DB Bench vs BB Bench, DB row vs BB row, DB press vs... well you get the idea

[Insight]

So the search function has informed me that BB bench doesn't usually carry over well to DB bench and vice versa, because DB bench works your stabilizers so much more that you can't really hit the actual chest as hard as you would with BB bench.

Is this a general rule of thumb that applies to every bb vs db exercise? For example, I always found the BB overhead press form to be awkward and cumbersome, so I said "**** it" and went on to dumbbells, figuring they'd probably be harder and better for my shoulders anyway. But is it the other way around, and am I shortchanging my shoulders by using dumbbells? Should I just man up and finally learn the bb overhead press form for superior shoulder development? The same question applies to bent rows, SLDL's, etc...

I can't really **** around and try them right now, since I'm currently running all pro's routine to a T, and my exercise choices are fixed for the next few weeks. Eventually I'm going to try all of these anyway (so no JUST DO IT FGT bull**** plz). I am curious to hear what other people think though.

[lift4today]

Doesn't have to be either/or. I use both types of movements. I'll start with the BB and go heavy, then finish with db movements

[Madness87]

I use both dumbbells and barbells in my lifts and presses. Especially if you are beginning it is good to use dumbbells to develop the stabilizer muscles and so that your arms are trained equally.

You won't believe how many people only use barbell and are blind to the fact that one of their arms does more work and grows bigger.

Mix it up. Use the barbells on one day and the dumbbells another or both during the same day. Meaning on chest day, maybe do lying barbell bench and incline dumbbells or lying dumbbell benchpress and decline barbell etc...

[Insight]

Thanks for the replies. Bump again for the afternoon crowd...

I always did like the dumbbell DB press better for its more natural range of motion. I also figured that it would be harder, and thus better for my shoulders in general, if I used it instead of the BB version. But is the BB version really superior for shoulder development, just like the BB bench press is supposed to be better for chest development?

I don't really care about the numbers, as in whether or not my BB numbers will go down if I switch to dumbbells for a while... I just don't want to shortchange myself in terms of what will produce superior muscular development.

[shaneee]

i had my BEST ever gains in size for chest while using only db flat and db incline bench....so i'm going to say dbs are better for mass while bbs are better for power/strength..

[VoxExMachina]

First of all, good choice working with AllPro's routine.

To answer your question, DB presses do translate into BB presses and so forth in terms of strength gains. If you are DB pressing ever increasing weights, your BB press will also increase. Same for rows.

The thing is that just because you can bench 200 lbs. does not necessarily mean you can DB press two 100 lb. dumbbells. That is generally what's meant when it's said they don't "translate".

[the-craig]

For it just depends from exercise to exercise. For me I do dumbbell for flat bench, barbell for incline press, dumbbell for should press, barbell for rows. I honestly couldn't tell you why I just seem to get more out of the exercise using those as opposed to the other.

[STIMMS]

Doesn't have to be either/or. I use both types of movements. I'll start with the BB and go heavy, then finish with db movements

the way to do it