What Are the Biggest Dip Mistakes That Cause Shoulder Pain for People With Bad Posture

Why Your Shoulders Hurt During Dips (It's Not the Exercise, It's Your Setup)

You're here because doing dips hurts your shoulders, and you've probably noticed your posture isn't perfect. The biggest dip mistakes that cause shoulder pain for people with bad posture are letting your shoulders roll forward at the bottom and going too deep; the fix isn't avoiding dips, but mastering a 30-degree forward lean and controlling your depth to only parallel. If you have a desk job or spend a lot of time hunched over a phone, your shoulders naturally sit in a rounded, forward position. When you try to do a dip from this compromised state, you're essentially jamming the head of your arm bone into the delicate structures in the front of your shoulder socket. It's a recipe for impingement and pain. The common advice to “just do dips” fails because it ignores this crucial starting point. You feel a sharp, pinching pain right in the front of your shoulder, and you correctly assume something is wrong. The three mistakes that feed this problem are almost universal. First is the shoulder roll, where your shoulders dump forward at the bottom of the rep, losing all stability. Second is going too deep, trying to get your shoulder below your elbow because you saw someone else do it, even though your mobility doesn't allow for it safely. The third is maintaining a perfectly vertical torso, which places maximum stress on the shoulder joint instead of loading the chest and triceps. The solution is to reverse these errors before you even begin the movement.

The Hidden "Shoulder Debt" Your Bad Posture Creates

Your bad posture creates a kind of “shoulder debt” that comes due the second you grab the dip bars. The technical term for this is anterior humeral glide. In simple terms, because of rounded shoulders, the ball of your upper arm bone (humerus) doesn't sit centered in the socket. It rests too far forward. When you lower yourself into a dip with this forward-shifted joint, you're grinding the bone against the tendons and ligaments at the front of your shoulder. This is what causes that sharp, pinching pain. It’s not the dip itself that’s bad; it’s performing a dip on a poorly aligned joint. Proper form fixes this alignment issue. By pulling your shoulder blades down and back (scapular depression and retraction), you actively pull the head of the humerus back into the center of the socket where it belongs. This simple action creates a stable, protected joint. From there, leaning your torso forward about 30 degrees shifts the load from the fragile shoulder joint onto the big, powerful pectoral muscles of your chest. The dip transforms from a shoulder-wrecker into one of the best chest and triceps builders you can do. Think of it like trying to close a door that's off its hinges. You wouldn't just force it shut; you'd first lift the door to set the hinge correctly, then close it smoothly. Depressing your scapula is setting the hinge of your shoulder. Without that step, you're just forcing the joint and causing damage. You now understand the mechanics: keep your shoulders back and down, lean forward 30 degrees. But knowing this and doing it for every single rep are two different things. Can you honestly say you felt your shoulder position on the 8th rep of your last set? If not, you're just guessing and risking injury.

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The 4-Step Protocol for Pain-Free Dips

This isn't about just trying again with better form. It's about rebuilding the movement from the ground up so that good form is the only way you know how to do it. Follow this 8-week progression without skipping steps. If you feel any sharp pain, go back to the previous step for another week.

Step 1: Master the Foundation - Scapular Depression Holds (Weeks 1-2)

Before you can move, you must be stable. Go to a set of parallel bars and get into the top position of a dip with your arms locked out. Now, without bending your elbows, actively push your shoulders down, creating as much space as possible between your shoulders and your ears. You should feel your body rise up slightly. This is scapular depression. It's the most critical skill for safe dips. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds. That's one set. Do 3 sets with 60 seconds of rest in between. Perform this twice a week.

Step 2: Build Control - Eccentric-Only Dips (Weeks 3-4)

Now we introduce movement, but only in the downward phase. Get into your stable top position from Step 1 (shoulders down!). Begin to lower yourself as slowly as you can, aiming for a 3- to 5-second descent. Only go down until your upper arm is about 45 degrees from your torso-do not go to parallel yet. Once you reach that point, place your feet on the floor or a bench to get back to the top. Do not push yourself back up. The goal is to build strength and control in the eccentric (lowering) phase. Perform 3 sets of 5 slow, controlled reps.

