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Plyometric Dip

An explosive dip variation requiring the hands to leave the bars briefly, building tricep and chest power.

Setup

Set up in a standard dip position. Same general setup as a regular parallel-bar dip.

Movement

Lower with control as usual. The lowering phase doesn't change — control still matters here. Press up explosively. Push hard enough that your hands briefly leave the bars.

Return

Land with control and immediately absorb the impact. Bend your elbows slightly on landing to cushion the impact, flowing into the next rep or stabilizing fully before the next attempt.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Attempting this before a strong standard dip base exists. This is an advanced progression — significant dip strength should come first.

Equipment Dip bars or parallel bars
Primary Muscles Triceps, chest
Secondary Muscles Front shoulders, core

Why it matters

Adding an explosive, hands-off-the-bar component to the dip trains power output in the triceps and chest, similar in principle to the plyometric push-up but with the added demand of the dip's greater range of motion and bodyweight loading.

How to do it

  1. Set up in a standard dip position. Same general setup as a regular parallel-bar dip.
  2. Lower with control as usual. The lowering phase doesn't change — control still matters here.
  3. Press up explosively. Push hard enough that your hands briefly leave the bars.
  4. Land with control and immediately absorb the impact. Bend your elbows slightly on landing to cushion the impact, flowing into the next rep or stabilizing fully before the next attempt.

Common mistakes

  • Attempting this before a strong standard dip base exists. This is an advanced progression — significant dip strength should come first.
  • Landing stiff-armed. Locking the elbows on landing transmits impact directly into the joints — always absorb with a slight bend.
  • Doing high volume before building adequate joint resilience. Start with very low reps given the impact involved, building up gradually.
  • Attempting this on unstable or insufficiently sturdy equipment. Given the explosive nature of this exercise, equipment stability is a genuine safety consideration.

Sets & reps by level

Beginner

Not applicable — build a strong standard dip foundation first.

Intermediate

2–3 sets of 4–6 reps, focusing on controlled landings.

Advanced

3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, sometimes adding a clap at the peak of the explosive phase.

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