DB v BB bench

[rinikulous]

what IYO is the pros/cons of dumbbell bench and barbell bench? i hit my chest once a week with about 15 sets going to failure each time. i switch between the exercises just to keep things regulated. i've heard that a press is a press, but it just seems like dumbbells work the outside of my pecs better.

[Fredrico_Suave]

Dumbbells allow for a better stretch cuz you can go deeper, but barbell allows for a heavier lift equally more mass.

[Machdiesel]

I like to use dumbells because i go very wide on the way down(till my tricep is parallel witht he floor, and really flex at the top, really isolates the chest,i also noticed that this gives me a wider chest, and really gives me that "v" shape, i prefer dumbell

[rinikulous]

I like to use dumbells because i go very wide on the way down(till my tricep is parallel witht he floor, and really flex at the top, really isolates the chest,i also noticed that this gives me a wider chest, and really gives me that "v" shape, i prefer dumbell

ya i agree with the wider chest, but im kinda confused on this "v" shape, my pecs have more of a straight line across the bottem then curves around the outside at an angle, almost a rounded square, not quite tho.

[josh8416]

i had the same ? and everyone is different, so what i do is.. incline dbs 3 set , then go bb flat bench for 3-4 sets, then do decline db's or bb's. basically i use both on my chest day, seems to work pretty good soo far.

[YounG_SluG11]

DBs will put on more mass.

[weightshead]

IMO:
nothing compares to BB bench (incline or flat) for putting on muscle mass and increasing strength, as it allows you to use more weight still with good form.

however DB's give a better stretch and allow for a better contraction - whilst hitting the stabilisers harder than BB bench.

id advise most people to have the BB bench as the meat and potato exercise for chest - but dont be afraid to throw in a DB only chest workout every 3 or 4 weeks.

[West Coast All Star]

You gotta do both. I will change it up every week, but each week will have a heavy barbell and heavy dumbbell excercise back to back. (incline/flat or flat/incline)

[Jantzen4k]

You gotta do both. I will change it up every week, but each week will have a heavy barbell and heavy dumbbell excercise back to back. (incline/flat or flat/incline)

yup yup. me too

[Hypertrophy]

Pros: D-bell
Controlled Line of Push, may eliminate shoulder impingment.
Can go to failure without a spot.
Greater Range of Motion.
Greater Contraction by flexing the pecs together.
Activates more muscle fibers than barbell bench.
Cons:
Lacks specificity to the bar, so don't expect to get stronger on the bar.
Most gyms do not have heavy enough d-bells.
Requires a higher degree on Neurmuscular Effeciency, good and bad, depends

[sp9]

Pros: D-bell
Controlled Line of Push, may eliminate shoulder impingment.
Can go to failure without a spot.
Greater Range of Motion.
Greater Contraction by flexing the pecs together.
Activates more muscle fibers than barbell bench.
Cons:
Lacks specificity to the bar, so don't expect to get stronger on the bar.
Most gyms do not have heavy enough d-bells.
Requires a higher degree on Neurmuscular Effeciency, good and bad, depends

Great post. I will tell you this. If you are not a competing powerlifter, or body builder I would do DB presses. IMHO the bar does do cumulative damage to your shoulders since it is not a natural range of motion. The damage may take more than a decade to appear but it will happen. I love DB and won't touch a bar any more. My shoulders feel much better.

[Dude-Man]

any and all shoulder damage done by barbell bench can be prevented by simply tucking your elbows instead of flaring them out

Great post. I will tell you this. If you are not a competing powerlifter, or body builder I would do DB presses. IMHO the bar does do cumulative damage to your shoulders since it is not a natural range of motion. The damage may take more than a decade to appear but it will happen. I love DB and won't touch a bar any more. My shoulders feel much better.

[sp9]

any and all shoulder damage done by barbell bench can be prevented by simply tucking your elbows instead of flaring them out

wish i had known that 15 years ago.

[Machdiesel]

ya i agree with the wider chest, but im kinda confused on this "v" shape, my pecs have more of a straight line across the bottem then curves around the outside at an angle, almost a rounded square, not quite tho.

Hey , i didnt really man it makes u have a v shape, but with a wider chest ur mid section looks thinner n it gives the appearance as a v shape, idk maybe its in my head but i really believe it, hahaha

[BUYLONGTERM]

any and all shoulder damage done by barbell bench can be prevented by simply tucking your elbows instead of flaring them out

Interesting..I haven't done BB in over a year due to a bad shoulder. All I do is DB which is much easier..I will try tucking them in....

[O.fO.shO]

any and all shoulder damage done by barbell bench can be prevented by simply tucking your elbows instead of flaring them out

I do that for close-grip to hit tri's . Dosn't it seem you cant push as much weight tucking?

[IronReload04]

Great post. I will tell you this. If you are not a competing powerlifter, or body builder I would do DB presses. IMHO the bar does do cumulative damage to your shoulders since it is not a natural range of motion. The damage may take more than a decade to appear but it will happen. I love DB and won't touch a bar any more. My shoulders feel much better.

honostly, i would think all pressing movements would be doing damage over time

[rinikulous]

i noticed my shoulder hurting as well on BB bench so i tucked my elbows in and i also don't go all the way down anymore. i go about 1/2-1 inch above. i believe this works it better b/c the chest is always being work, i feel like when i go all the way down i use my shoulders to initiate the press again (even with the elbows tucked).

but all the same i still think DB gives better shape to the chest.

[rinikulous]

Hey , i didnt really man it makes u have a v shape, but with a wider chest ur mid section looks thinner n it gives the appearance as a v shape, idk maybe its in my head but i really believe it, hahaha

yeah i see what your saying now too.

quick question tho, i can't get my inside middle portion of my chest worth crap. if i flex my chest i have a decen wall on the bottem and top, but the middle kinda lacks. any words of wisdom?

[rinikulous]

Great post. I will tell you this. If you are not a competing powerlifter, or body builder I would do DB presses. IMHO the bar does do cumulative damage to your shoulders since it is not a natural range of motion. The damage may take more than a decade to appear but it will happen. I love DB and won't touch a bar any more. My shoulders feel much better.

do you feel like you have a better shaped chest (outline), but the thickness isn't where it should be b/c you stick with DB?

[sp9]

do you feel like you have a better shaped chest (outline), but the thickness isn't where it should be b/c you stick with DB?

Have always had good pecs, just the one thing I had good genetics on. I do feel its a better workout for them when you use a natural range of motion throughout the press rather than a fixed width press via the bar.

Plus I have floor mats, theirs no need for a spot. If you have trouble kicking them up and getting going, drop em. Go to complete failure, drop em.

Just personally after lifting weights for 20 years now the shoulders are much happier with dumbbells, wrists are happier with dumbbells as well, when it comes to curls. I do feel dumbells are great for shaping the muscle.

When you hit your mid-thirties or higher it starts to become about being as safe as possible and removing as much risk of injury as you can so you can keep in better shape then most people 15 years younger.

Eventually the human body fails though. Look at eastwood who lifted weights right through his fifties. Even stallone will be 60 this year. But those two guys were in great shape for multiple decades longer then the average joe.