Chest: barbell vs dumbells

[RGC3]

BB is great for power lifting and ego boosting....AKA the king of the upper body exercises (because everybody does it).

DB is a great bodybuilding exercise for the chest.

IMO doing both will develope the best chest development. I do bb incline then flat DB. The next chest workout, I'll do incline DB then flat BB. I suggest switching all exercises between dumbells and barbells....don't just stick to one over the other.

 

[The Dude]

Does the 2 or 3 inches makes difference in terms of pecs workout?
Besides avoiding injuries.

Compared with dumbbells, no. Everyone says they get a greater range of motion with dumbbells, but stop and think about it as you're doing it. Yes, you get that range of motion at the top when you bring them together. However, on the bottom (unless you're turning them and dropping them very low), you're getting LESS range of motion compared with barbells that are brought all the way down to the chest. If you stop a few inches shy of your chest with barbells, you'll be getting the exact same range of motion that you do with dumbbells. Compare them as you do them next time and you'll see what I mean.

 

[aurelius]

I use dumbells up to 80% 1rep max to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder so when I load up the barbell I don´t rip it.(and avoid starting another "help, my shoulder!" thread)

Also, at the bottom I twist the hands so my wrist face eachother.

 

[CytoMel]

How can you say one is better than the other when you stated that you have not done dumbell presses?

Actually I meant that I havent done heavy dumbell presses in 12 months. I used to do them all the time in my bb training days.

Also all the rippng on barbell bench presses is BULLSHIT! If bodybuilders knew how to bench properly-bringing the bar to the lower chest and pressing straight back up then there wouldnt be such a large amount of shoulder problems

Dont barbell bench like the fools in the bodybuiding mags.

I just benched over 400 lbs in a powerlifting contest a few weeks ago.

If you want to bench some respectable weight and if you want real pecs then come over to the powerlifting forum and we can help you out.

 

[aurelius]

If someone made the slightest remark or gave me trouble, I would hit them over the head."

Cyto, did you take this quote from Samuel L. Fussel´s book?

 

[KILLER2001]

I love the dumbells. Since i began using them my chest has continued to grow, and hasnt stopped. The bar hurt my shoulders at the heavier weight.

 

[b fold the truth]

Few thoughts...

*You get a better stretch with dbells.
.....maybe as already pointed out...IF you go wayyy deep with them. Seems as if this might put more stress on the pec insertions leading to injuries.

*Barbells lead to shoulder injuries.
.....Bad form leads to shoulder injuries, as well as muscle imbalances. Both can be corrected.

*Barbells lead to pec tears.
.....I still feel that the super stretch that you might get with dbells can lead to this even more.

*Dbells isolate the muscle more.
.....They probably do...but then you have to do other exercises to isolate all of the muscles that weren't hit because you did dbells.

*Barbells are good to "feed the ego".
.....I tend to find that those who refuse to use the flat bench press because of this reason have very poor flat benches. Maybe (just a maybe here too, seriously) people can not take the ego crash of not bench pressing very much in front of their friends.

Just a few random thoughts.

B True