How mch stronger in barbell vs dumbbell flat bench?

[Peter_Klim]

Just wondering how much stronger you guys are in the barbell flat bench versus the dumbbell flat press. So you could pick a weight and tell me how many reps you can do for each or pick a number of reps and tell me how much weight you can press that many time.
Examples 1:
Barbell 200X10
Dumbbell 180X10

Example 2:
Barbell 200X10
Dumbbell 200X8

[jpbroschat]

BB Bench: 265x1 (probably a little more now, but this was the last time I maxed)
DB Bench: 100x4 (my gyms DB's don't go past 100, and I generally workout with 85's in order to get more reps)

Think these results would be pretty typical from what I've seen

[AK87]

Bench: 145lbs X 8
Dumbbells: 144lbs (2 x 72lbs) X 8

What about you, OP?

[Peter_Klim]

BB Bench: 265x1 (probably a little more now, but this was the last time I maxed)
DB Bench: 100x4 (my gyms DB's don't go past 100, and I generally workout with 85's in order to get more reps)

Think these results would be pretty typical from what I've seen

Thanks.

I'm assuming you're doing a total of 200 lbs using dumbbells @ 4 reps. So to keep the weight the same, how many reps can you do of 200 lbs using the barbell?

[Peter_Klim]

Bench: 145lbs X 8
Dumbbells: 144lbs (2 x 72lbs) X 8

What about you, OP?

Thanks.

I'm very surprised that there isn't really any difference for you. Most people are much weaker using dbs.

Me?
I'm not really sure because before I took a 5 year break (started again 6 months ago) I never used DBs. Now I do, but I never have some one spot me when I use the BB so I'm not sure. But this is what I do now:
155 BB X 18
140 DB X 18

I think I can do 155 BB X 21 if I had a spotter.

I have poor technique getting the DBs into position, so that is why I can't go heavier

My question was also posted to see if I am weak in the DB compared to most people.

[tenk_immortals]

this is from a while back, my strength has changed



i could do 200's for 6 reps
and on barbells it was like 235 for 6 reps

[gaBodyman]

I do about 25% less weight with the dumbells but i do about 25% more reps when i use dumbells so i guess it all evens out.

With dumbells i like to go slow and concentrate on nice and even movements.

It is easier for me to do the barbell because it is easier to balance being one single mass instead of two. Since it is easier to control i like to do more weight but i end up doing less reps.

[AK87]

Thanks.

I'm very surprised that there isn't really any difference for you. Most people are much weaker using dbs.

Me?
I'm not really sure because before I took a 5 year break (started again 6 months ago) I never used DBs. Now I do, but I never have some one spot me when I use the BB so I'm not sure. But this is what I do now:
155 BB X 18
140 DB X 18

I think I can do 155 BB X 21 if I had a spotter.

I have poor technique getting the DBs into position, so that is why I can't go heavier

My question was also posted to see if I am weak in the DB compared to most people.

155lbs X 18 ! That's some nice muscle resistance right there! Props.

I start dumbbells on my knees and just throw myself back, lifting them right into position... kinda hard to explain without visuals I guess...

Reason I don't really have a difference between BB and DB is that bench press has always been my poorest exercise... and it pisses me off. I'm pretty sure that if I wanted I could raise DBs to 75lbs each... but I couldn't raise my BB! That would make me stronger with DBs than with the BB... I've read on how to improve my bench and nothing will do it... any tips?

EDIT: Seems like I need that "fly" movement to really get my pecs working... with DBs, you get a little of that but with the BB I just feel my shoulders and triceps take over... but I've tried to apply every rule in the book. I'm kind of desperate with my bench, especially since I have my firefighters exam coming up pretty soon and I'm not benching enough right now.

[Sickboy_4ever]

Bb: 120kg x 9
Db: 80kg x 10

Pretty big difference

[Rocky3540]

Bench max is 405 Can do 150's db x8.

For a relative weight I can do 300 on bb about 15-20 times depending on the day.

[Pairunoyd]

at my best, 15 yrs ago!, at a bodyweight of 210 I could BB Bench 425x1 and could DB Bench 150x6-8. BB Benched 225x35. I messed my pec up so now I don't risk any kind of weight on BB Benches. DB's give me no problems. I might do sets of 12-20 on incline BB bench and maybe sets of 15-25 on BB benches. It really sucks! I've never felt any problems with DB's, but I still don't go to failure with DB chest work unless it's 15 or more reps or unless its something like flies, where lighter weight is used. I'm still able to maintain a decent chest going half-ass and do get a good pump and burn. Sigh.

