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midwest
09-08-08, 12:26 pm
i'm havin a hard time findin a lifting partner at 5 am... so to get the maximum burn i've cut out barbell bech both incline and flat bench and i hit the DB's for safety reasons i don't wanna kill myself for being foolish.


am i limiting myself by not using the barbell?

Maccabee
09-08-08, 1:26 pm
All you have to do is train hard and stick to your diet...and results will come.

1samtheman1
09-08-08, 2:23 pm
how much can you bench?
try a smith machine aswell.

MojoMike36
09-08-08, 2:29 pm
Smithing is great when you're alone benching. I actually tend to do incline bench on smiths the majority of the time because I can activate my pecs 500% better. Give it a try but don't only use the smith y'know.

jeff00z28
09-08-08, 2:56 pm
find a real gym that has a cage w/ holes for the pins close together. or a bench w/ a safety bar

sanga
09-08-08, 3:02 pm
I would use both whether training alone or not, in saying that I agree a rack would be ideal or maybe a smith if no rack available, if none of these are to hand then use D/Bs for as long as needed, as long as you hit it hard you will be fine.

theharjmann
09-08-08, 3:10 pm
when i havnt got a spot, i do barbel bench at the end of chest workout with a lighter weight and higher reps so if i cant do the rep i let the bar rest on my chest, gain some composure and press it back up onto the rack! With the light weight, the bar wont kill me!

shizz702
09-08-08, 9:41 pm
Gotta bench heavy bro, and it's good to alternate both barbell and dumbbell. You're best bet is to do barbell benching in a power rack with the pins set as close to your chest as possible.

Maccabee
09-08-08, 10:13 pm
Dude if I was alone I would rather do dumbbells then smith. Its your choice though.

Jonisocool
09-09-08, 2:36 am
If I'm doing bb bench just once, i'll do all my sets I know I can do, then if I need a spot I'll just ask some stranger.

That, or set up the pins in the cage so I can dump it if shit goes bad. Pins fit perfectly for me at this one gym, where I could get full rom off my chest, and dump it on my waist if I sucked it in lol

midwest
09-09-08, 9:13 am
Didn't even think of settin pins in the cage, hit it this morning and for the first time in about a month my chest is sore as hell

Vinny G
09-09-08, 9:17 am
i'm havin a hard time findin a lifting partner at 5 am... so to get the maximum burn i've cut out barbell bech both incline and flat bench and i hit the DB's for safety reasons i don't wanna kill myself for being foolish.


am i limiting myself by not using the barbell?

no, i have not used a barbell all that much in the 25 years of training.

i love the dumbells, and get a better pump in my pecks....barbell kills my shoulders.

js71474
09-09-08, 9:29 am
Definitely incorporate both in your training and the power rack and the smitty are great ways to bench when training alone.

BiG in NYC 823
09-09-08, 3:38 pm
no, i have not used a barbell all that much in the 25 years of training.

i love the dumbells, and get a better pump in my pecks....barbell kills my shoulders.

X2!! I get a much better stretch and pump when all is said and done with DB's.


Definitely incorporate both in your training and the power rack and the smitty are great ways to bench when training alone.

Power Rack is a great option to incorporate heavy Benching and safety.

wedge
09-09-08, 3:43 pm
I have to agree with Vinny. I screwed my shoulder up a few years back, by using bad form, and the doctor who put me through physical therapy said to bench with dumbells, as it is easier on the shoulders.

Cstlfx
09-09-08, 4:00 pm
I switch it up all the time. I've found that without a spotter I cant make as strong of gains. dumbbells after a certain point I cannot get off my shoulders. With a barbell I cant go too heavy in case something bad happens.

However, I get greatest strength gains with a bar, best size with dumbbells.

Vinny's right though, the bar can really bother shoulders. I cant do incline barbell without hurting my shoulders, I have to use dumbbells.

