Dumbell or Barbell Bench???

[JimmyW]

what does every1 prefer and which works better???

[lil j]

on benchpress its easier to go heavier cus u dont use yur stabilizing muscles as much as u do with dumbbells.i bench cus i like the fact im using a heavier weight.with dumbbells u can lower ur arms past ur chest and w0ork ur pecks a bit harder.

[LordNeon]

Originally posted by lil j
on benchpress its easier to go heavier cus u dont use yur stabilizing muscles as much as u do with dumbbells.i bench cus i like the fact im using a heavier weight.with dumbbells u can lower ur arms past ur chest and w0ork ur pecks a bit harder.

Sure, but personally I want to do the exercise that gives me the best workout, no matter how dinky the weight looks. I use dumbbells myself, partly 'cuz I don't always have a spotter around when I lift.

[lil j]

your dumbbells will work your stabilizers more and give yur chest a nicer workout.a barbell will give u more size and dumbells will give u more definition.what im trying to say is that both are = for results but if you like dumbells better then barbells use them.

[Anabolic Gardo]

I try not to have any favorites, so I perform both. I alternate weekly between flat barbell bench presses with flat dumbbell presses.

[coronacasey]

...nuff said..just switch them up every now and then. one is not better than the other.

[brandonb]

Just curious...what is a good conversion for a dumbbell bench press to a barbell bench press. For example, say you were using 30lbs dumbbells for your bench, what would be similar or equal to that in a barbell bench press?
Thanks,
-Brandon

[MrDetermination]

Hi there,

Just started getting in shape really for the first time this year... so don't take this as any more than random worthless input

I started with dumbs because I didn't wnat to be humiliated by a light barbell press I worked up to 50lbs on the dumbs then went to 35lb on each side of a 45lb bar, about 3 weeks ago. Now I'm up to 45lb + 5 on ea side for one set (4 total sets of 8 reps) and I haven't gone back to see what I can do on dumbs again (from scratch). I plan to start alternating every other workout using bench for main press on the first and dumbs for main chest on the second. I already alternate between peck deck (vertical machine) and bench dumb flys as well as incline and decline. So soon session 1 will be like: (a)dumb press, (b)peck deck, (c)decline and 2 will be (a)bar press, (b) bench fly (c) incline and I'll alternate a's b's and c's every once in a while for variety... I also throw in some cable chest stuff every once in a while for spice

[D-Termine]

I currently have a poll on this. I think flat bench with BB's suck. They hurt the inexperienced, the rushed and the plataued. When you don't move up on rep weight you get frustrated and then you hurry. That's how I hurt myself. Only a week w/ a bad shoulder but the next two days off will suck. It's my fault but every rushes at one point or another. And as for mass, there are other things that will do that for you. Food. Bech Pressing is certainly not the end all for mass. That's BS. Instead of flat DB press, do decline. Takes ur shoulders out and hits the same spot as flat but better.