# Bench Problem



## ORACLE (Jan 9, 2005)

ok...here's the situation.  First of all my bench routine.  I do the basic bench excercises so i'm not gonna go into detail of that.  But i will mention that i do alternate from barbell to dumbell on flat and incline and i also change up which of those i do first.  

My problem is this.  On Monday I started of with Incline bench using dumbbells.  Moving over to Flat bench using the barbell i noticed i was struggling with what i would consider light weight 295lbs.  I thought it was my left shoulder since it was bothering me throughout the movements or it could have been that i was still fatigued from the incline.  So i opted to go to flat bench dumbbells instead.  For some reason i had no problems using the 100lb dumbbells.  infact they were quite easy.  Considering that more balance is needed from the stabalizing muscles (left arm in my case) why would this excercise seem easier.?


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## wacobeshears (Jan 9, 2005)

I hear what your saying, I've experienced the same thing.  I thought it was just my love for dumbbells, I think that even though it takes more to stabilize the dumbbell themselves the feel and the grip some how just make it easier to press-I guess the same reason that it should be more difficult is the exact reason its not.  Stabilization, yes, but you also have the ability to move the weight around so that you can get under it(so to speak)  whereas barbell has you in a fixed position through out the movement....................................................................but that could just be a mental thing I have going on.


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## ORACLE (Jan 9, 2005)

Hmmm....good point about the freedom of the dumbells.


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## Robin Hood (Jan 9, 2005)

Funny.....in the Gym you will HARDLY see me use barbells.....i use dumbells also to the fact, that i train alone and its difficult to get a spotter sometimes...In my humble oppinion.....DUMBELLS RULES!!!


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## ORACLE (Jan 9, 2005)

Robin Hood said:
			
		

> Funny.....in the Gym you will HARDLY see me use barbells.....i use dumbells also to the fact, that i train alone and its difficult to get a spotter sometimes...In my humble oppinion.....DUMBELLS RULES!!!



I like the range of dumbbells but i use both to keep my muscles guessing i suppose.  Although now after all this time dumbbells seem to be my favorite, it feels like there's more power involved.....plus i like to hear the clanging of them when they hit together at the top.


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## wacobeshears (Jan 9, 2005)

I agree, I've always been pretty partial to dumbbells.  More growth for the buck.


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## DragonRider (Jan 9, 2005)

oracle said:
			
		

> ok...here's the situation.  First of all my bench routine.  I do the basic bench excercises so i'm not gonna go into detail of that.  But i will mention that i do alternate from barbell to dumbell on flat and incline and i also change up which of those i do first.
> 
> My problem is this.  On Monday I started of with Incline bench using dumbbells.  Moving over to Flat bench using the barbell i noticed i was struggling with what i would consider light weight 295lbs.  I thought it was my left shoulder since it was bothering me throughout the movements or it could have been that i was still fatigued from the incline.  So i opted to go to flat bench dumbbells instead.  For some reason i had no problems using the 100lb dumbbells.  infact they were quite easy.  Considering that more balance is needed from the stabalizing muscles (left arm in my case) why would this excercise seem easier.?



First off, I have the same exact problem. If I do inclines first it hurts my flat bench weight. That is normal.
Second, you have to consider that even though they are 100lb dumbells, that is still 200lbs total. That is 95 lbs less than what you had on the barbell. I guarantee that if you dropped the weight on the barbell to 205, you would have experienced the same thing.
Third, the debate over dumbells vs. barbells will never end. My position is and always will be, that the exercise that allows you to lift the most weight will produce the most muscle at the end of the day. Therefore a barbell bench will always be superior to the dumbell bench. The only people who make an argument for dumbells are people who are mad because they can't bench 350 or better. I'm sorry, get over it. That is just DR's humble opinion.


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## ORACLE (Jan 9, 2005)

On my last cycle i did dumbbell flat bench only (i normally don't like this excercise using heavier weights because it's difficult for me to lay back and get positioned) with that said i decided to go to barbell flat.  At this point 100lb dumbbells was pretty much what i used but going to the barbell i noticed i had gotten alot stronger.  So were as i could only rep out at 6-7 on dumbbells my flat increased tremendously to over 335 for 6 reps.  So going by what you said DR how could that be.


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## DragonRider (Jan 9, 2005)

I think it's good to incorporate both at different times. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that dumbells are useless or should not be incorporated. I just think that generally speaking, the flat barbell bench is king of the chest mass builders.
I'm open to others opinions and why they believe that way.


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## ORACLE (Jan 9, 2005)

but why would it be that i "max" out if you will on 100lb dumbbells / 200lbs combined when on a flat bench i'm able to do well over 300lbs?  I somewhat disagree on barbell being the king of mass building for the chest because it requires alot more of the fast twitch musles and stabalizers and so on to do the dumbbell presses.  obviously making the chest work harder.


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## Robin Hood (Jan 9, 2005)

What i have heard is, that when you do bench with a bar, MORE muscles is being used than with dumbells.......dumbels is an isolation tool..ie it isolate only certain muscles..Lets say i was a sculpture.....i would use a dumbell for carvings....as i will be more accurate where to work on.....thats why, i like my dumbells and uses it about 99%..


