db bench or bb?

[blayke88]

Just wanted to get different opinions on this...i switch off from bb to db bench every few weeks or so..but lately bb kills my shoulder...lately ive been feeling better pumps on db bench...any evidence that db fuses slow twitch fibers more than barbel?

 

[asooneyeonig]

there is evidence that if your form is off for a barbell it can make your shoulders hurt.

when using the BB is your upper back nice and tight? and how high is the bar coming to your chest?

as for fusing fibers? uhmm what? i have never heard of that term at all. what is it you are trying to ask?

 

[blayke88]

My form is good..hands shoulder width apart...a slow movement down touching my chest pause then back up semi quick..not an.ego head trying to max out..forms always been priority...dnt lock my shoulders...sry ha i meant just hitting slow twitch fibers more effectively then just.hitting fast twitched...

 

[boogyman]

Do you pull your shoulder blades together? Where does the bar touch on your chest?

 

[asooneyeonig]

Do you pull your shoulder blades together? Where does the bar touch on your chest?

^^^^^

 

[tallgund]

You'll find that DB press will really pull in your stabilizers.
Do DB for a while and you'll be surprised how your regular bench will go up.

 

[kdeome]

If you're experiencing excessive shoulder pain, its likely that your elbows are flared out at 90 degrees? Thats going to put emphasis on your delts. Try tucking your elbows in slightly. Youll take some strain off your delts and put it on your tris.

Another possibility is that you are hyper extending to bring the bar to your chest. Depending on the thickness of your chest and length of your arms, you may need to change up your grip.

Posting a video would help us. Have you watched"so you think you can bench?" Very informative whether you are power lifting or working towards aesthetics.

 

[kdeome]

That being said, i do both. I'm stronger on barbell, but get a better squeeze and isolation with dumbbell.

 

[blayke88]

Thanks guys..ill tuck in my elbows tonight and see how it goes..my chest is pretty thick..i must just be putting extra stress on my delts..ill check out that video..appriciate it guys

 

[RicFlair]

Tuck your elbows, scapula back, have a power lifter teach you to bench so you don't injure yourself long term.

 

[RicFlair]

Tuck your elbows, scapula back, have a power lifter teach you to bench so you don't injure yourself long term.

 

[blayke88]

Thanks for the tip..there are a couple power lifters at my gym..ill ask em to help me out

 

[huggy77]

Kind of unrelated but one of the cool things you can do with dumbbells is turning your wrists in at the top of the movement where you squeeze your pecs.. This will fatigue the crap out of you though...

 

[blayke88]

Yea ive done it a few times it does feel good..just harder for me to do it with heavier db...dnt know why but kinda hurts my wrist

 

[kdeome]

Are you lifting for strength or for aesthetics?

 

[Cary K]

Kind of unrelated but one of the cool things you can do with dumbbells is turning your wrists in at the top of the movement where you squeeze your pecs.. This will fatigue the crap out of you though...

Good point

 

[blayke88]

Kdeome- more aesthetics...strength is not an issue

 

[kdeome]

I ask because power lifter form isn't for looks. So keep that in mind when they "teach" you.

 

[VS91588]

I ask because power lifter form isn't for looks. So keep that in mind when they "teach" you.

Finally someone smart on this forum! So many ppl say they wanna train for size but they care wayyyyyy too much about the #'s ....No offense to any powerlifters because if you are a serious powerlifter I respect you. But those who wanna bodybuild and diet for bodybuilding and have a powerlifters mentality aren't gonna go far.. I see guys in my gym for example who wanna bodybuild and try and go for the 8-12 reps on bench press and use a crazy amount of weight that they can't even CONTROL and ISOLATE than they complain of shoulder, wrist, elbow and tendon pains

 

[blayke88]

Oh ok good point...thanks for the tip...im actually wanting to do my first show within a year before i become a cop..i just need to shred a lil fat

 

[blayke88]

Vs91588 ...i agree...having good form and building muscle has always been my priority...not pushing to much weight for barley one rep...

