chest: db's vs bb? poll

[SerbMarko]

ive noticed that my chest isnt really getting good contractions lately.. i have been doing mosly bb.. but now im thinkin to switch up to db's.. what do you like best? what affects your chest workout more? db's or bb's include a comment after you vote..

 

[CJU]

muscle recruitment is not just how much weight you put on the bar, it's range of motion. you have a better ROM with dumbells so dumbells imo are superior for a chest workout.

 

[SerbMarko]

muscle recruitment is not just how much weight you put on the bar, it's range of motion. you have a better ROM with dumbells so dumbells imo are superior for a chest workout.

yes thats what i was thinking.. i think im gonna hit dbs for the next 2 or 3 chest workouts and see how that works out.. cause im not getting a good chest workout with bb

 

[Palmetto]

If I hit a plateu w/ my bb training...I switch. With upper chest, incline bb press is a no-brainer.

 

[FOOTBALL FAN]

now I have to explain myself seeing as im the only one who voted barbell, at the moment im constantly doing barbell bench presses because of the program im doing plus I want to add weight onto my barbell bench yes I admit it, its an ego thing lol

 

[SerbMarko]

now I have to explain myself seeing as im the only one who voted barbell, at the moment im constantly doing barbell bench presses because of the program im doing plus I want to add weight onto my barbell bench yes I admit it, its an ego thing lol

ya thats totally fine.. but do you find the range of motion and muscle contraction as good with bb vs db?

 

[Minchinator]

Db's allow for a much greater squeeze of the pecs, no comparison really if you are talking simply chest contraction.

 

[SerbMarko]

Db's allow for a much greater squeeze of the pecs, no comparison really if you are talking simply chest contraction.

then whats the advantage of bb presses if any?

 

[Minchinator]

then whats the advantage of bb presses if any?

You can use more weight so for power they are probably better, for bodybuilding, really none in my opinion.

 

[TJ]

Why not use both?

 

[SerbMarko]

Why not use both?

well that would be the ultimate goal.. but if you could only do one, which would you use?

 

[Lanois]

variation is the keyword here I believe

 

[Maxmonzter]

i like db´s better couse i get more range of motion and better contraction but i do use both in my chest workout

 

[Paulie]

I switch between the two every workout, but I like DB's more.

 

[TJ]

I think you should use either DB's or BB's depending on your specific situation. If you have symmetry issues then use DB's moreso than BB. If you need to add mass then you should use BB moreso than DB's. If you really want to feel the contraction, which does not necassarily define a good workout, then just go with slower reps.

 

[SalGT]

I think you should always have some variety in your workouts. The old flat barbell press and the incline barbell incline press on the same day is old and not ideal I think. I like to use a barbell exercise and a dumbell exercise for my chest routines, so I can benefit from both.

 

[tim290280]

I prefer DB's but the BB is my staple. This is both because the BB can be used with greater load, but also because I don't have access to heavy DB's easily.

 

[Rageking]

i like to alternate with both, i love doing both, but i think i like bb better. you can put on more weight, and for overall strength and size its better.
you get a better feel with db but you can always just do over exercizes for that too, even after bb.

 

[miamiracing]

i use both

3 month BB and 3 Month DB..

miamiracing

 

[Glex]

I use both depending on how I feel. It's not a real science for me.

However, I do BB more often now because that's what Line prefered over the last semester and I've seen my chest take off. I think part of it might be that it's easier to manipulate a BB; you only have to get a lift off to get set on a heavy BB lift, and a spot is much easier with a BB, allowing you to go heavier and past failure better. Heavy lifting + going to failure = growth, from what they tell me.

That said, I like going heavy on DBs on occassion, too, whereas Line hates it. One of my best chest days was when my working sets with DBs only had 2-4 reps.