I like both… compound movements like incline, bench are great to pack on size plus I just like pushing heavier weight. Dumbbells allow a greater range of motion… You can get a good stretch on them. They shape my chest better it seems.
I can press the same weight on dumbells as I can with a barbell… I think thats a little odd, but I definitely like using them better for chest stimulation. I can actually feel the pecs working the entire time where as my triceps and shoulders feel barbells more. I also really like the hammer strength incline press machine, but the gyms I have access too don’t carry them unfortunately.
I am going to go against the mold here and say that I like BB better than DB. I can pack on more weight on the BB which I like. I also work back the same day as chest I like the fact it works more muscle with every lift. I pick compound exercises over isolation any day. Not saying the DB isolate your chest only but I would say they do more than BB.
I do like them both and I do both all the time. BB is one of my favorite lifts though right under squats and deadlifts. I am a big fan of getting the most out of every lift.
My gym only has 110 pound DB which I can pump out 14 on a flat bench. Not the best exercise for strength. Itâ??s going to be a while to go until I can get my incline DB up there. Until then the DBâ??s will be a part of my workouts.
Do any of you guys hit the incline BB bench bench press if you’ve already done the Flat BB bench press…or do you cycle them instead…main movement Inclines, then switch to DB’s for flat and vice versa?
Is there a point in doing 2 heavy movements like that with the BB or is that kinda asking for an injury (granted you are going heavy n hard)…is it better to do on a seperate day (say shoulder day)?
[quote]rasturai wrote:
Do any of you guys hit the incline BB bench bench press if you’ve already done the Flat BB bench press…or do you cycle them instead…main movement Inclines, then switch to DB’s for flat and vice versa?
[/quote]
To answer your question a lot of people will do two or three pressing chest movements in a workout, others (like me) will only do one and cycle the movements between workouts.
Depends if your on a split routine or a total body routine, someone on a split might only be hitting their chest once a week so it makes sense to hit it from all angles then let it recover, a total body trainer might do the same ammount of work but split it up over 3 or 4 sessions in that week.
As for my opinions in this topic, I only use BB for floor/lockout pressing.
The cable flyes from the video, as said by DANNYRAT I find it worthless standed as if you use decent weight it’s harder to stop yourself from falling back than move it, wheel up a bench fully raised as if you were gonna do seated military press.
I usualy do 2 heavy chest movements. I swich them up all the time.
For chest, I use incline BB, and flat DB.
I use CGBP for tris, but probably get a little bit of chest done with this as well.
[quote]Dave_ wrote:
For chest, I use incline BB, and flat DB.
[/quote]
Any particular reason?
I only ask because the couple of bigger dudes at my gym do the opposite.
[quote]rasturai wrote:
Do any of you guys hit the incline BB bench bench press if you’ve already done the Flat BB bench press…or do you cycle them instead…main movement Inclines, then switch to DB’s for flat and vice versa?
Is there a point in doing 2 heavy movements like that with the BB or is that kinda asking for an injury (granted you are going heavy n hard)…is it better to do on a seperate day (say shoulder day)?[/quote]
I do 5 sets BB flat bench with two worksets, 4 sets CGBP with two worksets, 4 sets BB inclines with two worksets and 3 sets flys with one workset. Non worksets are all warmups. I’ve packed about 50 pounds on my bench maybe more these past 10 months doing this program.
I bench with a pretty wide grip, yet I still keep my elbows tucked and I always go heavy, never really above 6 reps on any set except BB inclines. I’m very chest dominant and BB benching works wonders for my chest.
I think a lot of this injury stuff is more related to not warming up properly rather than BB benching itself. This notion that BB benching is the devil, is absolutely a myth. I haven’t had the slightest injury from BB benching, knock on wood, and the only thing I did suffer was some bicep tendonitis I got from drunk wrestling a friend, and that led to some discomfort on the bench that was gone after a few weeks.
BB pressing is great and I think Ronnie Coleman would agree with me! Haha, but mix it up too, I rarely do DB’s, but throw them in there if you want, it’s not going to hurt.
And to whoever said BB bench recruits more muscle than DB and that’s why we can do more on BB bench, is kind of wrong. In my opinion we use more muscle doing DB presses in the sence that stabalizer muscles come more into play as we DB bench. The reason DB presses are lighter is because there are more variables when DB benching. On BB bench, your hands are on the bar and in a fixed position, you will not be able to change the angle of the lift as once you unrack the bar, the distance you have to push will remain constant. DBs, on the other hand, can go all over the place and thus require more effort, your tuck is going to be different and most likely less efficient, and you also have to worry about these DB’s wobbling all over the place lol…Anyways I will always <3 BB benching.
[quote]lens_d wrote:
My gym only has 110 pound DB which I can pump out 14 on a flat bench. Not the best exercise for strength. It�¢??s going to be a while to go until I can get my incline DB up there. Until then the DB�¢??s will be a part of my workouts.
