Dumbbell Benching over Barbell

[jrlmabrey]

I have been getting some minor shoulder discomfort when performing bench presses with a barbell. It started a about three months ago when I started to incorporate flat barbell bench press back into my routine after leaving them out for several months. I did it for about three weeks and noticed some shoulder discomfort after just about every session so I dropped it. It has been about 2 months since doing them, but now I noticed that barbell inclines are producing the same pain. I have been doing some dumbbell work off and on and have never had the same kind of pain.

My question is this:
Is using dumbbells for benching safer on the shoulders than using a barbell?

[brad71983]

I have been getting some minor shoulder discomfort when performing bench presses with a barbell. It started a about three months ago when I started to incorporate flat barbell bench press back into my routine after leaving them out for several months. I did it for about three weeks and noticed some shoulder discomfort after just about every session so I dropped it. It has been about 2 months since doing them, but now I noticed that barbell inclines are producing the same pain. I have been doing some dumbbell work off and on and have never had the same kind of pain.

My question is this:
Is using dumbbells for benching safer on the shoulders than using a barbell?

yes as it doesnt lock your arms in a specific plane since your hands are tied together. Dumbells will free up each arm to move in its own specific and natural motion and should really stop the stresses on the shoulder that barbell brings.

[MrSinister]

try dumbells and see if you feel the same pain...
but basically, dumbell > bar

[microrahsheen]

try dumbells and see if you feel the same pain...
but basically, dumbell > bar

Yeah. I started off lifting with DB's and adding in the BP when I started rippetoes definitely feels less comfortable. I don't own heavy enough DB's to progress with, though. (only have 35's)

[MrSinister]

Yeah. I started off lifting with DB's and adding in the BP when I started rippetoes definitely feels less comfortable. I don't own heavy enough DB's to progress with, though. (only have 35's)

buy more, best investment!

[microrahsheen]

buy more, best investment!

Yeah, I was going to buy more plates instead of DB's, then I realized that I can't lift all the plates I have now...so DB's it will be...LOL

[jrlmabrey]

Thanks everyone. I am going to give it a try. I will probably never flat bench press with a barbell ever again. The only barbell bench press I will do from this point on is decline. I have never felt pain from doing decline barbell bench press.

[nvhladek]

i agree that db bp is better overall, although what kind of shoulder pain are you talking about? the reason i ask is that it may be that your form could be improved and that may eliminate the pain.

on flat bench especially, are you making sure to pinch your shoulder blades together, tilt your shoulder girdle, arch your lower back, flex your glutes and press your feet into the floor? if you're not comfortably aware of your form, you may need to work on it, because that may be cause of your pain. i don't mean to patronize you; maybe this is all terribly obvious, but if you could describe the pain and your form a bit more, this may help. you may, after all, be pressing at a weight and be compromising your form without realizing it. it's happened to the best of us.

[MrSinister]

if its inner shoulder its possibly cuffs.. in which case the dumbells prob wont be the great solution either.. u should rest it, and do some rotator cuff exercises, if it is them.

[IronAbrams]

Address the problem, don't avoid it.

That said, I am a lot more comfortable with DB bench.

[DJAuto]

Flat bench is the basis for many shoulder problems.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=529968

[AphtaLyfe]

I just recently quit doing BB flat and incline bench.

I had surgery to repair the torn labrum in my right shoulder and once I got back to my previous pre-operation strength it started to hurt.

Dumbbell bench I feel is much better on the joints... The key is to keep your elbows directly under the dumbbells at all times.

On the flat BB bench its just not possible to do that and so it causes additional joint strain.

[jrlmabrey]

To the fellow that was asking about my form. My form is pretty good and I always warm up. I have been doing flat bench off and on for over 10 years. When I incline bb bench press, I think for the most part the pain is in or around the front delt, meaning I am likely over-working them . After flat benching it almost feels like the pain is inside, but like I said I have not done them for 2 months or so.

A big problem could be the fact that I stay around 10 to 6 reps only occasionally going with higher reps or really low reps. I have been destroying my joints with heavy weight for a long time. I should have mixed it up a little more and went with a higher rep range more often then not.