[BananaHammocks]

I benched 180x5x3 yesterday. Have no idea what I can DB bench, don't care either.

[CookAndrewB]

If you are looking to draw some correlation between these two lifts, you won't find one. Training with a BB will make you more proficient at that lift, just as training primarily with DB's will skew your strength that way.

You might as well have asked how much people curl compared to their one armed hang clean.

[irishpitbull]

310-BB
100- for highs reps


My gym only goes to 100 DB... Fail

[tommyV_1988]

I stick between 30-40lb more on my 1RM on barbell over dumbells.

[PowerToWeight]

For me, it's approximately 2.5x each DB = BB, or 1.25 x total DB = BB

e.g. I can do the following:

5 x 27.5kg DB (each hand) = 55kg total

5 x 70kg BB (i.e. bar + 50kg)

[Superhuman7]

It's not exact, but I've found that a good rule of thumb is that most people can handle with dumbbells approximately what they rack ONTO the bar for BB press.

For example, if you're benching 225 for 10, 225 - 45 lb. bar = 180 lbs. Divided by 2, you'll probably be able to handle around 90s for the same number of reps for dumbbells. Again, nothing scientific but just a trend I've noticed among friends that I've worked out with. The same typically applies for incline, decline, and shoulder press.

[DuLac]

It's not exact, but I've found that a good rule of thumb is that most people can handle with dumbbells approximately what they rack ONTO the bar for BB press.

For example, if you're benching 225 for 10, 225 - 45 lb. bar = 180 lbs. Divided by 2, you'll probably be able to handle around 90s for the same number of reps for dumbbells. Again, nothing scientific but just a trend I've noticed among friends that I've worked out with. The same typically applies for incline, decline, and shoulder press.

Hmm that is pretty close to what I can do, actually, I am a little weaker on the dumbbells than a straight conversion of (bb - 45)/2 though:

DB's 85s x 10
BB 225 x 9

[stevo11]

It's not exact, but I've found that a good rule of thumb is that most people can handle with dumbbells approximately what they rack ONTO the bar for BB press.

For example, if you're benching 225 for 10, 225 - 45 lb. bar = 180 lbs. Divided by 2, you'll probably be able to handle around 90s for the same number of reps for dumbbells. Again, nothing scientific but just a trend I've noticed among friends that I've worked out with. The same typically applies for incline, decline, and shoulder press.

That's a really good estimate (within 5 lbs for me). Do you think this is simply a lucky correlation or is there some sort of reasoning for this?

[bigtallox]

Have no idea what I can DB bench, don't care either.

It amazing how you always say exactly what I'm thinking, LOL.

[Superhuman7]

Hmm that is pretty close to what I can do, actually, I am a little weaker on the dumbbells than a straight conversion of (bb - 45)/2 though:

DB's 85s x 10
BB 225 x 9

That's a really good estimate (within 5 lbs for me). Do you think this is simply a lucky correlation or is there some sort of reasoning for this?

Well, there's always going to be a linear relationship between what you can do with barbells and what you can do with dumbbells... it IS the same muscle and movement. There's a bit of discrepancy due to increased stabilization requirements, difference in ranges of motion, etc...

But I do think it's just luck that you can pretty much delete the bar and divide by two. Nothing magical about 45 lbs that I know of. It's just kinda handy when somebody asks me, "How much should I use for dumbbells?" I usually can give a good starting point... or vice versa w/ barbells.

[BananaHammocks]

It amazing how you always say exactly what I'm thinking, LOL.

Well, I'll admit I have read plenty of your posts. I just happen to agree with them because I'm getting results. I never understood the appeal of DB benching. I always hear about how it "works your stabilizing muscles". Well, so does the extra weight that most people can lift by focusing on BB benching.

[DuLac]

Well, I'll admit I have read plenty of your posts. I just happen to agree with them because I'm getting results. I never understood the appeal of DB benching. I always hear about how it "works your stabilizing muscles". Well, so does the extra weight that most people can lift by focusing on BB benching.

DB's work both sides equally. The barbell lets you favor 1 side over the other, which is why many many lifters have their dominant side quite a bit larger than their other side, usually the right side.

Your hands are not in a fixed width, either, with the dumbbells. That is the 'extra stabilization' people talk about, similar to doing flyes. Good luck doing flyes with an equivalent weight that you do with a barbell benchpress. A barbell doesn't let your hands move apart and then back together, so there are a section of muscles that just don't get worked very hard in the barbell movement.

