Dumbell vs Barbell bench press

[myCATpowerlifts]

I've almost never incorporated Dumbells into my chest routine, but lately I have been doing them a lot.
And today I have totally disregarded the Barbell for chest (for the meantime anyway )

I find that I feel the movement in my chest much much more whilst using dumb' than while using Bar'

 

[tommyboy11]

i mix up barbell and dumbell presses in my routine, about every 3 weeks or so i switch it up.

 

[rogor1]

I recently started back to the gym going to a small facility that has only dumbells. At first I wished for a flat bench, enough so that I bought a flat bench setup for the house.

The most I can db bench is 170 x 3 reps. I do that with no shoulder pain or wrist pain. (no gloves or wrist wraps)

I can take 20lbs off of that on bb bench and have shoulder and wrist pain after 1 rep. When I used to do nothing but bench a few years ago, I needed wrist wraps.

and lastly, you can go as heavy as you want with db bench without a spotter.

For me, it's dumbells from now on.

 

[tommyboy11]

wow 170 pound dumbells thats fukin heavy i give yu props for that

 

[rogor1]

170lbs total or one 85lb db in each hand

 

[TheCurse]

i wish my gym had 170 pound dumbells. bastards dont think anyone needs anything over 120.

 

[MuscleM4n]

there is no such thing as which is better dumbell or bench pressing!

you use BOTH for muscle gains

just yesterday i heavy bench pressed (got a new PB 160lbs at 125lbs )
then after dumbell pressing 50lbs.

just an example how i incorporate both exercises....their is no better way. They both stimulate the pectorals

 

[Doublebase]

I just made the poll even. I like barbell. They both kill my chest but I like barbell better because it hits my shoulders and lats too. Its more of a compound movement for me.

 

[fUnc17]

I use both, but prefer dumbells

 

[da jock]

I prefer DB's always for flat & inclined....

 

[Squaggleboggin]

there is no such thing as which is better dumbell or bench pressing!

you use BOTH for muscle gains

just yesterday i heavy bench pressed (got a new PB 160lbs at 125lbs )
then after dumbell pressing 50lbs.

just an example how i incorporate both exercises....their is no better way. They both stimulate the pectorals

That's fantastic, but that's not the subject of the thread. We all know that incorporating them both would work very well for many people; we want to know why you would prefer one over the other. Dumbbells just require more all-around strength and give you a better all-around workout. More stabilization means more work for less weight. People who say 'Well you can do more weight for BB bench' are just being ignorant IMO. They've always bench with a barbell and are too stubborn to look at the benefits of dumbbells because everybody uses a barbell, so that MUST be the best thing, right?

 

[AKIRA]

That's fantastic, but that's not the subject of the thread. We all know that incorporating them both would work very well for many people; we want to know why you would prefer one over the other. Dumbbells just require more all-around strength and give you a better all-around workout. More stabilization means more work for less weight. People who say 'Well you can do more weight for BB bench' are just being ignorant IMO. They've always bench with a barbell and are too stubborn to look at the benefits of dumbbells because everybody uses a barbell, so that MUST be the best thing, right?

Alright then shit, back to the topic.

I used to just do barbell. We are talking from 15 years old to 21 years old. Barbell was always an ego thing to me. And you something? It sucked. So one day this lil fat kid got me doing dumbells. I was weak at first, but since no one bugged me on "max," I kinda stuck to it.

Well, I FLEW up in weight (meaning dumbell weight). HOWEVER, people said I had looked bigger. Didnt see it myself, but I figured it wasnt impossible considering I went from 60s to 110s (DBs) in over a year.

BUT. I wanted to see if this new workout had added strength to the Barbell, so I went back for a lil bit and yes I got stronger, but still the fact remains..

I didnt appear bigger in MASS nor cut (yea thats right) until Dumbells, so they get my vote.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

Yeah, and I don't think many people realize that DB bench gains transfer over to BB bench gains, either.

 

[Tough Old Man]

How Fucking Stupid. Max Weight Equals Strength And Gains. Can You Do More Weight With A Barbell Or Dumbells?

 

[Squaggleboggin]

Strength can be measured in many ways. We're talking about getting a better workout and becoming stronger. The man who DB benches 300 is much, much, much stronger than the man who BB benches 300. Say what you want, but facts don't argue.

 

[AKIRA]

The man who DB benches 300 is much, much, much stronger than the man who BB benches 300.

 

[The Monkey Man]

How Fucking Stupid. Max Weight Equals Strength And Gains. Can You Do More Weight With A Barbell Or Dumbells?

No but if you can't pick up a barbell
off the floor,
lay down on the bench with it
then hit a few reps
then place it back on the floor
how strong are you

Dumbells make you overall strong

 

[Mudge]

The man who DB benches 300 is much, much, much stronger than the man who BB benches 300.

By my numbers, as someone not good with dumbells, 15-20% maybe.

 

[god hand]

I didnt appear bigger in MASS nor cut (yea thats right) until Dumbells, so they get my vote.

Thats what I wanted to know.

 

[god hand]

Yeah, and I don't think many people realize that DB bench gains transfer over to BB bench gains, either.

I dont think so..........but I havent tried so I need to shut the fuck up!

 

[Cowbell]

use to do declined all the time with dumbs....I was a lot stronger then....lost a lot of chest strength since then

 

[Cowbell]

i wish my gym had 170 pound dumbells. bastards dont think anyone needs anything over 120.

You are going to blow your intestines out your ass

 

[Squaggleboggin]

I dont think so..........but I havent tried so I need to shut the fuck up!

It's definitely true. It strengthens everything you use in the BB bench and more. Besides, I've gained 20+ pounds on my BB bench by DB benching exclusively over a period of about six weeks. It works.

 

[CowPimp]

I much prefer barbells. I think part of this is because it is much more comfortable to go heavy (5 reps or less) with a barbell as opposed to dumbbells. However, that doesn't mean dumbbells are useless. I incorporate dumbbells into my training routine now and again. I think both are great.

 

[Psycho Dad]

I dont think so..........but I havent tried so I need to shut the fuck up!

please do dumb ass

 

[Squaggleboggin]

Excuse you.

 

[Skate67]

On chest day I used to do flat bench with the bar, then go over to the incline bench and use DBs. Then the next chest day switch it up flat DB press and incline bar. Gotta keep the body guessing.

 

[Mudge]

It's definitely true. It strengthens everything you use in the BB bench and more. Besides, I've gained 20+ pounds on my BB bench by DB benching exclusively over a period of about six weeks. It works.

Not me, I lose strength on my bench by switching long term. But I also bench a lot more than my bodyweight.

 

[Cold Iron]

Both have there place; however, if i'm going under 3 reps-- BB's are the only way to go.

 

[TheCurse]

You are going to blow your intestines out your ass

maybe if i was a slack jawed faggot.