bench for big pecs?

[29a]

This is weired to me?? At my gym i never see people usning the barbell for there chest.i asked a few big guys what you benching at the moment and they said i dont use barbell. Im just wundering to u need barbell bench press. Also i like dumbellls better 20kilos??? Any thoughts??x

[StevePT]

to isolate the chest muscles better it is more beneficial to use dumbells for exercises such as chest press (incline/decline) and flys, which are very standard movements to build the chest, can also use the cables. People generally use bench press to measure power and overall strength, as you will see in peoples forum signatures it says how much they can deadlift, squat, overhead press and bench, it isnt necessarily the best workout to build muscle in your chest.
hope this helped!

[29a]

to isolate the chest muscles better it is more beneficial to use dumbells for exercises such as chest press (incline/decline) and flys, which are very standard movements to build the chest, can also use the cables. People generally use bench press to measure power and overall strength, as you will see in peoples forum signatures it says how much they can deadlift, squat, overhead press and bench, it isnt necessarily the best workout to build muscle in your chest.
hope this helped!

Got yeah. I wana build muscle sø should i stick with dumbells for now?

[StevePT]

Got yeah. I wana build muscle sø should i stick with dumbells for now?

yup use dumbells, remember that your form needs to be spot on before you lift those heavy weights so only progress at a rate which keeps your form in check, good luck.

[HighRolluh]

LOL; broscience ITT


OP: bench pressing is the single best chest builder along with its variations

DBs force the pecs and other muscles to stabilize the weight harder; ppl occasionally move the DBs left and right which does indeed activate the pecs more


however; barbell is just as good

[featherweight11]

incline bench press incline dumbbell incline flies, squeeze the **** out of your pecs.

[eleubne0]

It's not necessarily not using barbell. It's all about alternating exercises. Dumbbells one day for press and flys, then barbell the next day and cables for flys. With good form, each method will work the muscle slightly differently giving you an all around better muscle growth

[Garage Rat]

Dont ditch the BP just yet.
The way you do them can have an effect on the way your chest gets worked.
First off the BP is a compound exercise using most upper body muscles.
If arent really big in the upper body keep them.
It is said by some that the BP is the squat of the upper body.
Doing them elbows in like a powerlifter help get the felt,triceps and lats alot more involved.
Bodybuilding style elbows out away from the body will make it a more pec intensive exercise.
You must squeeze the pecs while bringing the upper arms up not a mindless rep.
Some golden era bodybuilders would do the neck BP bringing the bar down to the lower neck clavicle area with the elbow out style.
While they say it hit the upper chest well it is a dangerous way to do the BP,hard on the shoulders and if you get stuck youll crush your windpipe.
Use a spotter if you try it.
Now the issue with the BP for chest is that your arms are locked into the bar and dont have the freedom of movement that the dumbbells have.
Meaning you can lift the DB's in an arc that can't be done with the bar.So with the dumbbells you can create a fuller contraction and greater stretch.
Today there are many great computer designed machines that do this even better than dumbbells.The hammer strength chest press comes to mind here.
Thats my take on why you see guys using the DB's.Give both a try concentrating on squeezing the pecs every rep.

[DerekEt]

LOL; broscience ITT


OP: bench pressing is the single best chest builder along with its variations

DBs force the pecs and other muscles to stabilize the weight harder; ppl occasionally move the DBs left and right which does indeed activate the pecs more


however; barbell is just as good

It's not broscience you imbecile.

Dumbbells allow a significant amount humerus adduction; humerus adduction is the FUNCTION of the pectoral muscles. Take a basic College Anatomy class before you run around with your "LOL BROSCIENCE" nonsense.

The barbell bench is and SHOULD always be a *STAPLE* of your routine. It is highly unadvised to drop this movement; it will help you build a good chest,shoulder,triceps,and upper body power. As somebody said before, it would basically be like dropping the Squat for your legs, you don't want to do that.

However, you are correct, many people build massive pectorals utilizing only dumbbells because dumbbells ISOLATE THE CHEST more due to allowing the humerus to adduct. In a Barbell bench, you are fixed and can not really do this much except for what is being done while being in the fixed plane of motion. The primary mover of most people's barbell bench, is unfortunately the triceps due to simple biomechanics. Usually, strong triceps are what drive a bench rather than a strong chest contrary to popular belief if you follow what I am saying.

Use a barbell movement,dumbbell movement in every workout IMHO;

[29a]

To be honest guys i feel dumbells alot morex

[-Lucifer]

LOL; broscience ITT

It's not broscience, brah. Everyone (bodybuilders) I know IRL and online will say DB bench press > barbell bench press. Dumbbells do make you stabilize the weights more, but they also allow you to accentuate the pecs more, by allowing you to manipulate them.

[Hazbollah]

With a barbell you can move more weight. More weight=more gainz.

[DerekEt]

With a barbell you can move more weight. More weight=more gainz.

I'll remember that next time I go to do Reverse Pec Dec instead of Rear Dumbbell Flyes...........


Where do people honestly come up with this logic?

[-Lucifer]

I'll remember that next time I go to do Reverse Pec Dec instead of Rear Dumbbell Flyes...........
Where do people honestly come up with this logic?

