of the cables.
• Breath out as you push yourself upwards. Maintain a tight core and go back to the starting position. This counts as one repetition.
• Repeat as many as necessary.

7. Incline Push Up

This variation to a staple bodyweight exercise mainly works your chest muscles, but you’ll also have to engage your core to protect your back. While a traditional push-up works your chest, arms, and shoulders, an incline push-up ease some pressure off your arms and shoulder to allow a more substantial chest workout. Here, your upper chest is doing more work.

How to do it

• Put your hands on a flat bench. Keep your legs straight behind you so your toes are on the floor and your body is in a straight line with your arms stretched.
• Bend your elbow and lower your torso towards the bench. Stop just before you make contact with it. 
• Drive-up using your hands and push yourself back up to the starting position.
• Repeat twelve to fifteen times or as necessary.

8. Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks

Another exercise to substitute chest dips that you can include in your workout routine is Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks. With this, you’re primarily focusing on building your upper body strength, particularly your triceps. Although it is simple enough for beginners to perform, it’s easily customizable to suit your fitness level. Just adjust the weight and increase your reps!

How to do it

• Start with your knees bent and feet close together. Grab a dumbbell in each hand, and with your back straight, do a slight bend forward. 
• Bend your elbows, lining up your upper arms with your back, so your biceps point towards the ground.
• Lift the dumbbells backward, straightening your arms without moving your tricep. Concentrate on driving your elbows alone because this range of motion engages your tricep despite remaining still.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. 
• Repeat as many times as necessary.

9. Parallel Bar Dip

Unlike performing dips against a flat bench or chair, this chest dips substitute allows for a better form since you can dip your bodyweight down instead of forward. You can do Parallel Bar Dips on a dip machine or use a set of gymnast bars. If you want to do this at home, you can purchase a set of Dip/Parallel Bars. 

Since this is a compound exercise, you’ll be able to work a larger area of muscle mass through various joints. If you have a few minutes to spare for your workout, then this exercise is an excellent choice. One routine hits two birds with one stone – tricep, and chest engagement.

How to do it

• Stand in between the parallel bars and adjust it to your height. If the bars are stationary, get a riser so you can easily lift and lower yourself.
• Hold a bar in each hand and lift yourself up until your arms are entirely straight and your elbows locked. Your neck and spine should be aligned. 
• Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows until your feel a stretching sensation in your chest muscles. Your elbows should be around a 90-degree angle.
• Slowly push yourself up, engaging your triceps once you reach the top.
• Return to the starting position and repeat as many reps as you can.

10. Pec Deck Machine

Aside from chest dips exercises, a pec deck is another workout that can help you increase your upper body strength and muscle mass in the chest. This exercise stabilizes your shoulder blades and strengthens your torso. 

Aside from that, it also engages your supporting muscles like the serratus anterior. Using the machine makes you sure that you’re executing the correct range of motion.

How to do it

• Choose an appropriate weight for the machine. Then sit on the platform.
• Press your back securely against the back of the platform with your feet flat on the ground.
• Grab a handle with each hand. Depending on the model you’re using, the machine may have a resting pad. If that is the case, put your forearms on each pad. Bend your arms at a 90-degree angle and keep your elbows at chest level.
• Pull the handles together, so they reach the middle of your chest.
• Return your arms and handle to the starting position with a controlled movement.
• Repeat ten to twelve times or as many as you can.