Dumb Bells vs Straight Bar Bench Press

[MIKES3]

I can do more weight with DBs than I can with the straight bar. I scratch my head on this one. I always thought its suppose to be the opposite. I even go lower with th DBs than on straight bar. Anyone notice this when they lift?

[pjluvsae]

That is different, having said that we are all different body types. Personally i wish i could do more with DB than BB. That is a head scratcher

[GreenWave1]

Weird. Where do you grip the barbell? Too narrow of a grip could contribute to this.

[DiamondDelts]

This generic topic has been covered more than any other single topic in the exercise forum since I've been here. And I've been here for 6 years. You telling me the search button could not pull one single hit for the threadstarter on this?

[MIKES3]

Weird. Where do you grip the barbell? Too narrow of a grip could contribute to this.

I actually go a little wider on the straight bar. I feel that I get a better chest workout, but on DBs I feel i'm even wider at starting point then when I go up I go more narrow squeezing the chest. Does that make sense?

[MIKES3]

This generic topic has been covered more than any other single topic in the exercise forum since I've been here. And I've been here for 6 years. You telling me the search button could not pull one single hit for the threadstarter on this?

Show me where someone has complained about being stonger on DBs rather than a straight bar and I'll hand you a rep. How does that sound? Did you post the negativity to get an extra post count?

[Baba_ghanoush]

haha same here bro, i can rep the 85lb dbs but when it comes it barbell i can barely throw up 200 lol, and then i have freinds who can do like 250+ and cant even rep the 70s...LOL WTF

[-SLASH-]

Maybe you've worked w/ DB's more than you have BB's? DB's work more with the stabilizers...maybe you are genetically gifted like that. Who knows. Try working w/ BB's for 6-10 week cycles, then switch back over to DB's, see if that evens things out some. The best thing to do honestly is to just keep doing what you're doing and work w/ DB's and BB's...get the best of both worlds.

[itsallgood]

Show me where someone has complained about being stonger on DBs rather than a straight bar and I'll hand you a rep. How does that sound? Did you post the negativity to get an extra post count?

Get used to it, he knows it all, but will help no one.

[Squeebo]

FWIW, standard or olympic adjustable dumbbells are unwieldy compared to fixed weight dumbbells (or branded adjustable dumbbell systems). So when you compare, it may make a difference which kind of dbs you're using.

I like fixed weight dbs better than a bar for benching. No worries about getting stuck under them, or hitting the safety bars and throwing my balance off, or loading the bar, or shoulder issues, and they give a range of motion that a bar doesn't. I only have a bar now, and adjustable dbs. A complete pro style set would be pretty damn neat, though it would require a crazy amount of storage space.