flat bench DB Vs. flat bench

[powerhouse972]

My flat bench DB strength has gone up a lot but my bench has not. i dont really train much on the bench but when i went to change up my routine i noticed my bench was a lot lower than i thought it would be. I mean in the past when i always did DB and swiched to bench it was about the same. Do i just need to work on the bench a lot more to get it back up?

 

[lartinos]

I try to keep ny benching to a minimum because it hurts my shoulders.

 

[powerhouse972]

yeah it hurts mine too, i was just concerned though because it used to be much higher and i thought since i was doing more db than i used to my bench would be higher too

 

[newpump]

Power - chest is my "weak point" (how bad does THAT suck?). I notice that when I switch from DB to the Bar, my performance on the bar is poor for the first few weeks. I think this is due to the fact that balance is SO much different between the two excercises. Also - I think that when you use the bar, you tend to grip much wider, bringing more chest into the excersize. When you use DB's, you tend to bring them closer in, so it becomes more of a closer grip/tricep assisted excercize. Anyone else have any thouhgts on this?

 

[Mini Viper]

as posted by newpump

Power - chest is my "weak point" (how bad does THAT suck?). I notice that when I switch from DB to the Bar, my performance on the bar is poor for the first few weeks. I think this is due to the fact that balance is SO much different between the two excercises. Also - I think that when you use the bar, you tend to grip much wider, bringing more chest into the excersize. When you use DB's, you tend to bring them closer in, so it becomes more of a closer grip/tricep assisted excercize. Anyone else have any thouhgts on this?

Good comparison between DB flat bench and flat bench using the bar. Two very different exercises, DB flat bench is an isolation exercise requiring balance, whereas flat bench using the bar requires your whole chest to push the weight at the same time, therefore requires strength and power. Your shoulders kinda act as a stabiliser for flat bench using the bar, strong shoulders gives you extra edge on this exercise (therefore push more weight). Because of the wider grip you take, it really stretches your whole chest area=to much wider range of motion as compared to DB bench.

You should try decline flat bench using the bar, its even harder work but you get a tremendous pump! Lovely!

Mini

 

[doubles1]

i think DB are soo much better...i am stronger pound for pound if you compare it on DBs then flat bar...

not like i can do more in dumbells but what i should be doin for what i can DB it seems im better at db's...i can push 120's for 2 sets of 10 and only flat bench 295 for like 8....i cant grip it that wide either it makes me push less weight...


doubles.

 

[subtle158]

your body and muscles react to the stressors you give them. The only way to get stronger at bench is to do more flat bb bench. DB press actually allows for full flection of your pecs because you completely adduct the humerous or upper arm. your flat bench will almost always be higher if you do both lifts regularly. Flat bench calls for less stabalization there for more weight can be lifted. If you are doing both lifts properly they are almost the same motion accept that flat bench does not allow your humorous to be completely adducted and db press again requires much more stablization from your shoulders.

 

[majutsu]

DBs for chest are the best Too much flat bench gives you saggy middle and lower pec-heavy boobs (to me anyway), and uses alot of anterior delts, so it doesn't hit the chest as well. But I imagine if your chest doesn't outpace your anterior delts, then both lifts would be about the same. I don't know though, good thread. I like everything but bench for chest myself.

 

[lartinos]

I read an article last year in muscle and fitness that had a study that showed decline dumbells are the best workout for the chest. It hit it harder then the other excersizes.

 

[Bulk King]

I read an article last year in muscle and fitness that had a study that showed decline dumbells are the best workout for the chest. It hit it harder then the other excersizes.

I'd like to see that study. In the 95 Barnett study it was shown that decline stimulates the clavicular and sternal heads less then flat bench or incline. Incline was shown to stimulate the clavicular head only slightly and considered by the researcher to be insignificantly more then flat bench, and flat bench caused the most stimulation over all in both heads.
The decline did cause more stimulation in the lats then the other two exercises, so I guess if your looking for a back pump, it's the way to go.