First off, let me say that I much prefer the barbell bench to the dumbbell bench.
However, due to a surgery I had a few months ago on my elbow, I’m having a harder time with a barbell bench. The DB bench feels much better on the elbow. However, will this have any carryover to my barbell bench?
Basically, what I’m asking is this - will the DB bench have any carryover to my BB bench max? I know this is a stupid question, but it just seems to me like I don’t get anywhere near as good of a workout from the DB Bench compared to the BB Bench.
It makes sense that it would carry over, I don’t see why it wouldn’t.
The vast majority of my benching is with DBs. I’ve increased my DB benching significantly. Though I don’t barbell bench often (usually close-grip), my barbell benching has improved. Though keep in mind I am a beginner (lifting consistently since Oct), so I’d probably progress doing just about anything. I could probably whack off more and increase my bench.
It has done for me in the past. But relative to my barbell strength, my dumbbell strength sucks. For someone more well balanced it may not have. BUT if you can get considerbly stronger with dumbbells during the enforced time off from barbell benching I really don’t see how you could fail to make an improvement.
Unless you’re training for a competitive flat barbell bench (i.e. powerlifting), I don’t see why you don’t give DB training a chance for a while. You might like the way it affects your arms and improves your unilateral strength.
I have arthritic elbows and shoulders. I do floor pressing because it is a lot easier on my shoulders but conversly it is harder on my elbows. Dumbells really make the elbows crack but my doctor prefers them because I can keep my arms close to my body. Therefore, I do dumbell floor pressing on alternating upper body days instead of the barbell and I have had success desite the sound effects.
In my experience there is SOME carryover, but any extended time off from locking out the heavier weights that BBs will allow you to lock out, will be detrimental to your bb bench. But if you cant bench you cant bench, so just get as strong as possible on the DBs
I’m actually considering non-locked out dumbbell press as an assistance exercise as part of an upcoming cycle.
Theory being, my triceps get fried on reps but my chest could go all day. Where as for heavier 3-5reps I fail near the bottom.
I figure doing full ROM dumbbell presses and then when I can’t lock them out any more moving to half/three quarter reppers might let me hit my pecs that little bit harder.
Due to bone spurs I can’t lock my right elbow out anyway. I would think that if your pecs were the priority in the movement that locking out isn’t mandatory.
[quote]JRT6 wrote:
Due to bone spurs I can’t lock my right elbow out anyway. I would think that if your pecs were the priority in the movement that locking out isn’t mandatory. [/quote]
Bodybuilding it dosen’t really matter IMO but in strength sports the lock is critical. Never the less I don’t think every exercise have to be taken to lockout.