Depth/ROM is another thing. Most people bench incorrectly anyway, but for those who do it properly, the range of motion is still usually not as great as a dumbbell movement.

Dumbbells are great to ensure balanced muscular development, provided form and motions are good and one does not favor the dominant side in the lift.

[Muckle_Ewe]

If you are looking to draw some correlation between these two lifts, you won't find one. Training with a BB will make you more proficient at that lift, just as training primarily with DB's will skew your strength that way.

You might as well have asked how much people curl compared to their one armed hang clean.

This.

I trained exclusively with dumbbells for 2 years and my incline DB is higher than my BB bench (started BB benching about 2 months ago).

The fact that this can happen makes me think about how much of strength is actual mental and how much is muscular strength... You would think if you could lift x amount of weight via dumbbells you should be able to lift the same with a barbell. But then again strength is about training the movements isn't it...

I dunno...

[Big_Carphuna]

BB flat, I can do 355 x 1, or 315 x 7 on a good day. I work with DB's most, and can do a set of 7 with 135's IF I get help getting them up into position. So, saying this, if my 3-plate BB best is 7 reps (now), and my DB best for 270 is 7 reps, it's not nearly as far apart as it used to be...

[BananaHammocks]

DB's work both sides equally. The barbell lets you favor 1 side over the other, which is why many many lifters have their dominant side quite a bit larger than their other side, usually the right side.

That's not true. Even if one side lifts the weight up first with a BB, the other side still has to lock the weight out before the rep is complete.

Your hands are not in a fixed width, either, with the dumbbells. That is the 'extra stabilization' people talk about, similar to doing flyes. Good luck doing flyes with an equivalent weight that you do with a barbell benchpress. A barbell doesn't let your hands move apart and then back together, so there are a section of muscles that just don't get worked very hard in the barbell movement.

And once again, I don't believe that the extra stabilization or whatever outweighs the benifits of benching heavier weights.

Depth/ROM is another thing. Most people bench incorrectly anyway, but for those who do it properly, the range of motion is still usually not as great as a dumbbell movement.

Dumbbells are great to ensure balanced muscular development, provided form and motions are good and one does not favor the dominant side in the lift.

Well, you can increase the ROM on lots of exercises if you wanted to. You could take the DBs almost all the way to the floor when doing flies. It doesn't mean that the exercise is necessarily more effective. However, it DOES mean that you can lift less weight.

[Big_Carphuna]

That's not true. Even if one side lifts the weight up You could take the DBs almost all the way to the floor when doing flies. It doesn't mean that the exercise is necessarily more effective. However, it DOES mean that you can lift less weight.

I respectfully disagree. ROM increase, especially on the lower part of a bench, DOES work the pecs more. DB's DO get lower, and work the pecs more.
Also, yes, the lingering hand still needs to lock out, but if the stronger hand on a BB lift has more strength, it enables and easier lockout of even the lingering hand...
DB's definately offer more equal development, though maybe not as much pure strength...

[BananaHammocks]

I respectfully disagree. ROM increase, especially on the lower part of a bench, DOES work the pecs more. DB's DO get lower, and work the pecs more.
Also, yes, the lingering hand still needs to lock out, but if the stronger hand on a BB lift has more strength, it enables and easier lockout of even the lingering hand...
DB's definately offer more equal development, though maybe not as much pure strength...

And with that said, I'll stick to BB benching.

[Superhuman7]

DB's work both sides equally. The barbell lets you favor 1 side over the other, which is why many many lifters have their dominant side quite a bit larger than their other side, usually the right side.

Your hands are not in a fixed width, either, with the dumbbells. That is the 'extra stabilization' people talk about, similar to doing flyes. Good luck doing flyes with an equivalent weight that you do with a barbell benchpress. A barbell doesn't let your hands move apart and then back together, so there are a section of muscles that just don't get worked very hard in the barbell movement.

Depth/ROM is another thing. Most people bench incorrectly anyway, but for those who do it properly, the range of motion is still usually not as great as a dumbbell movement.

Dumbbells are great to ensure balanced muscular development, provided form and motions are good and one does not favor the dominant side in the lift.

Good answer. I'd rep, but I'm out for the day. :P

[Big_Carphuna]

And with that said, I'll stick to BB benching.

Works for you, then go nuts. If it's brute strength you're looking for (i.e. power lifting), then your technique will account for your strong side "helping" the weaker side. If it's strictly what you want to press, sounds reasonable.
But, it would definately be worth throwing in the DB's once in a while to try and strengthen your weaker side...