[Berzerker]

What do you think is better for building mass and strength?


Berz out.

[RRxtar]

i think barbell because you can put significantly more power into it since you arent working as hard to keep it up and ballanced.

[SkinnyPupp]

Depends on the exercise.

[RayBot]

Barbell is better for your stability, so other muscles that control your stability will also be developed at the same time.

If you do bench presses with dumbells and a barbell, you'll totally feel the difference. With dumbells, it will focus directly with the muscle group, i guess in this case, your chest. When you do the exact same weights but with a barbell, you'll also feel your muscles in your back and sides doing work while you're trying to balance the barbell perfectly.

At least this what i have noticed.

[SkinnyPupp]

Barbell is better for your stability, so other muscles that control your stability will also be developed at the same time.

If you do bench presses with dumbells and a barbell, you'll totally feel the difference. With dumbells, it will focus directly with the muscle group, i guess in this case, your chest. When you do the exact same weights but with a barbell, you'll also feel your muscles in your back and sides doing work while you're trying to balance the barbell perfectly.

At least this what i have noticed.
I think you're getting the two mixed up

[RayBot]

I think you're getting the two mixed up


I don't think i got the two mixed up...well, i hope not at least. I find it more challenging forcing my arms to be completely level with a dumbell than pressing two identical weights on each arm....but thats probably just me. Especially when the weights are really far off to your sides as well.

[JSilver]

I don't think i got the two mixed up...well, i hope not at least. I find it more challenging forcing my arms to be completely level with a dumbell than pressing two identical weights on each arm....but thats probably just me. Especially when the weights are really far off to your sides as well.
I don't know, I get the opposite. I find it more difficult pressing a barbell to be leveled on each arm than when I press with dumbbells.

Everyone's different though.

[diesel_test]

definately barbell for size and strength.

[Sid Vicious]

Barbell > dumbbells in almost every conceivable way
the strength gains from barbell cleans, barbell bench, and barbell squat are superior to dumbbells

however, i do like certain dumbbell presses with one arm to work the weaker arm

[RRxtar]

i do 27* incline dumbell presses and flat barbell bench press

i do 85* dumbell shoulder presses and 70* barbell shoulder presses

[civicyvr]

Barbell better for mass and strength.

Dumbells better for stabilizers, ROM, and core.

GL

[Berzerker]

I find that using dumbells gives me a way better burn and I can really rep out with them (I dont always have a spotter) I also find it easier to "cheat" using a barbell as you can recruit other muscles to help push up.

I actually haven't benched heavy with a Barbell in a long time......

Berz out.

[jakobi]

either one can add mass or strength...

[hal0g0dv2]

I find that using dumbells gives me a way better burn and I can really rep out with them (I dont always have a spotter) I also find it easier to "cheat" using a barbell as you can recruit other muscles to help push up.

I actually haven't benched heavy with a Barbell in a long time......

Berz out.

ya people cheat with there back all the time, like arch it big time. also i love when people bounce the weight off there chest. anyone can do a ton of weight by bouncing it off there chest

[BlackV62K2]

I've mainly done dumbell presses for chest since I've started working out. I might have done the barbell a handful of times. I find the barbell more uncomfortable for some reason. Plus I workout alone so the dumbell is more safe since I can drop the weights on the side.

My dumbell press is currently @ 100s (200 combined).

[SkinnyPupp]

Dammit I need a better gym, dumbells only go up to 75 lbs at home :(

[hal0g0dv2]

Dammit I need a better gym, dumbells only go up to 75 lbs at home :(

you workout at home ? is it hard to get motivated

[SkinnyPupp]

you workout at home ? is it hard to get motivated
Not literally at home, just a small gym at the clubhouse where I live. It's not hard to get motivated at all, because it takes me 5 minutes to prepare and get down to the gym every other day.

Granted, I have been getting like 4-6 hours of sleep all week, so haven't been there since last Wednesday :(

[racerman88]

dumbells will work your stabilzer muscles as well, comes to personal preference

[civicyvr]

I find that using dumbells gives me a way better burn and I can really rep out with them (I dont always have a spotter) I also find it easier to "cheat" using a barbell as you can recruit other muscles to help push up.

I actually haven't benched heavy with a Barbell in a long time......

Berz out.

Well, if it works for your situation then cool.

In general, barbells are better for strenght/mass due to the fact you don't have to worry about stabilizing the weight as much as dumbells and you can cheat if you want to use heavier weight.

It would be good to switch it up though unless you have an injury.

