Exercise Ball Dip

Intermediate

Triceps

Stability Ball

Exercise Ball Dip trades complexity for triceps mass behind every press, and it fits late in an arms workout.

How to do Exercise Ball Dip

Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
Place your hands on the ball beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
Engage your triceps and push through your hands to lift your body off the ball, straightening your arms.
Lower your body back down by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Add to an AI Workout Plan All Arms Exercises

Exercise Ball Dip Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Change one variable a week and let the rest stay put.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Add reps before you add load, and keep every rep the same shape.

Endurance

3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Stop the set at the last rep that still looks like the first.

Common Exercise Ball Dip Mistakes

Choosing a load you can move but cannot own

Pick a weight that lets you finish every rep looking the same.

Slamming into lockout and jarring the elbow

Finish firm but stop just short of a hard snap at the top.

Adding weight faster than technique can absorb it

Hold a weight until every rep looks identical, then move up.

Easier and Harder Than Exercise Ball Dip

Easier progression

Push-up On Lower Arms

Harder progression

Cable Rope Incline Tricep Extension

Swap Exercise Ball Dip For

Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps Extension

Cable Triceps Pushdown (v-bar)

EZ-Bar Skullcrusher

Exercise Ball Dip — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Exercise Ball Dip?

Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your hands on the ball beside your hips, fingers pointing forward. Engage your triceps and push through your hands to lift your body off the ball, straightening your arms. Use stability Ball and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Exercise Ball Dip work?

The Exercise Ball Dip primarily targets the triceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with stability Ball.

How many sets and reps of the Exercise Ball Dip should I do?

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Add reps before you add load, and keep every rep the same shape. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Exercise Ball Dip good for beginners?

It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic arms patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.

What can I do instead of the Exercise Ball Dip?

Try the Bodyweight Kneeling Triceps Extension, Cable Triceps Pushdown (v-bar) or the EZ-Bar Skullcrusher. Each trains the triceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.