Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below usually always do barbell flat and have hit a rut. im thinkin of switching up to dumbells. anyone have any opinions on what they prefer? i know guys that use dumbells religiously and guys that use bar religiously. ive heard some claim that they build better pecs with dumbells but more overall upper body mass with bar. what do u guys prefer?
dumbell vs. barbell bench
- Thread starter markshark
- Start date
markshark said:
I doubt you would notice much of a difference moving from bb to db. I personally prefer bb as I can move up in much smaller increments. 2.5 to 5 pounds per session rather than 10 pounds. I have yet to see a gym that has 130pd dbs and 132.5 hahaha.
my gym does however have 1.25 pd plates. boy do I love those.
enigma4dub
Active member
The barbell provides more load and therefore more hypertrophy and strength gains. However, I do believe that dumbells have there benefits as well in regards to balance and coordination. I like to use the dumbells when im deloading for a couple weeks post 5x5.
musketeer
New member
I use BOTH in a week, but currently regard the Bar as the meat and potatoes exercise, and the DB as the more feeler. Then again, I'm using a 250lb bar for the 5x5 and the heaviest dumbells in the gym (88lbers) for 3x8. If I had 100lbers+ then th9is could change I guess. Anyhow, here's the chest portion of my 5x5 (which is working well), I', no doing incline stuff because of all the overhead work I'm doing and because I couldn't do flat for 2 years (shoulder inj.) so now I'm getting back with a bang:
Mon: Dips (weighted of course) 5x5
Wed: Bench (flat, barbel): 5x3-5
Fri: dumbell press (flat or mabe with a plate under head-end): 5x5 OR 3x8
Mon: Dips (weighted of course) 5x5
Wed: Bench (flat, barbel): 5x3-5
Fri: dumbell press (flat or mabe with a plate under head-end): 5x5 OR 3x8
I did mostly db last night for chest because of this thread, and I can say that my chest is a lot more sore today than when I do the barbell bench. But I dont know if I give all the credit to the db because I had a lot of christmas food still giving me fuel, which mad a kickass workout.
ManWithNoName
New member
if you have stalled ten its a good idea to witch up moves..
try the DB's and et us know how it goes
try the DB's and et us know how it goes
s8nlilhlpr
Banned
I was hurting my back with the dumbells for awhile before I figured out a decent trick, I tuck the db's back in and set them on my thighs, it kinda causes you to slingshot into a seated position. Haven't noticed it hurting my shoulders in the least bit, I always did that when I tried to drop them.
Ozz2001
New member
If your trying to maintain muscle and and a cut look stick with DB's If your looking to keep gaining mass and size do BB...Myself i think doing 250 or 300 pushups will give you more the DB presses will...Dont buy it? Bang out 25 a set or 50 and go look in mirror after about 200 or so,then tell me what the differents is...
M
Megalomaniac
Guest
I like working DB far better than BB, I just feel I get a better lift with them. I also like incline db but they are hard to get the weight to the start position.
gettnlarge01
New member
I get a better stretch at the bottom with db"s and if you can get them heavy enough dbs will make your bb pressing weight go up.
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
Smurfy said:
Yep, that's true. The wobbly feeling comes when the stabilizer muscles come into play. It's apparent too when a person moves from machine exercises and progresses to free weights. It's good to switch up your training often.
I'm a fan of changing up workouts frequently, even if not always the exercise itself - but the way its done. You can change loads, %'s, sets, reps and then add in and out many different accessory exercises in addition to you max effort movements (or meat & potatoes) as musketeer said. You do have to give yourself time to get the program you've chosen on the right track and then you'll know when you're ready to start adding in or changing your movements. You could at least try on the week you do flat barbell pressing, try incline DB's - then vice versa next time.
Also someone mentioned the push-ups. Try some decline barbell push-ups out of the rack and change out your grip (close/mid/wide) each set. Put the barbell in the back of the rack near the floor or the Smith machine on the lowest setting and then bring an incline bench over and put your feet up on the back of it, then center your chest over the barbell and rep em' out. Try to go for 20 or work up to it. Hard as hell, but make's you grow.
I love both. I generally go like 8 weeks where I do BB as my first lift for 4 heavy sets of no more than 6-8 then Dbs for 4 sets of 8-12. Always heavy on both. The next 8 weeks are using DBs heavy and BB for 8-12...Keeps me good at both
I like dumbell alot better than barbell. I really feel my whole chest being sore the next day, and it really feels like I get a good pinch with the DB's, but I guess barbell is where it's at. I've heard some bodybuilders I know, for symetrics and bodybuilding purposes only, they have completely quit doing flat presses of any sort, and have moved to inclined dumbells. They say it has really helped their chest development, but everything I read here seems to contradict that. Needless to say I get confused on the differences of opinion 
Tweakle
New member
I love DB pressing but unfortunately it's much harder on my shoulders than the bar when I go heavy.. so I prefer to use it as an assistance exercise to focus on the small stablisers and use the swiss ball to press on. This has a great added benefit of letting you adjust your torso position during the set to fine tune the groove so there's no shoulder pain. 2-3 sets of 20 (not to failure) works great
sadly right now I cant press even a 35'er without some pain. Fuckin' hammer machines...
sadly right now I cant press even a 35'er without some pain. Fuckin' hammer machines...
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