dumbell or barbell bench

**jc95605** · 04-08-2008, 08:00 PM

Sounds like ppl are torn on which is better/more effective. In your opinion what you think is a more effective excercise for building lean mass, flat db or bb? Please give reasons for your answer. I'm trying to do a lil research for my routine. Thanks for the help

**ph34rsh4ck** · 04-08-2008, 08:33 PM

how bout...2 weeks of barbell bench...then 1 week of dumbell bench...best of both worlds, instead of choosing just one..

**Jfew44** · 04-08-2008, 08:59 PM

I do both!

**FREAK** · 04-08-2008, 09:01 PM

yup agreed switch it up a few weeks of each.I feel like i get a better pump off db tho

**200byjune** · 04-08-2008, 09:04 PM

yup better pump with dbells. but strength with barbell

**mister bator** · 04-09-2008, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by 200byjune

yup better pump with dbells. but strength with barbell

Same here. But barbell bench seems more injury prone

**jaydub** · 04-09-2008, 08:06 AM

i alternate from workout to workout. i do one chest day with barbells, then the next chest day with dumbells.

**Philly Grappler** · 04-09-2008, 08:40 AM

I alternate the 2 as well, alhtough BB puts a little added stress on my shoulders.

**jc95605** · 04-09-2008, 12:35 PM

Good points, but I still wanted to see everybodys input. I seem to keep hurting my right shoulder when I go crazy on the flat barbell bench. I keep hearing that barbells are more prone to injury so I agree with that. Maybe I will switch it up every 2 wks, I think thats a good idea. Also the other day i hurt my back but I guess I have to put that in a different forum?

**MFT81** · 04-09-2008, 01:32 PM

^^ then you need to adopt a powerlifters style of bench if your shoulder hurts. Either that or your overtraining between your shoulder and chest workouts.

**jAcKeD!!!!** · 04-09-2008, 04:29 PM

i hit it hard and heavy with barbell then later during my workin out hit the dbells at a moderate weight and get the full range in motion and stretch it apart nicely.

**200byjune** · 04-09-2008, 05:20 PM

yes my shoulders kill during it.

**dwaynewade** · 04-10-2008, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by MFT81

^^ then you need to adopt a powerlifters style of bench if your shoulder hurts. Either that or your overtraining between your shoulder and chest workouts.

care to expound on "powerlifters style"?

tx

**MFT81** · 04-10-2008, 09:30 AM

In "power-lifting" style of bench press the arms are closer to the sides of the body and the bar is pressed a bit lower on the chest. I guess it would be similar to a close grip bench press.

with a conventional bench press a lot of people will flare there arms outward in line with the shoulders which tranfers stress on to the shoulder joints. with your arms a bit closer to the side of the body and with the shoulder blades pulled back and down you can lift more weight without agrevating the shoulders.

perhaps someone with more PL experience can give a better explanation........

**jc95605** · 04-10-2008, 10:54 AM

I'm glad you ask dwayne. I'll try that next time I go. Last time my upper back hurt pretty bad especially at liftoff. I almost wasn't able to do but i did it anyway. Appreciate the tips tho guys.

**wanabeMASSIVE!** · 04-10-2008, 03:21 PM

I do both but i used to do barbell alone. I had a small chest and i got told to switch an do both evry other week..... works wonders!

Do both

**tantan350** · 05-02-2008, 11:35 AM

So what's the conversion of say doing the following on the barbell (don't laugh)...

135 lbs / 6 reps...155/6...185/6...225/6...225/6...235/6...235/6, no spot on the 225 sets, but yes on the 235 sets.

in terms of dumbells?? Like would one start out/warm up with 65's in each hand!?!? Or should the weight be lowered on the dumbells to achieve the better pump/more reps as opposed to more strength on the barbell??

By the way, I'm 26 yrs old, 5'8", 175 lbs, ??% BF (gotta work on the stomach- everything else is tight), and I've been working out for a good +/-5 years now.

When I had my friend / NY Sports Club trainer training me hardcore on the Westside Technique, I was putting up 345 x 2 as my max...but this was 3 years ago. Now he's in med school in St Maarten (nicee) and I have to bother random people at the gym for a spot if I want to go heavier.

Peace all...

**whiteronniewannabe** · 05-03-2008, 08:52 AM

Ive only recently really started training with dumbells more and find that I get a fantastic pump, never used to get one off bench. As a rule of thumb, from what Ive experienced Id say what ever you bench (100kg for easy convert rate ie 220lbs) reduce the dumbells by +/- 20kg (45lbs) Therefore if starting up on 135lbs (60kg approx) then start with 45lb dumbells.

**Stoneco|d** · 05-04-2008, 11:16 AM

I love both, I prefer dumbells. My gym only have dumbells up to 120's so if I want to heavier I go to barbell. I also alternate every other chest day. I also superset it sometimes. I'd start with heavy barbell then do low weight high reps of dumbells.

**Panzerfaust** · 05-04-2008, 02:21 PM

If you aren't getting a "pump" from doing barbell benches, then you need to lighten the weight and lift it properly and focus on contraction. Do not lock your arms out either, keep the muscle engadged through all your reps.

Jay Cutler has some of the best form I have seen and he doesn't go psyhco heavy either, he focuses on contraction mostly.

Incline Dumbbell

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h...-presses_sport

Flat Bench

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h...-presses_sport

I like the pauses he does at the bottom, really stretches the pecs out and gets maximum contraction on the way up. Trust me, there is a big difference in pausing at the bottom instead of just jumping on there and trying to get the set done as fast as possible.

**blacspydr0** · 10-29-2008, 08:49 PM

I usually switch it up...keep my body guessing and break the routine but ive always had the thought that dumbells were better because you have to work harder to keep the balance but i could be wrong...

**kickinit** · 10-29-2008, 10:47 PM

I change it up for shock purposes, but by far I think you can target on dumbells more then the bar. Being hard to explain without a video I bring the weight parrallel with my body at the down mark and twist it to perpendicular on the up, good technique if you get it correct. You can really blast your pecs this way, if I bench just the same with barbells as I do on the bar the effect is almost the same (not effective), but with the twist its kick ass.. Hope that made sense, plus spelling im tired as hell tonight.

**T_Own** · 10-30-2008, 12:19 AM

jroad, its completely different than coming up with a ratio. switching at first you'll have to get the form down so your weight might be down too.

i thought PL went as far wide as they could, to get the lowest distance of travel with the bar

**stpete** · 10-30-2008, 01:14 AM

Dumbells and it's simple. Ask anyone. I know that 300 on the bench is a lot easier than 2 150's in my hands.

**F4iGuy** · 10-30-2008, 05:57 PM

Dumbells. I'm having an issue with dumbells lately. I can use the 120's comfortably, the 130's seem to w i d e and I feel like my form is suky with wide dumbells. Anybody else have this issue? Its hitting my chest on the way down and not getting as much contraction at the top. Is is worth is to sacrafice ROM for heavy weight on occasion?

**kickinit** · 10-30-2008, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by F4iDom

Dumbells. I'm having an issue with dumbells lately. I can use the 120's comfortably, the 130's seem to w i d e and I feel like my form is suky with wide dumbells. Anybody else have this issue? Its hitting my chest on the way down and not getting as much contraction at the top. Is is worth is to sacrafice ROM for heavy weight on occasion?

This is another reason I do it the way I do since with the new rubber coated weights, hell you do 150s and when you try to lock out for a rest if you need to you cant since its so wide haha