[/quote]
You’re going to need a video for anyone to believe that. I don’t mean to be a dick but these e-stats are getting rediculous.
1/4 rep partials dont count. The dumbells should touch your chest at the bottom.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
Dave_ wrote:
For chest, I use incline BB, and flat DB.
Any particular reason?
I only ask because the couple of bigger dudes at my gym do the opposite.[/quote]
Flat bench, when performed with a medium/wide grip (to emphasise my chest) irritates my shoulders a lot. I find that this doesn’t happen with incline bench. I can have a reasonable wide grip with no shoulder issues at all. Much better stretch at the bottom too, compared to flat.
As for DBs, I actually quite like doing these on an incline, but as I am already using an incline for my BB movement I opt for flat DB bench instead. It gives a good stretch, and I find it much easier to set up for than it’s incline counterpart.
I’ve always found it very hard to work my chest, as I seem to be very arm dominant. Through a lot of trial and error I have found the above combo to be very effective way to hit my chest. I also don’t completely lock out at the elbows, stopping maybe 1/3 from full lockout.
I do of course still use flat bench a lot, but it’s the close grip variant - to hit triceps.
[quote]Dave_ wrote:
countingbeans wrote:
Dave_ wrote:
For chest, I use incline BB, and flat DB.
Any particular reason?
I only ask because the couple of bigger dudes at my gym do the opposite.
Flat bench, when performed with a medium/wide grip (to emphasise my chest) irritates my shoulders a lot. I find that this doesn’t happen with incline bench. I can have a reasonable wide grip with no shoulder issues at all. Much better stretch at the bottom too, compared to flat.
As for DBs, I actually quite like doing these on an incline, but as I am already using an incline for my BB movement I opt for flat DB bench instead. It gives a good stretch, and I find it much easier to set up for than it’s incline counterpart.
I’ve always found it very hard to work my chest, as I seem to be very arm dominant. Through a lot of trial and error I have found the above combo to be very effective way to hit my chest. I also don’t completely lock out at the elbows, stopping maybe 1/3 from full lockout.
I do of course still use flat bench a lot, but it’s the close grip variant - to hit triceps.[/quote]
hmmm… Interesting.
Thanks
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
lens_d wrote:
My gym only has 110 pound DB which I can pump out 14 on a flat bench. Not the best exercise for strength. It�?�¢??s going to be a while to go until I can get my incline DB up there. Until then the DB�?�¢??s will be a part of my workouts.
You’re going to need a video for anyone to believe that. I don’t mean to be a dick but these e-stats are getting rediculous.
1/4 rep partials dont count. The dumbells should touch your chest at the bottom. [/quote]
Thank you…
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
lens_d wrote:
My gym only has 110 pound DB which I can pump out 14 on a flat bench. Not the best exercise for strength. It�?�¢??s going to be a while to go until I can get my incline DB up there. Until then the DB�?�¢??s will be a part of my workouts.
You’re going to need a video for anyone to believe that. I don’t mean to be a dick but these e-stats are getting rediculous.
1/4 rep partials dont count. The dumbells should touch your chest at the bottom. [/quote]
Lol i thought the same thing seeing the guys avatar picture. I don’t bother with these guys anymore. Most people generally look like they can lift the amounts they lift. Granted the few exceptions in between.
[quote]BurnMyEyes wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
lens_d wrote:
My gym only has 110 pound DB which I can pump out 14 on a flat bench. Not the best exercise for strength. It�??�?�¢??s going to be a while to go until I can get my incline DB up there. Until then the DB�??�?�¢??s will be a part of my workouts.
You’re going to need a video for anyone to believe that. I don’t mean to be a dick but these e-stats are getting rediculous.
1/4 rep partials dont count. The dumbells should touch your chest at the bottom.
Lol i thought the same thing seeing the guys avatar picture. I don’t bother with these guys anymore. Most people generally look like they can lift the amounts they lift. Granted the few exceptions in between.[/quote]
Next your going to see “my gym doesn’t have DB’s, so I load 2 BB’s with 225 apiece, then use those as 7 foot long DB’s”
[quote]BurnMyEyes wrote:
BONEZ217 wrote:
lens_d wrote:
My gym only has 110 pound DB which I can pump out 14 on a flat bench. Not the best exercise for strength. It�??�?�¢??s going to be a while to go until I can get my incline DB up there. Until then the DB�??�?�¢??s will be a part of my workouts.
You’re going to need a video for anyone to believe that. I don’t mean to be a dick but these e-stats are getting rediculous.
1/4 rep partials dont count. The dumbells should touch your chest at the bottom.
Lol i thought the same thing seeing the guys avatar picture. I don’t bother with these guys anymore. Most people generally look like they can lift the amounts they lift. Granted the few exceptions in between.[/quote]
Next your going to see “my gym doesn’t have DB’s, so I load 2 BB’s with 225 apiece, then use those as 7 foot long DB’s”
Formula for Internet numbers, multiple by .5 and add to 10 and you’ll have a better picture of what is being lifted.