+ 2 Dumbbell VS Barbell (Chest Press)
In this post, I am going to analyse the benefits of dumbbells vs barbell movements, with a specific emphasis upon chest press exercises.
1) Experience the motion of a dumbbell
2) Experience the motion of a barbell
3) Reasons for using dumbbells
4) Reason for using barbells
5) Conclusion
While sitting down/standing up, place your left arm (this works for your right arm too) directly in front of you, while placing your right arm on your pectoral. Bring your left arm forwards and backwards (to and away from your body), while experiencing your pectoral contraction with your right hand.
Now, repeat this movement, with the same hand and arm in the same place in the same planes of motion. But instead, when your left arm is near-fully extended, move your fist across your body. With this movement, you will notice a greater pectoral contraction resulting from an increase in muscle fibre recruitment.
Now, once you have surpassed the heaviest dumbbell weight in your gym and are achieving a repetition range of 20+ reps, there really is no reason why you should continue to carry on using dumbbells. This is why people move on to barbell chest press exercises, whereby the load amount will be significantly higher than those experienced through dumbbell movements. Additional, from the reduced range of motion in contrast to dumbbell movements, ones joints are cared for to a greater extent - this is why you may see some previously injured gym members opting for barbell exercises.
To conclude, i believe that dumbbell chest press exercises are far superior than barbell chest press movements, up until a certain point - whereby the weights used/needed surpass those supplied by your gym, or unless you have a shoulder/pectoral injury.
Thanks for reading,
P.
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the answer is simple do both period.
I have a really abnormal scapula bones, due to a disease i have,
i physically can not do barbell chest presses, it sucks at times but oh well i just do barbell it has less stress on my scapula
I believe its each to there own.
In circumstances like yours, it is perfectly fine and even recommended to stick to barbell exercises - to reduce the risk of injury.
However, since you mentioned your scapulae are abnormal, how do you find working out your back?
i have a form of scoliosis which sucks, but i pretty much do all the things most people do, EXPECT Lat pull down i have a massive issue with that, and due to my condition, i have my shoulder blades are touching my shoulders so..i have the most trouble with shoulders due to the fact i can not put my arms above my head but i try to work around it.
if wondering what its called
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy
I figured with scoliosis, majority of chest and back exercises will be out of bounds. Since most back exercises require the contraction of the scapulae to achieve a full range of motion.
Additionally, i'd imagine deadlifting will be out of bounds too. With your condition, i assume you stick to mainly machine exercises? and how do you benefit from this?
Many bodybuilders have actually in fact suffered from shoulder injuries, whether it be rotator cuff issues for example, thus tend not to do any overhead presses, yet still are able to develop significant amounts of muscle on their deltoids. I've got an example of a shoulder workout with no pressing movements, and would be interested to see how you benefit from this:
Shoulder Workout (With no overhead pressing)
(Exercise 1)
Dumbell Side Later Raises Superset with Rear Delts Reverse Raises (Lie chest down on incline bench)
3 Sets X 12 Each
(Exercise 2)
DB Hammer Grip Front Raises (raises DB with hammer grip across your body, almost like a hammer curl but keep your arm tight)
3 Sets x 12 Hammer Raise
(Exercise 3)
Cable Side Lateral Raise with pulley behind back Superset with Cable Upright Rows
3 Sets X 12 for Lateral Raise + 3 Sets X 20 Upright Rows
(Exercise 4)
Rear Delt Flyes on Cable station Superset with Plate Twists (Hold out plate in front on you like a steering wheel, rotate left to right)
3 Sets x 30 Seconds for Twists
(Exercise 5)
Plate Raises 3 Sets Until Failure
Hope this helps bro..
See its weird with my Condition apparently I'm bone on bone but, I still deadlift I just have a little longer rest and Always wear a belt
Squats I cant physically go ATG but I try to do it as best as I can,
That shoulder workout looks mad and im for sure going to use it man THANKS FOR THAT
I try to do them to the best I can, but at times ill need to modify something so it works for me
They both have their purpose in the gym that's for sure. However I feel that barbells place more stress on the joint as you are locked into a plain of movement that may not be natural and as such can cause damage where as if you use dumbbells not only are you remaining in a more natural plain of movement but you are also recruiting other stabilizing muscles that otherwise don't get used while barbell benching. All that aside I do use both to great effect. As for the stress on the joints correct me if I am wrong but it comes down to the form used on the movement that causes the damage to joints and connective tissue. Nice smooth controlled reps rather than jerky abrupt reps will ensure longevity in the gym and lessen injuries, which equates to more growth as you are not held up with injuries. I know where you are coming from in regards to contracting the muscle hard but that is just part of the equation. The other part is time under tension. So it's all good doing a certain amount of reps but why stop just because you have reached a certain number. Also just by doing a full rep isn't always the best thing to do. Pulsing is a great way of adding to the time under tension of the set. Anyway I have gone off the track a bit here sorry. I am not bagging you and saying you are wrong in my time training I have found things slightly different. Good post and keep on contributing mate.
