Thread: how much do you bench BB vs DB

About the same ratio; approximately 2:3. However, I know of some people on the forum who claim to be able to do almost as much with DBs. Something tells me that either they are just naturally much more efficient with them, or they're doing the movement wrong.

Last Monday's benching:

Flat bench press:
Set 1 - 114lbs x 8.
Set 2 - 134lbs x 8.
Set 3 - 134lb x 6.

Flat dumbell press:
Set 1 - 45lbs x 8.
Set 2 - 55lbs x 8.
Set 3 - 60lbs x 4. (120lbs for both dumbell)

my ratio is roughly 4:5.

Just aim for slight increases in bench every week be it 2.5lbs extra weight on the bar or an extra rep - If you can do more then it's all good.

I can bench press about 25% more than I can DB bench.

cool, i know i need to lift whatever shocks my muscles but it's nice to hear i'm about "average"

my form always feels a lot worse than it looks, i always expect to look in the mirror and see the DBs spinning around like batons in my hands, but instead i'm just lifting them very sloooowly towards the end of my sets, LOL

i'm getting my knee manipulated next tuesday, so hopefully in about 2 weeks i'll be able to do light leg work again, i'll be content w/ riding a bike though

patience and consistency with diet and training is the key to getting strong and big.

Good luck and take care

Steve

I can bench press 215lbs X 10 at the same effort as 180 lbs X 10 on the dumbbells.

What is your 1 rep max bench?

As a guess my dumbell bench is about 75% or so of my barbell, that should be within 5% I think.

I bench 225 once and I can do 85lb DB's for about 4 reps.

my gym runs out of dumbells at 120 lbs so i have no idea. some days i can manhandle those weights like nothin (i do them inclined). flat barbell is 360. im thinking i could probably do 150's but then again that might rip my pectoral off if i lost control.

hmmm, my ratio is about 2:3 for db:bb

but i usually do flat db bench after incline db bench and barbell bench. I hit my flat bb goal of 300 for the first time 2 weeks ago (for 4 reps), usually do flat db presses with 100s for 7 or 8 reps, 2 sets and either drop down to 90s for 8-10, or stay with 100s for as many as I can for a third set.

on incline I can rep 135 8 times with the barbell, and with the dumbbells I could rep the 65s 8 times on incline. but then again I never use barbell benching...

My BB 1rm is about 215, while my db max is about 85. Seems like a fairly common ratio. Trying like hell to get those numbers up, though!

BB is about 295
DB is 110's x 8 flat, and 100's x 8 inclined

IJ300 - i would think you'd put up bigger #'s than that for your physique, i mean not to flame at all, better than me, but i just find that interesting... excuses, reasons?

Originally Posted by jimbofive

IJ300 - i would think you'd put up bigger #'s than that for your physique, i mean not to flame at all, better than me, but i just find that interesting... excuses, reasons?

Bodybuilders are not powerlifters.

Originally Posted by Mudge

Bodybuilders are not powerlifters.

Exactly.