Step 3: Develop Strength - Limited Range of Motion Dips (Weeks 5-6)

Here, you'll finally perform the full movement, but with a safety brake. Set up in your strong top position, shoulders down. Lean your torso forward about 30 degrees. Lower yourself down until your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Your shoulder should not drop below your elbow. Push back up to the starting position. This limited range of motion is the safest and most effective range for building muscle without stressing the joint. If you can't do this with good form, use an assistance band or a dip-assist machine. The goal is 3 sets of 6-8 perfect reps.

Step 4: Add Volume and Load - Full, Safe ROM Dips (Weeks 7-8 and Beyond)

Once you can comfortably perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps with your bodyweight in Step 3, you have earned the right to progress. Your goal now is to increase the volume. Work towards 3 sets of 12-15 reps with perfect form. Once you can hit 15 reps on your first set, you can start adding weight. Use a dip belt and start with just 5-10 pounds. The rules never change: shoulders down, torso leaned forward, and stop when your upper arm is parallel to the floor. Never chase depth at the expense of shoulder health. This progression builds the stability first, then the control, then the strength. It's the only way to guarantee your shoulders stay healthy while you build a powerful chest and triceps.

Your First 30 Days: What Progress Actually Looks Like

Forget what you see on Instagram. Real, sustainable progress is slow and methodical. Here is what you should honestly expect when you follow the protocol.

Week 1: This will feel frustratingly simple and you might not even break a sweat. The scapular holds from Step 1 will be harder than they look. You won't feel a muscle “pump.” That’s the point. You are not training muscles yet; you are training your nervous system to create a stable shoulder position. This is the most important week. Do not skip it.

Weeks 2-4: The eccentric dips will make your triceps and chest sore, which is a good sign. You should feel ZERO sharp, pinching pain in the front of your shoulder. If you do, it means you either went too deep or you let your shoulders roll forward at the bottom. This is a clear signal to stop, rest for a couple of days, and go back to Step 1 to reinforce the stable position. Dull muscle soreness is a green light; sharp joint pain is a red light.

Month 2 (Weeks 5-8): As you move into limited range of motion dips, you will finally start to feel strong. The movement will feel powerful, not painful. You'll notice more definition in your triceps and a fuller feeling in your chest after workouts. This is where your confidence will build, because you'll be performing a difficult exercise correctly and without pain. Don't get greedy and try to go deeper. The parallel position is the goal, not a starting point. Progress is adding reps and eventually weight, not adding risky range of motion. That's the 8-week plan. Scapular holds, then eccentrics, then limited ROM, then full ROM. It requires tracking your holds in seconds, your eccentric tempo, your reps, and your sets for every workout. Most people try to remember this in their head. Most people fall off by week 3 and go back to what hurts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Bench Dips vs. Parallel Bar Dips

Avoid bench dips. They force your hands behind your body, which causes extreme internal rotation of the shoulder. This position is a direct cause of shoulder impingement and pain. Parallel bar dips allow for a neutral grip and a forward lean, which protects the shoulder joint and targets the chest far more effectively.

Using Dip Assistance Machines or Bands

These are excellent tools for learning the movement correctly. Use them during Step 3 and 4 of the progression. Choose a band or machine setting that allows you to complete 6-8 reps with perfect form. The goal is to train the pattern, not to lift your entire bodyweight with bad form.

What If I Still Feel Pain?

If you feel any sharp, pinching pain, stop immediately. Go back one step in the progression for at least two weeks. The most common errors are still going too deep or letting your shoulders roll forward. Film yourself from the side to check your form. Your upper arm must not go past parallel to the floor.

How Often to Train Dips

Twice per week is the ideal frequency when you are learning and building strength. This gives your muscles and connective tissues at least 48 hours to recover and adapt. You can perform them on a chest-focused day or a triceps-focused day. Don't train them on back-to-back days.

The Ideal Grip Width for Dips

Your grip should be just slightly wider than your shoulders. For most people, this is between 24 and 28 inches. A grip that is too wide puts more stress on the shoulder joint, while a grip that is too narrow turns the exercise into a triceps-only movement and can stress the wrists and elbows. Find a width that feels natural and powerful.