So to sum everything up. Either is good, switch it up when you can, but both are great for the chest.

killyouintheface
09-09-08, 10:44 pm
I like barbells better, but that's just me. The one time I feel like I tweaked one of my shoulders, I was using dumbbells to do incline presses.

I don't use any collars when I'm under a bar, so in the event that something happens, I can just dump it and at least get one side unloaded and off me so I can get out from under it (that's how it worked the one time I had to, anyway). There are people at my gym that are way, way stronger than I am that I can have spot me if I need it, though. YMMV, of course.

scals
09-09-08, 11:25 pm
I'm with Vinny on this one. I use the barbell sometimes but I definitely feel like I'm getting more from the dumbbells. Also agree with Pokoritel with the fact that I would much rather use DBs than the smith, but using the Smith to change things up once in a while isnt a bad thing.

airborneIRON
09-10-08, 9:28 am
i would certainly choose db over smith. i bench alone and i still get barbell in too though. i'm limited on it a little bit however.

Gunz1
09-10-08, 9:51 am
i think the dumbells work a lil better... you have to control them and you have more free range of motion... also since your lifting alone if you get stuck just throw those bad boys away... plus the strain on your shoulders is a lil less in my opinion... i do think that barbell has its place tho.. if you cant find a spotter ask a random person in the gym.. more often than not people are more than happy to help someone out... if thats not possible im a big fan of the smith machine bro.. hope this helps

mritter3
09-10-08, 1:29 pm
i am a firm believer in a variety of lifts, i bounce around from bb and db and smith, as long as your going heavy, eating plenty, and getting enough rest, you'll be fine.

BasementBuilder
09-10-08, 5:24 pm
I lift in my basement by myself, never have a partner. I leave the collars off the ends and if I ever get in trouble i just rock the bar and the weights fall off. super loud but at least I don't get hurt.

Kludwig64
09-10-08, 9:57 pm
now whats everyones opinion on decline BB bench or DB Bench, i havent really seen too much discussion on the decline bench in this forum and i used the search function to find it and got over 200 pages of BS so...

SizeMatters
09-10-08, 11:56 pm
how much can you bench?
try a smith machine aswell.

who thw fuck cares how much he can bench? even if u bench 900 lbs drop a 135lb barbell on your throat and see whats the fuck is good lol accident do happen my man, id reccomend a smiothmachine with stoppers or a powerack worse comes to worse u can dump it and not break your nose

snowboardray
09-11-08, 7:48 pm
Use these!!! They will save your shoulders and rid you of any fear of going heavy. Use in the cage or a smith machine. They hook on to the barbell, and then wrap around the dumbbell. Different companies make 'em. They're always in my gym bag. Love 'em for incline dbs.

P-Ram
12-03-08, 3:55 pm
Sup, gentlemen?

My rotators are slowly but surely falling apart so my flatty has been lacking. I've found myself more comfortable doing flat bench DB's instead of BB's. How do they compare to flat barbell presses in the long run?

SQUAT or DIE!
12-03-08, 3:59 pm
i think that DB maybe better off for you in the long run.. but flat works better for alot of people to build a chest

but a way to save the rotator cuffs, is to use a piece of 2x4 or small board, it takes some strain off teh cuff since you dont touch your chest.. having had 2 shoulder operations before im 21, i find boards really help out and can also help bring up the bench.

MVP
12-03-08, 4:40 pm
i'm havin a hard time findin a lifting partner at 5 am... so to get the maximum burn i've cut out barbell bech both incline and flat bench and i hit the DB's for safety reasons i don't wanna kill myself for being foolish.


am i limiting myself by not using the barbell?

If you're doing reps, I don't see why you'd need a partner.

Do they have power racks at your gym? If so it's the best solution. If your lifting so heavy you need a spotter you aren't pressing the movement by yourself.

