darren m

which is better for chest bench press -- barbell or dumbells and why .

biggfly

Preference...do both...do barbell bench for 2-3 weeks, then switch over to dumbells. Doing both, through periodization, may benefit you best overall. Experiment with the two and keep it fresh, your muscles guessing. "Everything works, nothing works forever." (1)


(1)Credit: Quoting Gaz

JonnyStead

Quite right - mixing things up is key - I think its fair to say though you will probably get more range of movement for the Pectoral muscles from the DB press but may well be able to get more benefit from heavy compound movement from the barbell - good luck!

I'm 34 - when am I officially an old fart?

vader

each week try doing one exercise with the straight bar and another with the db's.How many exercises do you do for your chest in a single workout?

HialeahChico305

DB all the way

danzik17

Both.

Keep switching things up so your body doesn't adapt. I do prefer DBs though, but for the reason that I don't need a spotter to go heavy.

Ron Paul 2008

Journal: Boom goes the dynamite

Ben

Use them both.
Switch them up, 1 week do Flat dumbell bench, incline BB bench. Next week do the opposite, flat BB bench, incline DB bench

Built

You can flat out push more weight with a barbell. Use it for the low rep work. For higher rep work, use dumbbells - you won't put up as much but the stabilizers will get more work.

Something like 3-5 sets of 5 barbell bench, then 3x8 dumbbell bench for example.