[Wagonized]

different people respond differently to each exercise.

for me personally i gain strength and mass much more quickly when I use dumbells for my pressing movements. But Im a fairly strong guy and unfortunately most gyms dont have heavy enough dumbells for me to go into the low rep range that I need to. So I switch to barbell for my heavy sets.

its all about trial and error and what you personally respond best to.

[diesel_test]

I've mainly done dumbell presses for chest since I've started working out. I might have done the barbell a handful of times. I find the barbell more uncomfortable for some reason. Plus I workout alone so the dumbell is more safe since I can drop the weights on the side.

My dumbell press is currently @ 100s (200 combined).

holy crap man. how much do you bench press?


I bench 2 plates each side in the 8-10 rep range without a spotter. For dumbells, i do 85's.

[hal0g0dv2]

i did dumbell bench press tonight and my shoulders kill for some reason

[kAzE-]

barbell: because you can put more weight on a barbell then on a dumbell.

[JSilver]

^ Lol...

[BlackV62K2]

holy crap man. how much do you bench press?


I bench 2 plates each side in the 8-10 rep range without a spotter. For dumbells, i do 85's.

Hmm no idea. I've never really done a proper chest workout via bench press using the barbell.

[kAzE-]

^ Lol...

Obviously you don't under stand how the body works. If you put the body under more load, it goes under greater stresses and greater adaptations. Greater stress and greater adaptation means more strength and more mass.

In other words, it's easier to put 300 lbs on a barbell than it is to find two 150+lb dumbells; not to mention that 150lbs dumbells are ungainly and awkward to hold.

Additionally, to answer a previous post, being able to bench press 100lb dumbells doesn't necessarily mean that they will be able to out bench someone who benches using a barbell. I can do 100lb dbs bench presses for reps but only 225 lb on the barbell bench press.

[azndvdiz]

When doing my last set on barbell bench, My right chest tends to be alot more weaker, must be cause i'm left handed lol. But Since doing dumbell bench, The my right side is slowly catching up with my left. :D

[trancehead]

Barbell better for mass and strength.

Dumbells better for stabilizers, ROM, and core.

GL

something like that.

but it never hurts to do both. i used to switch it up every week

[tough]

barbell for size

[hal0g0dv2]

Obviously you don't under stand how the body works. If you put the body under more load, it goes under greater stresses and greater adaptations. Greater stress and greater adaptation means more strength and more mass.

In other words, it's easier to put 300 lbs on a barbell than it is to find two 150+lb dumbells; not to mention that 150lbs dumbells are ungainly and awkward to hold.

Additionally, to answer a previous post, being able to bench press 100lb dumbells doesn't necessarily mean that they will be able to out bench someone who benches using a barbell. I can do 100lb dbs bench presses for reps but only 225 lb on the barbell bench press.

ya i use to be able to do 100's but not i stick to the bar more, i find it really triggers my left shoulder doing dunbells so i drop down to like 75-80ish now.
helps on the shoulder, just like dunbell shoulder press i always do the bar now on the squat rack with the seat

[Berzerker]

I do dumbells on the flat bench and I do incline with a bar. I get a weird tweak in my shoulder when I do flat bench with a barbell. I too am at the 100lb mark with db's but really have no idea what I can do with a barbell currently lol.

Berz out.

[BlackV62K2]

Lots of buff dudes on RS. More so than I thought lol.

[hal0g0dv2]

I do dumbells on the flat bench and I do incline with a bar. I get a weird tweak in my shoulder when I do flat bench with a barbell. I too am at the 100lb mark with db's but really have no idea what I can do with a barbell currently lol.

Berz out.

what do you do on incline bar if you don't mind me asking ? i find i cant do as much on flat which is normal. do u ever do decline bar i like doing that sometimes

[Berzerker]

Yesterday I started 2 warm up sets of 40's doing 15 reps. Then with flat bench DB first set of 12@80 2nd set of 10@85 3rd set 8@90 4th set 8@ 100 (maxed) then dropped down to 80's right after and repped those out.

I was inclining 1 set 45/25(each side) 2nd 45/25/10 3rd and 4th 45/10 all were sets of 6-8 on the squat rack (smith machine?)

Then decline after that I was doing 45/35 for 4 sets repping out each set.

I finished with dips. Hmm I forgot to do fly's lol.

I was also doing Triceps in between chest sets during my rest phase for chest.

Berz out.

[SizzleChest]

they are both going to build mass equally so long as you are able perform the exercise properly. the particular exercise being performed and the number of repetitions, sets, weight and form play a much bigger factor.

[Rebbie]

just do both! if your working out alone i would go with the dumbell if you have a spot i would go with the barbell, but i would do both. set of flat barbell then flat free. feel the burn