Hey, I'm sort of a weightlifting n00b, and I've just started benchpressing. I know you can benchpress with either a barbell or two dumbells, but I'm just wondering... which is more beneficial? Which will build muscle faster? Or is there no difference really? Thankies.
DB bench in harder. range of motion is greater. Think of it BB bench working in two dimensions while DB in 3.
Good to vary both of these. The DB's will work more muscles as JKD says, but on the other hand you won't be able to lift as much, maybe 90% of what you can on the benchpress, which on the other hand works the main muscles harder!
No, the extended range of movement is a really big part of the floor presses you want to do for MMA. You're lifting the whole shoulder off the floor. You're not just pushing the guy on top of you up but off. DB's give you a far greater ROM for this than BB's. You can go with a Sandbag or Kettlebells as well.
If you're doing a floor press, your arms stop where the floor is whether you use DBs or a bar, that's what he's saying. DB bench press however will have a greater ROM.
So when you push up continue pushing and lift your shoulder off the floor and you'll get the range of motion I'm talking about. Inclines would be the opposite where you can come down a lot more without hitting your chest.
Does that extra "ROM" seem difficult to you? It shouldn't do because it won't actually make a difference apart from encouraging the anterior/posterior deltoid imbalance that is prevalant in most people.
I don't know who said it wouldn't make a difference, it's a get up drill, and as far as balancing ant/post delts that's completely up to you don't you think. Pulling a sled forwards and backwards is good help for that.
Dude, on a floor press, the ROM is the same for either. Trust me, before I got a bench, it was all I could do.
Ok, on a regular floor press the ROM is the same but for the type of floor press me and Adam were just talking about, which some of our favorite people do, it's intentionally a lot greater. I'm not just ignoring you, really.
advantage to dumbell is a greater degree of freedom disadvantage is when they get heavy you may need people to hand them to you. also the spoter has do know what he is doing if your going to failure. i would use both switch up every three weeks
I'm sorry, but what is pulling a sled forwards and backwards going to help balance ant/post delt imbalance?
I'd second that!!! I'm having to do some funny modified clean to get them into the right position. From there, I need to position myself in front of the bench and fall backwards. One day I'll miss the bench and fall over, but I'm just about managing ATM. It's a shame, because I like the DB presses far more
Ohh - that one! You can also load the shovel up with plates afterwards and do various other exercises
I like DB's because they give the option for an alternating press. I had similar problems, but found a solution that works for me. I grab my DBs and head to the bench. Position myself in front of the bench, and move the DBs to where the weighted head rests against my quads just above the knee. Then I sit down on the bench, my legs now support the wieghts. Finally, I roll back in a sort of fetal position until the DBs are over my chest. Put my legs down to stabilize and start pushing. (I've done this with up to 110lb dumbells)
