Negative Dip
The negative dip is a descent-only dip on parallel bars: you start at the top with locked arms and sink slowly to the deepest point you can control. It works the triceps, chest and front shoulders, and it is a common step between the support hold and a full dip.
Also called: Negative Dips, Eccentric Dip, Eccentric-Only Dip, Slow Negative Dip · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Stand between parallel bars with a box or step underneath. Grip the bars with your palms facing in.
- Step or jump up to straight arms, with your shoulders pressed down away from your ears.
- Brace your abs and keep your body straight or slightly hollow, legs together.
- Bend your elbows and sink slowly, keeping them tucked back rather than flared, aiming for a descent of up to 10 seconds.
- Go only as deep as you can still control, with your shoulders staying down and back.
- At the bottom, put your feet back on the box and step up to the top again rather than pressing.
- Repeat for the planned reps, keeping every descent at the same slow speed.
- Shoulders down, away from your ears
- Slow and even all the way down
- Elbows back, not out
- Only as deep as you can control
- Step back up, no press
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps brachii | Prime mover | C |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Prime mover | C |
| Anterior deltoid: anterior | Secondary | C |
| Pectoralis minor | Stabiliser | D |
| Trapezius: lower | Stabiliser | D |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Dropping through the bottom half
Fix: Keep the same slow speed all the way to your deepest controlled point.
Shoulders rolling forward at the bottom
Fix: Keep your shoulders pressed down and your chest up as you sink.
Sinking deeper than you can control
Fix: Descend only as far as you control; depth comes with strength.
Elbows flaring wide
Fix: Keep your elbows tucked back and close to your sides.
Pressing out of the bottom
Fix: Put your feet on the box and step back to the top each rep.
What the research says
StrengthMuscle growthGeneral fitness
- Eccentric training — A meta-analysis found high-intensity eccentric training produced greater strength and muscle gains than concentric-only training, which it linked to the heavier loads muscles resist while lengthening.
- Descent speed — Studies find similar muscle growth across rep durations up to about 8 seconds, with reps longer than about 10 seconds appearing less effective. The Recommended Routine works towards a 10-second descent as a strength goal.
- Sets and reps — A common approach is 3 sets of 5–8 slow reps, built up gradually because descent-only work causes more soreness than regular reps. No study has compared negative schemes for the dip.
- Moving on — The Recommended Routine moves from the support hold to negatives and then to full dips. There is no research comparing dip progressions.
Log the negative dip in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.