DBs are good options. Dumbell presses allow a better ROM due you can bring the dumbells farther down then barbell since you touch your chest with barbell, according to flexibility dumbells are a good option.

train.eat.supp.sleep
12-03-08, 5:05 pm
i am also a fan of dumbbells...but the gains come slower..when you bench with a barbell u can really pack on the weight week after week which could help if u are stuck with dumbbells or your chest is lagging

redskin 344
12-03-08, 9:04 pm
no, i have not used a barbell all that much in the 25 years of training.

i love the dumbells, and get a better pump in my pecks....barbell kills my shoulders.

Hey Vinny. Someone told me that you are located in Mahwah NJ and I live there too. Just letting you know. I live in society hill if you heard of it.

Ir0nClad
12-03-08, 9:14 pm
I always go to the gym without a training partner, sometimes I am able to find a spot, but sometimes Im not and when I can't get the weight up I have to throw it to the side. Maybe some would be embaressed by this, but if it is what I have to do then I do it.

Dingo
12-04-08, 10:11 am
DB's build better overal strength and stability in the chest/shoulder area. to me barbell bench and dumbell bench are 2 seperate animals, eg:
i can incline bb press 225 for reps 8-10, but i can only incline db press the 100lb dbs for 4-6.
the range of motion is greater with the dbs as well as the "equaling" effect. By this i mean your stronger side cannot help compensate for your weaker side.

Aggression
12-04-08, 10:36 am
I've strayed away from the bench press in the past year. I rely on big incline barbell presses and usually flat dumbbell presses or a hammer strength press occasionally. It wasn't until I stopped benching that my chest growth started.

shizz702
12-04-08, 10:39 am
I've strayed away from the bench press in the past year. I rely on big incline barbell presses and usually flat dumbbell presses or a hammer strength press occasionally. It wasn't until I stopped benching that my chest growth started.

personally I think incline and flat db are better for bodybuilding purposes.

Aggression
12-04-08, 11:10 am
personally I think incline and flat db are better for bodybuilding purposes.

Agreed. But for years, I wouldn't let myself get away from ''the big bad bench'' simply because everyone said you had to do it. Now I actually take pride when people ask, "How much do you bench?", and I simply reply, "I don't bench".

simpleguy
12-04-08, 11:22 am
I use both dbs and bbs... although some stay away from the barbell, I feel for me the incline bb bench press hits my chest really well

Aggression
12-04-08, 11:25 am
I use both dbs and bbs... although some stay away from the barbell, I feel for me the incline bb bench press hits my chest really well

Yeah, I still hit incline barbell on a rather consistent basis and I love that exercise. I start with inclines then hit flat DB. Of course when people ask that 'age-old' question, they're not referring to incline bench.

BrotherInArms
12-04-08, 10:28 pm
I opt for DBs when my shoulders flare up; otherwise, I alternate week-week.

braves561
11-30-09, 4:31 pm
I've always felt more comfortable benching with DB's and I feel the ROM is better and it really hits the chest more.

Anyone else like DB's better?

prowrestler
11-30-09, 4:33 pm
I've always felt more comfortable benching with DB's and I feel the ROM is better and it really hits the chest more.

Anyone else like DB's better?

i db benchd for like the first 3 years of my training. i didnt touch a barbell ever.

i think i regret that though

BionicMasterPiece
11-30-09, 8:26 pm
i'm havin a hard time findin a lifting partner at 5 am... so to get the maximum burn i've cut out barbell bech both incline and flat bench and i hit the DB's for safety reasons i don't wanna kill myself for being foolish.


am i limiting myself by not using the barbell?

try cranking up the intensity like this

incline barbell press 4x15 (light weight of course....try to leave 1 rep in the tank)
superset with
incline dumbbell fly 4x8-12
flat dumbbell press 2x8-10
weighted dips 2xfailure
superset with
pec deck or cable crossovers

Deathride
12-01-09, 6:51 am
I love the flat bench but recently decided to hit some dumbbell stuff. Obviously I can't lift as much but the isolation and the ache in the pecs the day afterwards is incredible........going to mix it up bout a month or so at a time then see how it feels!

Am almost converted.....going to break into the flat bench 100lb db's soon!