dumbbell bench press > barbell bench press?

[Panterabreh]

I'd say do both since each has its pros and cons... I like to do Dumbbell bench as an assistance lift for bench because it enables me to bring the DBs slightly lower than a Barbell, past the point where the BB would touch my chest... pausing at that point for a second and then exploding up with the weight has helped with the bottom portion of my bench. This is just my experience though and may be complete broscience

[shapetime]

Both:

DB for me feel like I am doing more with lighter weights and allows for more smooth movement.
BB allows to add more weight (still not a lot ) but restricts the arm movement adding strain to the shoulder.

I think this topic has been covered a few times ? ? ?

[mrobinson835]

ive heard that chest wise, it goes dumbbells > barbell > smith/machines for bench press..

is this true?

the facts backing it up is dumbbells recruit more muscle fibers, use more stabilization muscles and have a greater ROM.. which sounds logical

the thing i cant get my head around is, and this is most likely gonna sound really dumb..


dumbbell bench is apparently better for building mass on chest, rather than say a barbell, yet the weights are lighter? e.g. i can bench 85kg with a barbell, yet max 28kg per dumbbell per arm, which is 56kg in total?

the only thing i could thnk of with using more muscle fibres in your chest would that it would just develop a more full chest..?

yet again, im sorry if this is dumb i just dont understand it, so could someone explain it please

you can get more depth therefore more pull on the chest therefore more gainz. tbh i dont care what weight i press as long as i make gainz and i am of reasonable strength

[samcorin]

Most peoples gyms will only have dumbbells up to a certain weight (mine is 60kg, but a gym around the corner fro ours only goes up to 30kg).
With a barbell you can put as much weight as you want on, so I guess it all depends on what your goal is. I prefer barbell over dumbbells simply because its much easier and safer to get the bar into position.

[9inchcalves]

i cant post links due to new signup... but search for "Pectoral Battle Royale: Barbells Vs. Dumbbells Vs. Smith Machine"... on this site and it will tell u everything you need to know

[Bennyby]

I like DBS cause I don't need a spot to go to failure

[heavysixer77]

Dumbbells work better, for me at least, because I tend to use the right side of my body for almost anything that deals with a barbell. So no barbells for me :/

[SunnyCosign]

Dumbells bench presses are the best out of all three!!! period!!! these guys who think differently are against it because they can't lift a lot of weight in dumbells and for that very reason dumbells show their real true level of bench power. Ronnie Coleman was on a video where he was throwing up 200lbs in dumbells on each arm for a total of 400lbs for several sets of 12 reps and I could tell it was a challenge to him but when he gets on the barbell press he can knock out 500 plus pounds with ease. Dumbell presses are harder pound for pound next to a barbell press not easier, and people lift less weight on the dumbell press because they're overall too weak to lift more. If you're using the correct form on the dumbell press and you climb to heavier weights you'd be stronger overall on the bench press than a person doing the barbell weight equivalent. People need to stop working out with ego, if you use dumbells you can press to max out without worrying about being crushed, if you're afraid of a bar crushing you then how can you give the last few reps your all? and if you keep using spotters are you really lifting the weight? Going from exclusively doing barbell presses to doing dumbell presses can have your big ego crushed. Yeah, you loose energy getting to the starting point, but the range of motion is more natural. Both arms move how they would if detached from a barbell. I used to do benches using the bar exclusively because I was looking for bragging rights but when I gained more knowledge and experience I've realized that the dumbell press was, and is superior!!! Dumbell pressing reveals how strong your bench press really is!!! if you have a weak dumbell press when the range of motion is more natural how can you brag about a strong barbell press? That's like someone who uses a smith machine for squats bragging he or she can squat more weight than someone who uses strict form using free weight with a barbell. It's only natural for people to have a stronger barbell press because in reality their arms are locked into a more mechanical position, and especially on a press machine. The less mechanical the movement the more overall strong you will be. Mechanical movements conserve energy from the other muscles near the isolated ones, there's going to be gains on the barbell bench press no doubt but they're going to be barbell gains and not dumbell gains. I used to be able to max out near 450lbs for one rep when I was powerlifting in my early 20's and I still was only able to do 160-170lb on each arm on the dumbell press, that means I had a whole lot of struggle with 320-340 overall on the dumbell press!!! Notwistanding I was indeed used to the movement of dumbell presses. Ego lifting may work for some but it doesn't work for me. that's why I do preacher curls on the pad and spider curls all using dumbells, just straight raw power type of muscle work!!! Machines are for plateaus and equivalent to a dieter eating fried chicken every now and then.

