barbell bench press Vrs dumbell bench press

[ngapuhi strong]

first Question witch do you prefere for bodybuilding?

second question does each do something different or is it just different strokes for different fokes?

[Cammo]

I spent far too long when I first started doing only DB work for chest - bad move!

When I finally did start using the BB, I was rubbish at it & my numbers were crap.

A good combination of both is always good - I normally just do the trusty BB flat bench followed by DB incline.

You use slightly different stabilisers with using DB & BB (I'm pretty sure anyway).

[IronGame]

Yeah they both have there place

[Dumbelldog]

They both have their place, I would make Flat or inc BB press the first movement in my routine every time.

[Marcus]

I do mostly dumbell bench presses. I find that barbell bench presses work more of my shoulders than anything, no matter how much I try to pin my shoulder blades back. I think it must have something to do with my structure. With the dumbells I can get a good stretch & I have a better mind-muscle connection.

[frogie2001]

DB press for the stabilisers, strength and size from the good strech. Bench press if you want to look cool and push big weights :pfft:

[FastFreddy]

if i was todo both pressing id start with the dumbells and then move to the bar after,

but in saying that it would depend on what type of training i was doing,

if i was volume training id do bar bench for mass,flys to stretch and finsh with pec deck or cable x overs for blood volume.

if i was training hit,id do flys or pec deck and finsh with bench machine or a bar and spotter

[2guns]

i only do bb bench press at the moment and if i do do dumbells ill only use them for incline db press

[2guns]

all the mass exercises are better done with a bb imo, chest, delts, arms legs wateva.

Bench press if you want to look cool and push big weights

lol yeah... and dbs r for guys that cant do big weights :pfft:

[Mike Zero]

Strength wise dumbbells give little to no carryover to barbell what-so-ever (but not the same vice-versa).

[blairandkelly]

lol yeah... and dbs r for guys that cant do big weights Snigger

thats the case in our gym, :pfft:

[FastFreddy]

mm,i think holding 2 50 kg dumbells and flat benching them in good form ant that bad!

[FastFreddy]

i was thinking of making up 2 75kg dumbells oneday! just so ppl have them there!hell i mit give them a go(some how!)

[poos_n_wees]

Strength wise dumbbells give little to no carryover to barbell what-so-ever (but not the same vice-versa).

This is true

[mike-311]

They both have their place, I would make Flat or inc BB press the first movement in my routine every time.

I agree, much better ROM

In fact Im almost ready to stop bench altogeather.......maybe

[Marcus]

I'd like to be able to use flat BB bench in my routines more, but it just does nothing for me. Maybe its my technique.

[SamWelly]

Strength wise dumbbells give little to no carryover to barbell what-so-ever (but not the same vice-versa).

Can you go in to more detail on this? I am a little confused... Although it is fairly early on a Saturday morning

[mike-311]

I'd like to be able to use flat BB bench in my routines more, but it just does nothing for me. Maybe its my technique.

Whats your technique?

For me a fairly wide grip, wider then shoulder width.

Legs on floor, not up in the air.

Inhale while Straight down to my chest at nipple level, leaving about 2-3 inches between me and the bar.

Exhale straight up and squeezing my pecs as I force all the air out of my lungs.

I do the same with DB's Except with alot less stress on the shoulder joints due to a freer range of movement.

And also with a much better squeeze at the top becos I can push my arms closer together, thus pushing all the strain into my pecs on exhale.

[deeepsouth_nz]

I think its like any exercise in that it depends alot on your technique.....their are people with terrible barbell technique and those with terrible dumbell technique. When you can be pressing 50 or 60k dumbells on a bench with your feet in the air off the ground (low back flat on the bench), I would defy anyone who says you are not strong :?

I find with the barbell that in some movements I feel too 'locked in', my shoulders take over and there isnt enough stress on my chest.

I think using the smith machine can also be a useful option too esp for inclines to really dial it in and get a good squeeze BUT as you know Ngapuhi some dick at our gym has bolted half the good benches down so we cant put them in the smith machine.... :roll:

[rotangs on]

I've always used barbell benches over dumbbell. Usually i'll do two benches, and one dumbell and either a crossover,dip or press up. If i had to pick anything id say barbell is better for mass but dumbells are good for definition?

[rotangs on]

I also think its essential to have a spotter when working the chest to get those big weights out and get those few extra reps

[SamWelly]

What about Dumbell with Swiss ball? Should I be able to press the same amount on a swiss as on a flat bench? Is there any carry over to BB Bench?

I think the ball was pushed to its limit last night Me weighing 114kg, and 120kg worth of dumbells. Pretty happy with the stretch I got tho!

[ngapuhi strong]

What about Dumbell with Swiss ball? Should I be able to press the same amount on a swiss as on a flat bench? Is there any carry over to BB Bench?

I think the ball was pushed to its limit last night Me weighing 114kg, and 120kg worth of dumbells. Pretty happy with the stretch I got tho!

no idea if this is right but hay were here to talk theories, i do the swiss ball db press during my cutting up fase and my theori is it will help the obliques and tends to feel like its doing more defining then mass building but i do do this one arm then the other alternately

[nzmusclemonster]

What about Dumbell with Swiss ball? Should I be able to press the same amount on a swiss as on a flat bench? Is there any carry over to BB Bench?

I think the ball was pushed to its limit last night Me weighing 114kg, and 120kg worth of dumbells. Pretty happy with the stretch I got tho!

Swiss balls are for girls.

Hope this helps.

[Pseudonym]

Be careful with that kind of weight on a swiss ball, Sam. I'm not sure what the limit is, but I think that must be close. It wouldn't be a pretty sight if the ball popped mid-press!

Swiss balls force you to recruit more stabiliser muscles, and in this case that's mostly shoulders. That's certainly going to help your barbell and dumbell bench press, but don't think it's a replacement for them.