# Dumbbells or Bench press? What do you prefer?



## haza1234 (Jan 8, 2012)

For me it's Dumbbells, I used to use the bar during bench press but found Dumbbells defiantly hit the spot more


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## FlunkyTurtle (Aug 5, 2013)

Prefer bar, but dumbells i would say are better for even developement.


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## man_dem03 (Oct 1, 2008)

i always alternate between the two every 10 weeks

barbel bench, incline dbs

dbs bench, incline barbel


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## haza1234 (Jan 8, 2012)

man_dem03 said:


> i always alternate between the two every 10 weeks
> 
> barbel bench, incline dbs
> 
> dbs bench, incline barbel


I agree with this I try to swap around every 4weeks


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## ali-c (Jun 13, 2013)

I think its good to mix between the two...

Having said that I prefer Dumb bells...it feel it more/get worse doms when I use them and I feel like a get a better workout. I also find that with Barbell, my shoulders don;t like it as much, feels like I'm straining them a bit.

Another reason is I train a lot on my own so its easier with DB as if I fail, I can just drop.


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## Redbeard85 (Mar 26, 2011)

I haven't got a proper bench at home, but even if I did, it would still be DB over BB bench press. But it's always nice to hit those high numbers on the BB bench press


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## 2004mark (Oct 26, 2013)

I don't really bench much at all now... 90% of the time I'll go for dumbbells.

For me bench press is a movement you work on to improve the movement (which in turn obviously works the pecs), whereas dumbbell press is more about isolating and working the pecs, and what you lift is secondary.


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## G-man99 (Jul 15, 2008)

Decline BB, flat and incline DB

Standing military press BB, seated shoulder press DB

Squats BB, lunges DB

Guess that means I like both


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## Classic one (Sep 26, 2013)

Dumbbells work better for me..


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## Kimball (Feb 26, 2012)

I can go heavier with bar, but it hurts my shoulders in a bad way. Dumbbells seem to give a bigger rom without pain and if I get stuck as already said, I can drop them

I do mix it up almost every session depending what is available.


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## H_JM_S (Mar 27, 2012)

ali-c said:


> I think its good to mix between the two...
> 
> Having said that I prefer Dumb bells...it feel it more/get worse doms when I use them and I feel like a get a better workout. I also find that with Barbell, my shoulders don;t like it as much, feels like I'm straining them a bit.
> 
> Another reason is I train a lot on my own so its easier with DB as if I fail, I can just drop.


This each point I agree with 100%!


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## Paz1982 (Dec 16, 2012)

lee85 said:


> I haven't got a proper bench at home, but even if I did, it would still be DB over BB bench press. But it's always nice to hit those high numbers on the BB bench press


bit off topic but, in your avi, have you broken both of your wrists ?


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## Mogy (Oct 21, 2013)

Dumbells for me, bb fcuks with my shoulders


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## josephbloggs (Sep 29, 2013)

bb for me , purely because getting heavy enuuf dbs up and down is a pain in the 9rse.


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## estuFilippe (Sep 10, 2013)

When I started out I always tried to get my bar press form good but I found it worked my shoulders more even if I was focussing and lowering the actual poundage, therefore I train pretty much exclusively with dumbells for chest dumbell pressing and have steadily gone up to 45kg dumbells over time and my pec development I have been pretty happy with. I don't think bench press is necessary and like I said if it engages my shoulders more id rather just do shoulder press/dumbell press for shoulders and actually use my chest on chest day but thats just my body..


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## jo3y (Nov 5, 2013)

Dumbbells all the way feel burn in chest more than barbell love doing db bench thn fly thn holding the 2db in middle of chest n pressin contractin them bad bois


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## Redbeard85 (Mar 26, 2011)

Paz1982 said:


> bit off topic but, in your avi, have you broken both of your wrists ?


No, if you look closely I'm trying to do the batman symbol. Your face fell off, how can you even see that!! :scared:


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## haza1234 (Jan 8, 2012)

Bar is defiantly one for showing those who's daddy. But yes DB all the way


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## haza1234 (Jan 8, 2012)

estuFilippe said:


> When I started out I always tried to get my bar press form good but I found it worked my shoulders more even if I was focussing and lowering the actual poundage, therefore I train pretty much exclusively with dumbells for chest dumbell pressing and have steadily gone up to 45kg dumbells over time and my pec development I have been pretty happy with. I don't think bench press is necessary and like I said if it engages my shoulders more id rather just do shoulder press/dumbell press for shoulders and actually use my chest on chest day but thats just my body..


Couldn't have said it any better!


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## lukeee (Aug 17, 2009)

Press ups


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## G-man99 (Jul 15, 2008)

If you bring your elbows slightly more towards the body and not so flared then it will tend to keep shoulder involvement to a minimum


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## Vivid (May 14, 2009)

BB but definitely feel more from the DB's.


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## AK-26 (May 29, 2011)

Dumbells for incline bench press.

Barbell for flat bench press and decline bench press.


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## mygym-mytemple (Jun 8, 2012)

Decline bb and incline dbs, shoulders ok with that.


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## XXVII (Jul 29, 2013)

Dumbbells, feels more controlled and feels like it activates the chest more.


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## skipper1987 (May 1, 2013)

Prefer barbell decline but dumbell incline dont really do flat much hurts shoulders.


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## Chelsea (Sep 19, 2009)

Barbell all day long.


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## k3z (Oct 17, 2007)

Always used barbell, but I train alone and it became pretty risky and couldn't push myself to failure with good form (started wriggling etc in panic)

So as of last week ive moved onto the dumbells.... must say I think I prefer it other than the ballache of heaving them up to begin the set they're much safer and I feel them better.

There should be some kind of bench rack for dbs for those without spotters...


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## jo3y (Nov 5, 2013)

215kg bench press at 75kg come on man the guy arms would of snappd in half lmfao


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

mix it up to get the benefits of both


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## Dazarooni (Aug 30, 2010)

About the only combination that hasn't been mentioned so far is barbell in the right hand and dumbbell in the left.


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## Fletch68 (Mar 17, 2013)

theBEAST2002 said:


> mix it up to get the benefits of both


Definitely yes. I've recently moved onto dumbbells and will shortly go back to using the bar....


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

I do decline bench press followed by incline db press. Big power and weight lift for the lift that hit the most of the chest and then db to really zero in on the upper chest because it needs that extra attention. Training smarter not necessarily harder...but always hard.


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## Adz (Jan 29, 2008)

Dumbells, its how I was taught to do it and never really like the bar so never use it now.


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## ohh_danielson (Oct 16, 2013)

Much prefer dumbells my self, can feel the pecs much more, and get a better range of motion.

With the barbell bench press I dont feel the chest as much, so usually try go lower down, which just hurts my shoulders more than anything.


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## bigchickenlover (Jul 16, 2013)

Bench pre shoulder injury, dumbbells post injury....... now I just decline n incline bar and dumbbell


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## medicalstudent (Oct 31, 2013)

Decline dumbbell press mixed with incline dumbbell press has been amazing for me, been getting intense DOMS and been making some nice gains. I personally think flat bench dumbell/bench is a load of ****, but thats just me.


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## Pancake' (Aug 30, 2012)

If I had to choose over Dumbbells or Barbells I would choose the Barbell. I do both though.


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