[oldballs]

Dumbells bench presses are the best out of all three!!! period!!! these guys who think differently are against it because they can't lift a lot of weight in dumbells and for that very reason dumbells show their real true level of bench power. Ronnie Coleman was on a video where he was throwing up 200lbs in dumbells on each arm for a total of 400lbs for several sets of 12 reps and I could tell it was a challenge to him but when he gets on the barbell press he can knock out 500 plus pounds with ease. Dumbell presses are harder pound for pound next to a barbell press not easier, and people lift less weight on the dumbell press because they're overall too weak to lift more. If you're using the correct form on the dumbell press and you climb to heavier weights you'd be stronger overall on the bench press than a person doing the barbell weight equivalent. People need to stop working out with ego, if you use dumbells you can press to max out without worrying about being crushed, if you're afraid of a bar crushing you then how can you give the last few reps your all? and if you keep using spotters are you really lifting the weight? Going from exclusively doing barbell presses to doing dumbell presses can have your big ego crushed. Yeah, you loose energy getting to the starting point, but the range of motion is more natural. Both arms move how they would if detached from a barbell. I used to do benches using the bar exclusively because I was looking for bragging rights but when I gained more knowledge and experience I've realized that the dumbell press was, and is superior!!! Dumbell pressing reveals how strong your bench press really is!!! if you have a weak dumbell press when the range of motion is more natural how can you brag about a strong barbell press? That's like someone who uses a smith machine for squats bragging he or she can squat more weight than someone who uses strict form using free weight with a barbell. It's only natural for people to have a stronger barbell press because in reality their arms are locked into a more mechanical position, and especially on a press machine. The less mechanical the movement the more overall strong you will be. Mechanical movements conserve energy from the other muscles near the isolated ones, there's going to be gains on the barbell bench press no doubt but they're going to be barbell gains and not dumbell gains. I used to be able to max out near 450lbs for one rep when I was powerlifting in my early 20's and I still was only able to do 160-170lb on each arm on the dumbell press, that means I had a whole lot of struggle with 320-340 overall on the dumbell press!!! Notwistanding I was indeed used to the movement of dumbell presses. Ego lifting may work for some but it doesn't work for me. that's why I do preacher curls on the pad and spider curls all using dumbells, just straight raw power type of muscle work!!! Machines are for plateaus and equivalent to a dieter eating fried chicken every now and then.

can someone post a "didnt read lol" gif for me please?

[Mergener]

My case is wreid. I can do a bench press with 36 kg for 12 reps and 40 for 8-10 reps. But i cant do more than 80 kg (4 plates) on the barbell bench press. So dumbells works better for me so far. By the way, could that be an injury on my front delt? Or i should just work it more? Thanks!!!

[ImDaMan]

Used to LOVE benching but I have a really painful right shoulder injury at the moment. Prevents me from doing any pressing shoulder movements whatsoever. However, I can press dumbbells with no pain at all.

[nerdjoeyyy]

I have noticed that when DB pressing and meeting the dbs in the middle (making a triangle) I get more recruitment then if Im using barbell and cant meet my hands in the middle. You can try it just sitting... Put your arm out in fron of you (like the macarena lol) move it left and right (Like a pec fly) and feel your chest fibers. The more your arm goes across your body when benching or pressing... the more you will feel it