That's like saying 1/8th or 1/4th squats will get you bigger legs faster.

[MaoriNate]

Do barbell and dumbbell like I do.

Avoid all confusion

[DerekEt]

Do barbell and dumbbell like I do.

This x10000

[Hazbollah]

I'll remember that next time I go to do Reverse Pec Dec instead of Rear Dumbbell Flyes...........


Where do people honestly come up with this logic?

What? Of course dumbell flies will build more because you put the muscle under more resistance. That's the point, resistance. Barbell=more resistance. Same with chit ROM. I never mentioned compromising form for weight, just moving as much weight as possible with good form will yield best results.

[DerekEt]

What? Of course dumbell flies will build more because you put the muscle under more resistance. That's the point, resistance. Barbell=more resistance. Same with chit ROM. I never mentioned compromising form for weight, just moving as much weight as possible with good form will yield best results.

You must be trolling. I simply can not fathom what I am reading right now.

Do you not understand that somebody can use about ~150 pounds on the Reverse Pec Dec machine versus only about ~20 pounds on Rear Delt Flies? That's about 7X + the "Weight".

I'm done, this is just pitiful. Go do your 1/8th squats or whatever to "overload your muscle more" smh.

[oldballs]

That's like saying 1/8th or 1/4th squats will get you bigger legs faster.

No. but it could be a tool to get you bigger legs faster.

[29a]

Lets calm down LOL i beleive by isolation the pecs more eg dumbell press flyes will result in the best gains!x

[holysht]

This x10000

Sorry if this sounds stupid but when you said to incorporate both into a workout, did you mean in the very same work out? If so, can you give me an example of how I'd go about that? I think I'm doing that thing where I misunderstand something really simple and turn it into something confusing in my head.

Do you mean barbell one weak then db's the next or barbell press and dumbell flies or something?

Personally I'm more comfortable and feel db press better but like you say, barbell is a staple... I'm just not sure what would be the ideal way to do both?

Thanks.

[DerekEt]

1- Incline Bench Press 4x6-8 (ramped) 1 working set
2- Incline Dumbbell Press 3x8-10 (ramped) 1 working set
3- Flat Dumbbell Flye 3x10-12(ramped) 1 working set
* Optional burnout movement; such as Dips/Cable Flies/Hammer Strength etc

There you go enjoy

[charles1997]

Benching (with a barbell) is better for overall strength and power but if you're not in it for power and more for looks, dumbbells actually work better. I mix it up, my chest workout includes barbell bench, dumbbell bench AND dumbbell flyes...

[Rnewms]

It's not broscience you imbecile.

Dumbbells allow a significant amount humerus adduction; humerus adduction is the FUNCTION of the pectoral muscles. Take a basic College Anatomy class before you run around with your "LOL BROSCIENCE" nonsense.

The barbell bench is and SHOULD always be a *STAPLE* of your routine. It is highly unadvised to drop this movement; it will help you build a good chest,shoulder,triceps,and upper body power. As somebody said before, it would basically be like dropping the Squat for your legs, you don't want to do that.

However, you are correct, many people build massive pectorals utilizing only dumbbells because dumbbells ISOLATE THE CHEST more due to allowing the humerus to adduct. In a Barbell bench, you are fixed and can not really do this much except for what is being done while being in the fixed plane of motion. The primary mover of most people's barbell bench, is unfortunately the triceps due to simple biomechanics. Usually, strong triceps are what drive a bench rather than a strong chest contrary to popular belief if you follow what I am saying.

Use a barbell movement,dumbbell movement in every workout IMHO;

meh I think dumbells are a better pressing movement for chest. Recently switched to them from BB Bench and feeling chest a lot more with the dumbells. Whatever benefit I got from the extra triceps and shoulder work on BB gets taken care of with military press and weighted dips anyway(which would be a good idea for OP to include in his workouts).

[-Lucifer]

No. but it could be a tool to get you bigger legs faster.

I don't know about that, but partials put a lot of stress on your knees. Nice way to get hurt, in my evil opinion.

[Arathor]

DB press is the best because you have to stabilise the weights more, which uses more of your muscle fibers I believe. But BB press is a close second.

[samwell95]

there are definitely advantages for both dumbbell and barbell. dumbbell incorporate more of the stabilizer muscles in the chest and deltoids which can be advantageous as it can potentially reduce the risk of injury in the shoulders or the small muscle of the rotator cuff, dumbbells are also considerably safer in my opinion, if you fail with dumbbells you can drop them whereas with a bar you run the risk of failing and getting trapped under the bar. however with a barbell more weight can be used overall so barbells are most likely best for strength gains. i personally use dumbbells as i think it allows a better range of motion, allows for a good contraction in the chest and they are relatively safe to perform although both exercises have there place in a well rounded workout.

[TigerStealth]

barbell bech is a great exercise for chest development. probably the best imo maybe tied w/ dumbbell bench. the reason is w/ bb you can go heaviest and really overload your chest

[Petes0281]

I've noticed my strength increased on the bench after a few weeks of incline/decline DB chest presses....also incline/decline barbell presses

[Jfern689]

I use both. For example I do 2 barbell workouts in a row and then the next 2 are dumbell workouts