Barbell press vs DB press..

**RangerDanger830** · 03-25-2014, 10:36 AM

Here is a little background information:

I moved to a new area a few months ago and the gym has no barbell bench press equipment. It has everything else, you just can't do bench press here with a bar. So I decided, it is 3mins from the house, I will just go here every day and on chest days I will drive 15mins to the other gym with a barbell bench.

While I am a Bio major, I concentrated on genetics and microbiology. So I am no large-scale anatomical expert. But, common sense tells me that a dumbbell press would be better anyway because it does everything a bar does, plus more stabilization. I have started doing all of my chest presses with dumbbells and I will throw in one machine exercise each chest day also in an attempt to make up for anything I might miss out on using a bar. I seem to be doing well, my chest is still looking good and I am still getting bigger and stronger.

My question is: What are your opinions on this? Why?

**hellomycognomen** · 03-25-2014, 12:45 PM

Both are good.

A big downside to dumbbell press is setting up esp when you start getting into the heavy dumbbells.

**greenwell001** · 03-25-2014, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by hellomycognomen

Both are good.

A big downside to dumbbell press is setting up esp when you start getting into the heavy dumbbells.

Try to do heavy declines with db's, it takes longer to set up than to do the ****ing set.

**psyBorg** · 03-25-2014, 01:22 PM

^.

And I second your logic on stabilisation with DB press. I think ppl report less injuries with DB than BB. I don't think you're missing out on anything except if you're trying to lift super heavy.

**RangerDanger830** · 03-25-2014, 05:03 PM

Thanks for the opinions, good to know. I do not know what your opinions of super heavy are but I will admit I am not doing light weight, I know that much. Right now I am doing flat press with 130s, incline with 100s usually, and decline last with the 130s again. It is a huge pain to set up the decline but I do have a gym partner so that helps a ton. This is all new territory to me as far as the weight goes, this is the strongest I have been yet not to mention I am two weeks into a Tren /test cycle.

BG · 03-25-2014, 05:49 PM

You need to do both.

Week 1- flat barbell/incline dumbell/cables/decline hammer strength
Week 2- incline barbell/flat dumbell/pec deck/weighted push ups

That's my core work outn ill change up last exercise from time to time. Add fly's or something.

**RangerDanger830** · 03-25-2014, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by BG

You need to do both.

Week 1- flat barbell/incline dumbell/cables/decline hammer strength
Week 2- incline barbell/flat dumbell/pec deck/weighted push ups

That's my core work outn ill change up last exercise from time to time. Add fly's or something.

Oh don't get me wrong, I do other exercises on chest days to include flys, weighted push-ups, and a few other exercises I rotate around just to change things up. But why do you believe in incorporating barbell? I am not denying that it is a solid, amazing chest building exercise. I was just wondering if anyone had specific experience on what barbell has that DB lacks, ya know?

**hellomycognomen** · 03-25-2014, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by RangerDanger830

Oh don't get me wrong, I do other exercises on chest days to include flys, weighted push-ups, and a few other exercises I rotate around just to change things up. But why do you believe in incorporating barbell? I am not denying that it is a solid, amazing chest building exercise. I was just wondering if anyone had specific experience on what barbell has that DB lacks, ya know?

Often times the limiting factor will be the small stabilizers giving out before the major muscles.

Barbell takes away some of this, machines even more. This allows more/fuller focus on the pectoralis.

Barbell, db, and isolation machines are all tools, if they are available use them.

-Cheers

**Docd187123** · 03-25-2014, 08:43 PM

There's nothing wrong with using dumbbells for benching. It could be argued it's a better exercise bc it requires more control and stabilization and is a harder lift but the usual limiting factor is that many gyms don't have dumbbells that can be loaded high enough whereas you can load the barbell as high as you want basically.

**RangerDanger830** · 03-26-2014, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by hellomycognomen

Often times the limiting factor will be the small stabilizers giving out before the major muscles.

Barbell takes away some of this, machines even more. This allows more/fuller focus on the pectoralis.

Barbell, db, and isolation machines are all tools, if they are available use them.

-Cheers

Originally Posted by Docd187123

There's nothing wrong with using dumbbells for benching. It could be argued it's a better exercise bc it requires more control and stabilization and is a harder lift but the usual limiting factor is that many gyms don't have dumbbells that can be loaded high enough whereas you can load the barbell as high as you want basically.

That makes sense to me, I can see how that would allow you to put more of a direct strain on the pecs by focusing the exercise. But you are right doc, some gyms do not have enough DBs around. Luckily this one has up to 160s so I figure that'll be plenty for me. This conversation has been fruitful.

**JinNtonic** · 03-26-2014, 09:11 AM

I prefer dumbbell its easier on my shoulders and I feel I get a fuller range of motion

**jdc91gt** · 04-01-2014, 09:39 PM

Like many I mix it up. Before I tore my labrum several years ago I did mostly barbell benches because I thought it was cool to lift heavy. DBs seemed ... weak. But, my rehab involved a lot of dumbbell work. It strengthened the small stabilizing muscles, which improved my form too. So, now I mix it about 50/50.