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## pincrusher (Jan 10, 2005)

DragonRider said:
			
		

> . The only people who make an argument for dumbells are people who are mad because they can't bench 350 or better. I'm sorry, get over it. That is just DR's humble opinion.


i guess this is me then cause i cant bench 350 and prefer dumbells to barbells.  to me dumbells allow for a greater range of motion and i can get the pectoral muscle to contract much better than i can when using a bar. because the dumbells allow me to get my hands closer together at the top it causes the pecs to flex harder so even though i am using a lighter overall weight my workouts are much better.  my chest isnt exactly small either  
with the barbell people tend to use their triceps & front delt muscles to much and have a harder time contracting their pecs.

same thing goes for leg size. most people will agree that you cant build big legs unless you squat alot but i hardly ever squat due to a bad knee but my legs aint exactly small either. i rely on leg presses, hack squats, leg extentions & lunges for quad development and my legs have somehow managed to hit 28+"

oh, and on a side note, over 80% of all injuries in the gym occur when doing flat bench barbell presses.


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## imdaman1 (Jan 17, 2005)

I can't bench that much either.  I won't say that dumbbells are "better" - that's ridiculous, in my opinion.  I believe dumbbells and barbells are equally important.


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## DragonRider (Jan 17, 2005)

pincrusher said:
			
		

> i guess this is me then cause i cant bench 350 and prefer dumbells to barbells.


Just for the record, I don't bench over 350 myself. So, I'm not trying to act superior or anything. I have just made an observation over my many years that people with big bench weights do not make an argument for dumbells OVER barbells.


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## pincrusher (Jan 17, 2005)

DragonRider said:
			
		

> Just for the record, I don't bench over 350 myself. So, I'm not trying to act superior or anything. I have just made an observation over my many years that people with big bench weights do not make an argument for dumbells OVER barbells.


i guess the key is more in how well you can control the pectoral muscles when benching versus how much you can lift. for people with large chests who use heavy weights, they have a better ability to focus their energy on flexing the pecs more than relying on triceps & front deltoids.
most powerlifters will have an imbalance betwen triceps & front delts versus pectoral muscles. most of the strength to move the ridicuously heavy weights they move is not coming from their pecs but rather their triceps & delts.
bodybuilders are best to use whatever method stimulates the pecs the best whether it is dumbells or barbells. personally i find that i get better pectoral stimulation out of dumbells but that is just me where others can stimulate the pecs just as good if not better with barbells.
i think we can agree to disagree slightly here with what we feel works best


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## pincrusher (Jan 17, 2005)

if you guys want motivation, here is a link to a very impressive hammer strength bench press by a member of another site. his name is inhuman and you will see why when you watch the video.

http://oldschoolbodybuilding.com/index.php?showtopic=588
just click on the part where is says hammer incline mpg


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## DragonRider (Jan 18, 2005)

That's only 630, what a puss. J/K, I wish I could throw around that kind of weight. As a matter of fact, I wish I could afford some hammer eqiupment. I work out at home.


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## imdaman1 (Jan 18, 2005)

What kind of equipment you got DR?  I've got a bench and some dumbbells and shit - but I never use them.  I train at Gold's.


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## DragonRider (Jan 18, 2005)

imdaman1 said:
			
		

> What kind of equipment you got DR?  I've got a bench and some dumbbells and shit - but I never use them.  I train at Gold's.


I've collected for a number of years. I have a little over 600lbs of olympic plates, 2 Olympic bars and dumbells ranging from 5 to 60lbs. I have a good bench with a lat tower, so I can do about any movement I wish. I just wish I had access to Hammer strength for some of my back movements. Working out at home has it's advantages and disadvantages. I workout whenever I want (even Holidays) and I never wait in line.


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## imdaman1 (Jan 18, 2005)

DragonRider said:
			
		

> I've collected for a number of years. I have a little over 600lbs of olympic plates, 2 Olympic bars and dumbells ranging from 5 to 60lbs. I have a good bench with a lat tower, so I can do about any movement I wish. I just wish I had access to Hammer strength for some of my back movements. Working out at home has it's advantages and disadvantages. I workout whenever I want (even Holidays) and I never wait in line.



I like Gold's.  I could never afford to buy all of the equipment that I like to use - leg press, squat rack, calf machines, etc.  I also use several of the Hammer Strength machines for my upper body.  They are well-designed and very effective, in my opinion.


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## samurai69 (Jan 18, 2005)

wacobeshears said:
			
		

> I hear what your saying, I've experienced the same thing.  I thought it was just my love for dumbbells, I think that even though it takes more to stabilize the dumbbell themselves the feel and the grip some how just make it easier to press-I guess the same reason that it should be more difficult is the exact reason its not.  Stabilization, yes, but you also have the ability to move the weight around so that you can get under it(so to speak)  whereas barbell has you in a fixed position through out the movement....................................................................but that could just be a mental thing I have going on.



Because in the d bell press the rotator cuff muscles, lats other stabilizers  and front delts are used more, so effectively you are using more overall muscle to move the weight


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