Thanks bro, i appreciate your input.
There are many factors to consider when training, my write up came from a point of view where ones form was constant among many other factors (set up in a controlled fashion), so that the results could be exaggerated somewhat to illustrate my point.
I too agree and i use both - barbell and dumbbell, what i disagree with, is the use of only one piece of apparatus.
Not a problem mate. Do you know much about the time under tension technique?
That is something that i'm currently looking into bro.
I know the bro-science, lol, but that means nothing - so i'm reading a few journals at the moment.
God on ya.
I defiantly utilize both but i am partial to the dumbell press. I feel you can hit
different angles on your chest just by angling your palms inwards a bit.
I would give you a thumbs up if I could P. Good write up.
Good post P - Have some + points bro!
I tend to have both in my chest workout. I switch it up regularly but always include dumbell and barbell work.
Cool post. I like to mix them up but definately favor the dumbbell chest presses. I also like to throw in machine presses towards the end of a workout just to push the muscles a little differently and spend some time giving focus to the negatives.
+1 from me
Thanks bro!
Appreciate it.
Dumbells lift by my self most of the time. Much easier to just drop them than have a barbell sitting on your chest...
I'm a fan of mixing both up every few weeks.. I def don't like dumbells if I have a sore shoulder tho
It's always good to switch things up, best to use both..
BostonI agree.
I completely agree.
BostonYou can use heavier weights when using the barbell bench. For mass and strength go the the exercises that you can go heavier on. Thats how it works. Both exercises are great, i just feel that the barbell bench is the king.
Not necessarily bro.
Your muscles don't know how much weight is being used, what they do know is the amount of tension placed upon that specific muscle. So with dumbbells, all-be it, you may use a lighter load, but the range of motion is by far greater than barbell movements, thus gaining a deeper stretch, and a greater muscle contraction. That is how you facilitate muscle hypertrophy bro, stretch and contraction under tension in a controlled fashion
I agree 100%. Here is a good example. Take your max barbell bench weight and try to do it with dumbbells..Unless ya are just some kind of freak, it ain't going to happen. Thats why dumbbell presses are king for building muscles. Plus it builds your stabilizing muscles way better than barbell's do. Try it Boston, you will see that P isn't just making this up.
Dumbells made it so my shoulders didnt hurt. It also pushed all stabilizing muscles to work as well. More muscles working...more growth.
Always preffer DB presses than Barbell...good stuff.
BostonArnold didnt do them. Look at his chest. He was a barbell bench man. Im also 6'2" like arnold so perhaps barball is just more suited for tall fellows?
He done a lot of DB work. Watch "pumping iron"..
Im 6'4 bro and i always feel my chest more worked with DBs for somw reason, probably becuz of the range of motion u can get with the dbs...
Have you spoken to Arnold personally?
Perhaps through the video's you have seen, Arnold may have lifted more than he would have done there was no cameras around - and to facilitate this, he used a barbell.
Being a well rounded bodybuilder, i imagine he used both pieces of equipment, perhaps he used dumbbells to a greater extent when he was slightly weaker, but one cannot be certain without calling him up
BostonI met Arnold this year acually lol. But no, we didnt speak of this subject. Im just saying, theres a shitload of video and pics of arnold training. Find one with him doing dumbell benches. The man has one of the greatest chests of all times, no GH, no tren, no slin...BARBELL BENCH
hands down he had some big pigeon tits bro but you cant sit here and tell me he wasnt on the juice..
BostonI never said he wasnt on the juice. But back then those guys didnt have insulin, trenbolone, or hgh. Imagine arnold with all that!
StevebAnd I can push myself more without a spotter if I use dumbbells
You can be spotted using both pieces of equipment. However, it's safer to spot while carrying out barbell exercises, since if the bar drops, the spotter has one piece of equipment to retrieve. Additionally, the ranges of motion are greater for dumbbells, which is great for muscular hypertrophy, but not so good for spotting, since the dumbbels can rock front, back, side-to-side with a greater ease when compared to barbell movements