Bar Bell BP vs Dumb Bell BP

[nameuser]

Is there much appreciative difference between doing a BarBell BP and a DumbBell BP?

I can't do barbell BPs since I don't have a spotter and I like to goto failure, so I just do Dumbbell BPs.

Also, in my gym there are no decline benches to do decline BP. What's a good alternative for these? Do you think they are necessary?

Currently for chest I do:
flat BP 4sets 8-12 reps
incline BP 4sets 8-12 reps
flys 4sets 8-12 reps

Thanks.

[skitz1]

I found dips used to bring out my lower chest well. I've personally got the best growth from my chest by training it four times a week. 4 sets flat bench and 4 sets inner chest on chest/bi's day, 4 sets on decline bench on my tricep/back day, 4 sets on upper chest on shoulders day. Then one day dedicated to strength training in which I do 3 sets. I found that I got a lot more growth when I split different parts of the chest over the week. Maybe it's because I could lift more than if I was doing inclines, declines, flat and inner all in one day. My arms are usually knackered after the 7th set so I can't handle as much weight on other parts of chest. I'll rotate using dumb bells and barbells every week, on two chest exercises.

[nameuser]

I found dips used to bring out my lower chest well. I've personally got the best growth from my chest by training it four times a week. 4 sets flat bench and 4 sets inner chest on chest/bi's day, 4 sets on decline bench on my tricep/back day, 4 sets on upper chest on shoulders day. Then one day dedicated to strength training in which I do 3 sets. I found that I got a lot more growth when I split different parts of the chest over the week. Maybe it's because I could lift more than if I was doing inclines, declines, flat and inner all in one day. My arms are usually knackered after the 7th set so I can't handle as much weight on other parts of chest. I'll rotate using dumb bells and barbells every week, on two chest exercises.

Ok, so basically you combine the chest with a secondary muscle group and then do it on the day when the secondary muscle is the primary muscle to train on....

but doesn't the chest muscle need time for rest in between? Or is 48 hours enough time? (not saying you're doing anything wrong, just wondering. you've got much better chest muscle than me)

[Swifto]

I prefer DB over BB. Get a better stretch and contraction.

[skitz1]

Ok, so basically you combine the chest with a secondary muscle group and then do it on the day when the secondary muscle is the primary muscle to train on....

but doesn't the chest muscle need time for rest in between? Or is 48 hours enough time? (not saying you're doing anything wrong, just wondering. you've got much better chest muscle than me)

I think some people heal faster than others. I'm sure that a lot of other people would be over-training if they did what I did, it just happens that this is what personally works me. If you look at the total amount of sets however, it's 8 + 4 + 4 + 3 = 19 sets over the week. Now consider a lot of people train 12-16 sets on chest on one day. I've just split mine up over the week targeting a different part of the chest each time. That way I can lift my maximum on each part of the chest over the week rather than being tired on my last few sets from secondary muscles.

As I said, this is just what works for me.

[nameuser]

I'll give it a go. I find that after a while of doing chest, I can't physically bench anymore, but still feel like I haven't done enough.

Why don't you use the same method for back also?

[GT2]

Weighted chest dips are great for building your lower chest. However make sure you REALLY concentrate on the contraction at the top of the movement to bring out the muscle.