Dumbell Weight vs Barbell Weight for Bench

[the_alcatraz]

It doesn't help that I can never find a PAIR of dumbells in my gym

A gym with no free weights is a bad gym. my 0.02 $

 

[chaos13]

i love using dumbbells, and i like to do rep range between 6-8. today put up 100lbs db for 8 reps......any suggestions for the next time i do chest and still use db's?

thanks

 

[KickNitRight]

A gym with no free weights is a bad gym. my 0.02 $

absolutely...

 

[tropo]

I rep with custom made 143 lbs (65 kgs) dumbells at this hardcore underground gym next to my house. I do incline dumbell presses, dumbell rows, shrugs and seated dumbell shoulder presses. The ceiling leaks when it rains. The floor is cracked from all the heavy lifting. There is a stench of sweat, blood, tears...It's fucking beautiful.

At your level of strength, progression and safety will come into play with DB presses.

The risk of injury gets high when you use very heavy DBs and they become impracticle because of their size.

I remember watching a video of Ronnie Coleman doing 12 reps (flat DB presses) with 200 lb'ers. He threw them out when he finished his set. This wouldn't go down too well in most gyms. It's not easy to put down a heavy pair of DBs in the flat DB bench without wrenching your shoulders.

Personally I only do incline DB presses.

 

[BLAZAY]

The little gym I am using right now only goes up to 85lbs DBs
Since you are repping with 100s I would have expected you to be repping higher than 255 with the barbell.

i can do the 120's x5 and 285 x5, so i think it just depends on you and your form.

 

[Scotsman]

Dumbell strength has very little carry over into barbell strength and vice versa.

Dumbells need more stabilizing so it's harder to recruit the prime movers into a press.
The motion is very different between the two.
On a barbell both sides work together.

Which is better?
Completely depends on your goals.

One thing is that if you are going to be using really heavy dumbells try and get two spotters who can hand you the weights so you don't have to try and wrench them into position.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[tropo]

I find DB's easier on my shoulder joints. I always do them before bench presses.

 

[venomouss]

The key with flat bench is too press your shoulders down and get your chest up slight arch, trust me you will feel it. throw on about 350lbs and rep it out

 

[Powerbuilder333]

You can work the stabilers and an exagerated range of motion with DB Fly's. For pec mass always go with the heavy barbell.

 

[chaos13]

i wish i could use dumbells for flat bench, but the dumbells at my gym only go up to 100, so i am pretty much forced to use barbell for flat