Dumbell Weight vs Barbell Weight for Bench

[GUARDIAN]

DB for me (when i am at a gym that has heavy enuf ones) due to my shoulder.

 

[Sculelos]

Wow, I voted Barbell Simply cause it lets you push more raw weight and is far easier to manage. But after hearing everyone say Dumbells develop the chest a lot more I might try doing some of them after I get to a good flat bench strength level.

Interesting read on the subject.

 

[sugashane]

Both, like everyone said. By using both you will improve the main antagonists and the stabilizers in the same process. Get the best of both worlds, and avoid staleness.

 

[snorkles]

with dumbbels its harder but then you end up lifting heavier when you use a barbell. I switch. its good to alternate.

 

[lanny]

thats not what it said on the 3x5 rippetoe starting strength program.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

 

[ceo]

That limits me because I like to work out alone. The most I can probably use safely is 100lbs right now.

buy a set of powerhooks.

http://www.powerhooks.com/

 

[DannoMight]

I just rotate between the two. Per say one week I'll do barbell flat bench and DB incline and a decline db flyes and the next week maybe I'll still do the barbell on flat but I'll do incline flyes and barbell decline. Basically I rotate every week between the barbess and dumbell exercises.

 

[Caleb's Tree]

When I do flat barbell bench I work up to doing 4-6 reps at around 285 lbs.

When I do flat dumbell bench I get a great workout doing reps with 85 lb in each hand. That is much less weight, but the workout feels better during and afterwards.

So I conclude that using dumbells is a better workout. Agree?

Noob's Humble Opinion.

When I do Dumbells for Incline Bench

I do

80x15
85x12
90x10
95x8

I just bumped my weight up over last week

I was doing 65, 70, 75, and 80.

The week before, I was doing 50, 55, 60, 65.

I am just getting back into shape and imo, dumbell bench press has helped me make the best gains in the shortest ammount of time.

Anyways, at my gym, the dumbells only go to 100 lbs.

I guess after that I am going to have to go to Barbells, but I really prefer Dumbells.

Any thoughts on this?

Maybe I can stick with the Dumbells longer by increasing the reps.

Some of you are advocating to keep doing Dumbells even if you max out. Just do Barbells.

 

[squatmonkey]

Gotta have um both. Every body loves barbells because you put the weight on heavy, Thats good heavy=growth but dumbells have all the stablizing muscles coming in to play, dumbells really work on my fore-arms and shoulders thats why Gotta have um both...............

 

[SofaGeorge]

Noob's Humble Opinion.

When I do Dumbells for Incline Bench

I do

80x15
85x12
90x10
95x8

I just bumped my weight up over last week

I was doing 65, 70, 75, and 80.

The week before, I was doing 50, 55, 60, 65.

I am just getting back into shape and imo, dumbell bench press has helped me make the best gains in the shortest ammount of time.

Anyways, at my gym, the dumbells only go to 100 lbs.

In the heyday of Muscle Beach back in the 30s and 40s... the guys didn't look at the Oly lifts as the definition of "being strong." The gold standard back then was that if you could do your sets on incline dumbbell bench press with 100s... you were strong... very strong.

A lot of the old timers still consider it the best metric.

At Gold's Venice years back we used to do a group cheer every time a guy hit it for the first time.