# bench press or dumbell presses?



## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

*which do you prefer*​
bench press is better1137.93%dumbell presses is better.1862.07%


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

well which one do you thinks better?

and why

going on have a vote

i prefer the dumbells, as i feel it works the chest better,and makes the stabalizer muscles stronger.


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## vinger (Mar 3, 2004)

i think dumbell works the chest better and i noticed better muscle growth whilst doin mostly dumbells but.....

I just love goin 4 pb's and i dont count pb's with dumbells dont kno y? so i prefer bench even tho i kno dumbell works better.

I think that makes me a cock...


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

i always do both in my chest workout (mondays)

5 set's bench - light to v-heavy

3 sets dumbell - heavy to v-heavy

3 sets fly - medium weight more streaching

Changing the incline, flat and decline around from week to week

and 1 other like: cable, dips or pullovers


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

I think dumbell is better as I believe the circular rotation created by using them works the muscle fibres to a greater degree IMO. :roll:


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2005)

If I had to do one I would choose bench press but alter the angles from time to time.

If it was good enough for the oak then its good enough for me.

I find dumbells will increase size for more the standard bench but for good old strength development bench is better.

I use both in my workouts to get the best of both worlds.

J


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

It's gotta be dumbells for me, much better for stability, balance and range of motion.


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## mark1466867919 (Jan 7, 2004)

I always alternate week by week with dumbells free bar and smith machine!

Seems to be workin well for me at the moment


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## GettinSwole (Oct 10, 2004)

I find as far as building strength and mass, the bar is the king. Now if you're looking to build site specific mass in certain areas of your chest, it's easier to achieve with DBs. Also as Steve was saying, your stablizing muscles will benefit from the use of DBs as well. I also tend to think that connective tissues appreciate DB use as well since the range of motion is completely free.


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2005)

interesting poll,

i do use both in my routine, 1 week i do bench first , then the next week i do dumbells,


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## GTForce (Oct 23, 2004)

I prefer dumbells as I feel it more in my pecs while the barbell press tends to overwork my front delts.

I also like the challenge of the dumbells. Once you get rather strong it becomes a task just to get them into position. Not everyone can kick-up the 120's into place but anyone can unrack a 300 pound barbell. Further to that point, how many guys can bench 250 on a barbell (plenty) but how many guys can safely handle 125 lb. dumbells (not nearly as many).

Also, strength imbalances become more apparent when training with dumbells. Barbells allow the stronger side to compensate somewhat for the weaker side. It is not as bad as when using machines but it still happens. With dumbells any differences become immediately apparent.

Great poll Steve


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## jago25_98 (May 15, 2004)

When I try to make a decision like this I usually end up doing both  - bench to start and dumbells to finish.


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2005)

i do incline DB n flat BB so i like both cant say which i prefer


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2005)

Regular BB benches rip my rotator cuffs to shreds. I only do variations of DB presses.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2005)

i'm goin with the DB i always hurt more after doing them i think it is down to the extra stretch at the bottom and then the meeting in the middle at the top that really gets you.


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## joe1988 (Jan 17, 2010)

personally prefer regualr bench press, there is something fun about having a barbell full of weight locked abover my chest


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2005)

up to now all i've used is a bar (flat bench) but after reading what you guys said about dbs im gonna give them a go.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2005)

hi

I do both actually :lol:


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## MrSkinny (Mar 9, 2005)

Off on a tangent,

I started doing dumbell presses for the shoulders rather than using the machine. Really notice the difference due to the stabilization (or rather lack of) in the shoulders!!


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## Fiba (Jun 13, 2005)

Its Db for me ,although i preffer the smith machine over anything else


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2005)

i cant decide, i love them both! dumbells give me a better work out but bar gives me more satisfaction when i up the weight!


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2005)

i like bar better, it involves more muscles because the triceps play a much larger factor than in dumbell benching, other than the stabalizers which hold your arms together and prevent them from falling apart barbell benching requires all the same stabalizers, and the primary muscles that prevent your arms from drifting apart or falling across eachother are also used in a barbell bench. in the real world, a barbell bench adapts your arms better to pushing a single object in front of you, dumbell benches are better for the less likely (but possible) incidents where you might have to push 2 things. also, the increased weight that you can use in a barbell bench makes for more muscle recruitment within both the primary muscles and stabalizers of the motion. as far as RC injuries, some people do just fine and never have a big problem, some people find that rc warm up prevents injur while others are ok if they bench more like a pl'er than a bb'er with a lower bar touch down and tighlty pinched shoulderblades w/ back arch. still others just have bad cuffs.


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2005)

I only do DB benches due to RC injuries. With DBs I get a much better range of motion and feel my pecs are more heavily involved. I've tried numberous techniques of BB presses (pinched shoulder blades, elbows tucked and the result is the same - pain!.

Ideally I would do both.


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## MrSkinny (Mar 9, 2005)

I just started Dumbell presses this week as it was about time I changed my chest routine. As expected I was doing a less weight (total) compared to my bar routine and less reps at that weight. How do you guys compare in weight for dumbell to your bar

Cheers

John


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2005)

never touched a barbell (I'm going to get slated for this aren't I?)

Will give it a go on Monday morning and see what difference is.


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## MrSkinny (Mar 9, 2005)

i tried the dumbells yesterday but a) its hard to lift 35-40kg dumbells into place and B) hard to push it to failure as I thought I was gonna drop em on my mush, lol

I stick with and see how I go.


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2005)

Wait til you get to 65Kg+ dumbells, then its difficult even for a spotter. Dumbells always seem to add more mass with me than barbells but barbells really help with strength development

J


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## BigDaddy1466867923 (Jun 22, 2005)

I do both but i prefer DB


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## MrSkinny (Mar 9, 2005)

zx9rjas. said:


> 65Kg+ dumbells,
> 
> J


 :shock: :shock: :shock:

Didn't even know they made them that heavy, lol


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2005)

No, In my gym the dumbells go up to 50ish Kg. But I bought some spinlock bars ages ago and took them to my gym. I made up my own dumbells with them with 6 x 22-25lb on each bar (thats when I was at my strongest though)


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## c130 (Feb 1, 2004)

havnt done bench for 3 month, just been doing incline dumbells and weighted dips for chest

went back to bench today and done 130kg for 6 reps where as before i could only manage 120kg for 6 reps

was fairly happy with that


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## razg (Nov 23, 2004)

Unless an exercise is technically flawed, i'd definately be sure to do every permutation possible.

But on the ego side, i do enjoy doing max lifts for bar


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