Well they both are equal in my opinion and should be alternated..
The DB BP will help activate some stabilizer muscles, and what not, more concentration needed, harder to get into bench position.
Barbell, easier to get into position, can use a higher overall weight, personally BB BP seems to target my chest a little more, I think I can just use a wider grip, but I deffinetly would use them both interchangably. Tri's and forearms seem to get a little more work with DB's.. That's just personal observation, it will vary depending on your form.
Well, you have independant 3 degrees of freedom with DBs, so more stabilizers are drawn in.
However, in the end, you want to work your body as it functions, sometime you use both arms together, sometimes you use one only. Both are good and have thier place.
I read in Mens Health a few months back (cant remember which one) they did an article about barbell bench vs. dumbell press and the group that did barbell gained more strenght over a 8 week period than the dumbell group. I will take a peek at the magazine (if my wife hasnt tossed them out) and see if I can find the actual article.
Although I personally think you should mix it up every 6 to 8 weeks and alternate them into your program.
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Like jvernacchio said, it is important to switch up your program. The most effective exercise is the one that stimulates the most muscle growth or increase in contraction ability. Because the body adapts to handle what it is given, you have to change the exercises for the best results. Thus, DB Bench Press might be your best move...but in a few weeks, barbell will be more effective, or pullovers, or...
All I use is Dumbells, I have seen some and still seing some good gains. My whole workout is used with only dumbells. I have no idea what I could bench using a BB.
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It's best to mix them up as said above, but if I had to pick one, it would be DB's. Better stretch, more ROM, less shoulder impact, and it's just plain badass moving huge DB's.
I read in Mens Health a few months back (cant remember which one) they did an article about barbell bench vs. dumbell press and the group that did barbell gained more strenght over a 8 week period than the dumbell group. I will take a peek at the magazine (if my wife hasnt tossed them out) and see if I can find the actual article.
Although I personally think you should mix it up every 6 to 8 weeks and alternate them into your program.
no offense, but Men's Health is the last thing I'd quote a study from. If I could rename that mag, it'd be called Metrosexual's Health.
barbell and DB are both good. DB's give you a little better range of motion, and you can more easily squeeze the pecs hard at the top for that extra pump.
no offense, but Men's Health is the last thing I'd quote a study from. If I could rename that mag, it'd be called Metrosexual's Health.
barbell and DB are both good. DB's give you a little better range of motion, and you can more easily squeeze the pecs hard at the top for that extra pump.
MH is getting back to the "non-suck" category, at least with fitness and nutrition info. Adam Campbell, Bill Hartman and others are putting out some pretty good stuff lately.
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no offense, but Men's Health is the last thing I'd quote a study from. If I could rename that mag, it'd be called Metrosexual's Health.
barbell and DB are both good. DB's give you a little better range of motion, and you can more easily squeeze the pecs hard at the top for that extra pump.
I am not saying its the end all be all of magazines for health but it was a study done by some physicians/scientists in germany that they quoted the numbers from so it looked pretty real and honest. Of course in any study the numbers can be skewed but hey its all relevant.
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I think I tend to agree with NewLife. Given the choice, I'd go with DB's for the reasons he listed. I would imagine that strength gains are much bigger for BB's, simply because most folks can load more weight on the bar. But you don't get the benefit of strengthening all of those stabilizer muscles...
E
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I was reading recently that dumbell can create imbalances as we all all have predminant strength in one arm or the other. they were suggestin that barbell is beter because the weeker arm gets forced to work harder and therefore bring strength back into equilibrium.
Flipside of the argument would be if you are watching your form or training with a bud they would be watching you on dumbells to make sure you were pushing both equaly, not so easy on your own tho
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I was reading recently that dumbell can create imbalances as we all all have predminant strength in one arm or the other. they were suggestin that barbell is beter because the weeker arm gets forced to work harder and therefore bring strength back into equilibrium.
Flipside of the argument would be if you are watching your form or training with a bud they would be watching you on dumbells to make sure you were pushing both equaly, not so easy on your own tho
This one confuses me -- as long as both dumbbells are the same weight, how could they exacerbate an imbalance?
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This one confuses me -- as long as both dumbbells are the same weight, how could they exacerbate an imbalance?
Both DB's are the same weight. The weaker arm still has to complete the same amount of work. With a barbell, you could shift the weight slightly to your stronger side, and I would have to think the weaker arm would not catch up. DB's have helped me greatly. Both my DB press, and Barbell press numbers have improved with cycles of using only DB's. They are the cat's ass. (I always wanted to use that, so thanks)
I'm much better in bed now too because of my DB use.
Both DB's are the same weight. The weaker arm still has to complete the same amount of work. With a barbell, you could shift the weight slightly to your stronger side, and I would have to think the weaker arm would not catch up. DB's have helped me greatly. Both my DB press, and Barbell press numbers have improved with cycles of using only DB's. They are the cat's ass. (I always wanted to use that, so thanks)
I'm much better in bed now too because of my DB use.
I'm with you Newlife, but that's the opposite of what BFG said, hence my confusion.
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I was reading recently that dumbell can create imbalances as we all all have predminant strength in one arm or the other. they were suggestin that barbell is beter because the weeker arm gets forced to work harder and therefore bring strength back into equilibrium.
Flipside of the argument would be if you are watching your form or training with a bud they would be watching you on dumbells to make sure you were pushing both equaly, not so easy on your own tho
It's actually the other way around. Unilateral movements (even when you're pressing both at the same time, DB's are still a unilateral movement cause each arm has an independent resistance) are better for balance. In bilateral movements (with a BB) the body will naturally favor the stronger side, creating (or making worse) an imbalance.
In answer to the original question, no one way is better than any other, just different. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and both should be utilized to reap the benefits of both. This is the case with most things is fitness, there aren't many things that are 'better' than something else similar, just different. Unless you're talking about squats vs. leg extension or something stupid like that, then obviously there is a superior method (the squat).
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wasnt saying I agreed with it just saying I read it Was after others input as I ws of the same conclusion as others so I wondered if there was some logic in it I was missing
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BFG
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I was reading recently that dumbell can create imbalances as we all all have predminant strength in one arm or the other. they were suggestin that barbell is beter because the weeker arm gets forced to work harder and therefore bring strength back into equilibrium.
I figure that if the weaker side were somehow able to work harder to rectify the imbalance, without specific intervention by the trainee, then you'd never have an imbalance; your weaker side would always be bringing itself back to equal strength. I would guess this would hold true for dumbbells and barbells.
Note that I realise you are repeating something you have read and don't necessary subscribe to the view yourself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BFG
Flipside of the argument would be if you are watching your form or training with a bud they would be watching you on dumbells to make sure you were pushing both equaly, not so easy on your own tho
Australian strength coach Ian King has a good line in this regard. He suggests that you work your weakest side first and that you may need to add additional sets to work the weaker side more to build strength. You may also need to drop the volume and intensity of the the stronger side until you have achieved balance with the weaker side.
. You may also need to drop the volume and intensity of the the stronger side until you have achieved balance with the weaker side.
Ian
funny enough that was what the article was insinuating about employing a barbell ie
that as the muscle in one arm is stronger it has the ability to perform harder however you are limiting this by the fact that the weaker arm can only achieve the lift at that weight....hence the weaker arm shall get stronger and balance will be restored.
Would have helped if I had put that up earlier but brain wasnt thinking straight !!!!!!!!!!
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BFG
"The time for talking has passed, actions are speaking louder than words."
I heard that benchpressing with dumbells is more effective than with a barbell.
:p 
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