Barbell vs. Dumbell Bench Press for Mass

[GreenMountain]

Are dumbell bench presses really just as good for buiding mass? I get a great "feel" from doing the dumbells but I have a mental issue believeing they are as effective as heavy barbell bench presses. Please clear this up for me.

Also, when doing dumbell presses should you try to keep a constant distance between the hands throughout the movement or should your hands drift together and get narrower as you press the weight up?

 

[MarshallPenniford]

I would think that if you believe the barbell is more effective than DB's, then you would believe the Smith is more effective than the barbell, no?

 

[rippedup]

My chest is one of my best bodyparts and all I do is a few heavy sets of DB press (6-8 reps) and a few sets of dips.

No sissy cable cross-overs or other pec-deck...

 

[bigdelt69]

Ok, several things you must consider in this question
(Which is better for building mass; dumbells or barrbells?)
A traditional barrbell not only works the chest but also the front delts, tris, and lats. When doing a db press you are getting a greater stretch at the bottom of the movement. This is the area that works the chest the most. To best answer your question, it is my oppion that bb is the best mass builder. I have noticed that when I use all db's for my chest ( working tri's, back, and shoulder's on different days) my bb bench goes way down.

 

[gymtime]

Mass is more a matter of weight amount and intensity that what kind of apparatus you're using. DBs and bars both have their place in chest work. But I don't think one is inherently better than the other. Like bigdelt, my bar weight goes down when I use dbs, and vice versa. But that's not because I'm losing any strength or size, my muscles are simply adapting to whichever excercise I'm currrently doing most often.

 

[bigdelt69]

well said.

 

[coolcolj]

Dumbells are superior, more balancing required, greater stretch hence more intense contraction and thus more fibre recruitment

Plus you can vary the arc of the arms to change the stimulus from workout to workout. Narrow or wide from rep to rep, plams facing or palms down, any way you want it

 

[b fold the truth]

My thoughts are as follows...

Build mass through your entire body...that means your lats, shoulders, triceps, and chest...and as efficiently as possible. "If" people say that the dbells isolate the chest more, then it does so at the expense of working the shoulders, triceps, and lat less...

I have done flat dbell bench presses before...but always after flat bench press. I have even supersetted them before...talk about fun!!!!

B True

 

[coolcolj]

Dumbells require more synergists so how would they isolate better?

Barbells are more like machine vs the free float of a dumbell -relatively speaking that is - plus you don't need a spotter

Plus each side of the body gets equal load and work. The weaker side gets worked more intensely.

 

[onemind]

I believe its really more of prefrence which one works for you. I have done both and got grat results from both but my advice would be to switch them around till you find what works for you. I like dbs.

 

[b fold the truth]

Are we asking for Chest ONLY mass or MASS in general? The thread asked which one for MASS...I believe that the flat bench press works more muscles...therefore it builds more overall mass.

B True

 

[CytoMel]

Are we asking for Chest ONLY mass or MASS in general? The thread asked which one for MASS...I believe that the flat bench press works more muscles...therefore it builds more overall mass.

B True

You are right about that-barbells are better, also the smith machine SUCKS!

 

[coolcolj]

I disagree, the dumbells require more balancing and thus more muscles fibres are recruited. Great stretch also means more muscle fibres and recruited, and a more intense contraction is a result from the greater ROM and stretch.

 

[brian747478`]

I have seen big people do either of these, some primarily dumbell, others primarily barbell, but the thing they had in common, they were strong on which ever one they did. I personally like both, but that is just my opinion.
brian

 

[CytoMel]

Who says you need a bg pec stretch to build big pecs? When you go for that big dumbell stretch you can seriously fuck up your shoulders. As your barbell bench goes up your pecs will grow anyways.

 

[brian747478`]

i would hate to go for a really deep stretch with what i consider "heavy" dumbells. could be asking for some serious shoulder probs.

 

[b fold the truth]

brian,

I know you...I also know that you work out harder than most people in this world too. One thing that always keeps YOU growing is that you never focus too much on one exercise...you know when to switch...and you know what make you grow.

1) Intensity

2) Intelligence

B True

 

[Vortexx]

I go with B fold on this one OVERALL MASS = flat benchpress

MORE SPECIFIC CHEST MASS = Dumbell press

Some people get a good chest from benchpressing, others do not, but i dare to say that If heavy dumbell presses can not make your chest grow, that nothing else short of synthol will!!!

 

[CytoMel]

Both barbell and dumbell presses are the 2 best chest buiders-better than flyes so I say do both of them for the chest.

 

[rippedtrojan]

I would think that if you believe the barbell is more effective than DB's, then you would believe the Smith is more effective than the barbell, no?

that's just retarded.

 

[MarshallPenniford]

How so?

 

[CytoMel]

that's just retarded.

you are right, it makes no sense. I read some of hs posts and I dont understand him at all. Marshall, what do you mean about the smith machine? Do you use the smith machine or what?

 

[MarshallPenniford]

No, I use DB's. I'm not a fan of the BB's and I'm even less of a fan of pressing with the smith. But here's why I say this:

You can do the most weight with the smith, less with the BB, and even less with the DB's. The reason for this has to do with the stabilization involved with each movement.

If you are of the opinion that the BB is best for mass b/c you can do heavier weights with it, then it would follow that the smith would be even better, because you eliminate even more issues with the stabilizers and can push a heavier load.

I personally find the DB's to be a safer ROM and builds more overall stregnth, so I use them as much as possible.

Hope that made sense, let me know if not.

 

[rippedtrojan]

that's not true. the main reasons one would stay away from the smith machine are that they require no stabilization whatsoever. so the smith machine is exactly that, just a machine that most times bodybuilders and weight trainers stay away from. also, the smith machine can create some bad shear stresses on your knees.

 

[MarshallPenniford]

huh? what's not true? you didn't disagree with anything I said, in fact you used the same logic behind my original comment. Can you elaborate?

 

[GreenMountain]

Thanks for all the info and debate. I guess it comes down to using a variety of exercises with heavy loads and intensity. I guess my next question would be: Would you alternate db and bb bench presses from workout to workout, or would it be wiser to stick with one or the other until you switch workout programs?

 

[Haz]

I've always felt that dumbell presses worked the chest better. But for overall strength and mass, the barbell is probably the better choice. Personally I use both barbells and dumbells when working my chest. That way, I get the best of both worlds.

 

[Welsh power house]

Barbell by far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nevertoobig]

Barbell by far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no no no dumbell press puts more stress on the stabilizer muscles aswell as the chest.