Barbell vs. Dumbell

[SuperJuice]

I don't know if its just me or not, but i can't do Barbell presses at all. I've had to do dumbell presses since about 1994 or 1995. Every once in a while i will try to do them again and when i get over 200-250 lbs, my right shoulder has a bad bad pain in it. The crazy thing is that i can do the 110 lb dumbells and i feel fine, no pain in my shoulder at all. I don't know if its my rotator cuff or not, like i said its only when i use the straight bar. Anyway, i just wanted to get some other feedback and see if i was alone or not.

 

[cswole]

I used to get horrible shoulder pains from barbell presses. Just takes alot of playing around with form to find what works for you. I finally got mine down recently to where I am very comfortable under the bar, strength on bench went up a good bit that night, I found out that through all the forms I was using, I was mainly pushing with my shoulders.

As far as dumbells. I try to switch to them every other week on incline. I find that they hurt my shoulder more, though. I think it is in just kicking them up and the sudden load on them, that bothers me.

 

[mustang347]

I get it sometime too. Its all about the angle of the press. Since your movements are independant with dumbell, you can do the rep where it feels most comfortable. Personally I don't think you are loosing out not doing flat bench, I really think it is an ego thing for most people to throw up 315 or 405 or whatever...myself included but I'm trying to get over that

 

[ALIN]

I don't know if its just me or not, but i can't do Barbell presses at all. I've had to do dumbell presses since about 1994 or 1995. Every once in a while i will try to do them again and when i get over 200-250 lbs, my right shoulder has a bad bad pain in it. The crazy thing is that i can do the 110 lb dumbells and i feel fine, no pain in my shoulder at all. I don't know if its my rotator cuff or not, like i said its only when i use the straight bar. Anyway, i just wanted to get some other feedback and see if i was alone or not.

i love using dumbells. much fuller range of motion.

 

[Dieselgoku23]

I personally cannot do military press kills my shoulders something about being stuck in one position, yet on dumbell presses doing shoulders I can do 110 for about 7 reps, gives you more range of motion you can adjust. As far bench press comes I wouldnt switch bench press for dumbell bench press. I think pure raw strenght you get from the bench press. As far as incline I do both switch it up every other week

 

[Prizz]

I get pretty bad Tendonitis in my right arm and shoulder.... Can't bench press with a barbell, or do shoulder presses with a barbell either.... Just use the Dumbell, it's superior in many ways...

rizz

 

[swordfish151]

This shit is funny..and here i thought I was the only one with the problem, mine right shoulder gives me grief when it comes to barbell press laying down...i remember a long time ago i was pressing and all of a sudden i felt this pain in my upper shoulder trap area...that is where most of my mine comes from...like where the trap meets the delt...and it hurts like hell if i do regular presses...ever since then, all i can do is incline??? Heavy...doesnt matter...i can put away a couple of incline bench presses but cant bench worth shit laying down...funny thing..i can do military with no problem with a barbell.

 

[_Yossarian_]

I havent used a barbell in years...

 

[Extra_Strong]

I think it has a lot to do with biomachanics.. your hands are not ment to be held in an angle that is 90 degrees to your spine.. while pressing.. they want to be more in a thumbs up postion. like when you are doing a hammer curl..

putting your hands in this position cause you to compensate in other places.. causeing more stress or pain in the shoulders or wrists. or even elbow..

 

[jafo]

pain in the shoulders on the flat press going heavy you tend to just push it and lose form...and you are not alone this happens to me as well

 

[mustang_00]

I think it has a lot to do with biomachanics.. your hands are not ment to be held in an angle that is 90 degrees to your spine.. while pressing.. they want to be more in a thumbs up postion. like when you are doing a hammer curl..

putting your hands in this position cause you to compensate in other places.. causeing more stress or pain in the shoulders or wrists. or even elbow..

that makes sense!!! barbell hurts my left wrist only for some reason.

 

[wirednutz]

I have not done barbell bench press since 1989. Dumbells are superior for the simple fact there is less leverage from the longer bar. Using DUMBells is SMART!

 

[bigtravis]

any kind of lying barbell presses restrict your range of motion, which in turn raises your risk of rotator cuff injury. fuck em, haven't done any since 1988. and have never had any shoulder problems.

 

[SuperJuice]

well it looks like i'm not the only one that mainly uses dumbells. I'm off to the gym, its chest day so back to dumbell incline presses.

 

[jdevlin1985]

If i was stuck on a desert island, with no access to a gym apart from one item of equitment of my choice. It would be a barbell.

I would miss my deads too much I think..

 

[muscleup]

Its all biomechanical........Its works for some and does not work for others.......Flatbench hurts my shoulders and my wrist......I always feel better with dumbells.

 

[SuperJuice]

ok, i'm back from the gym. Its definately all in the position of your hands. I find that on the decell my hands have to bow out a little, kinda like doing a semi-fly movement, if not it puts a strain on my shoulders. I will continue doing dumbells, i guess i'm not missing much with the straight bar anyways.

 

[mr.nitrofish]

im the oppsite, but not because of pain. I am a little clumsy with the dumbells so I prefer to use a bar