 

[Torobestia]

Finally someone smart on this forum! So many ppl say they wanna train for size but they care wayyyyyy too much about the #'s ....No offense to any powerlifters because if you are a serious powerlifter I respect you. But those who wanna bodybuild and diet for bodybuilding and have a powerlifters mentality aren't gonna go far.. I see guys in my gym for example who wanna bodybuild and try and go for the 8-12 reps on bench press and use a crazy amount of weight that they can't even CONTROL and ISOLATE than they complain of shoulder, wrist, elbow and tendon pains

That sounds more like an ego problem than someone having a powerlifting mentality, though. I think he was just saying that powerlifters usually bench with a closer grip and touch the bar lower on their body (usually below the pecs and somewhere on the sternum) to activate their triceps more, whereas an advanced bodybuilder might use a wider grip and touch around their lower pecs to treat the bench as more of a chest exercise as well.

 

[VS91588]

Vs91588 ...i agree...having good form and building muscle has always been my priority...not pushing to much weight for barley one rep...

Yeah man. Believe me anyone can "move" a weight. I can incorporate my shoulders, use momentum, bouncing the bar off my chest and arch my back way up just to get a really heavy weight up off my chest when I'm benching but that's not what bodybuilding is about. It's about form, control, isolation and the most important in my opinion is Mind to Muscle (feeling)

 

[blayke88]

Yes sir...i try to visualize what I'm working as much as i can...i dnt see how people expect to gain muscle moving weight with sloppy form for hardly and good reps...i see way to many kids at my gym do that

 

[VS91588]

That sounds more like an ego problem than someone having a powerlifting mentality, though. I think he was just saying that powerlifters usually bench with a closer grip and touch the bar lower on their body (usually below the pecs and somewhere on the sternum) to activate their triceps more, whereas an advanced bodybuilder might use a wider grip and touch around their lower pecs to treat the bench as more of a chest exercise as well.

I am not disrespecting any poweifters by calling it a mentality. It is deff an ego problem like you said. What I mean is that powerlifters are more concerned with #s than a bodybuilder. A bodybuilder doesn't go on stage and get points when a judge asks them "how much do you bench?". A powerlifting competition is about how much they lift and what would be acceptable as a successful lift

 

[blayke88]

Oh ya i know what u mean...i respect powerlifters too...just a different mindset than bodybuilding...very respectful sport imo...ive actually been watching layne nortons powerlift meets...just crazy. How he pretty much stays at competition shape year round yet powerlifts in the offseason

 

[VS91588]

Oh ya i know what u mean...i respect powerlifters too...just a different mindset than bodybuilding...very respectful sport imo...ive actually been watching layne nortons powerlift meets...just crazy. How he pretty much stays at competition shape year round yet powerlifts in the offseason

As much as it doesnt show because he doesnt increase his bodyfat %, he probably increases his cals and carbs to suit his training only

 

[blayke88]

Ya ur prolly right...i like his p.h.a.t training routine

 

[AaronJP1]

I do DB bench quiet often...

 

[VS91588]

Ya ur prolly right...i like his p.h.a.t training routine

My favorite training philosophy/theory is Hany Rambod's FST-7 ...I'm a high volume trainer and his training philosophy really changed my body composition alot. Read about it a year ago and gave it a try and I haven't stopped using it

 

[blayke88]

Hmm ill research on that today

 

[VS91588]

Hmm ill research on that today

No doubt. Just if you give it a try it's 7 sets at the end of your workout w/ 30-40sec rest in between. If you normally do 4 sets an exercise for example than shoot for a weight that you normally do on your 3rd set for your 7's... The biggest mistake ppl make on the 7s is going really light on the FST7 and that's not what it's about

 

[Jay888999]

I very rarely if ever bench,due to the point i have no prtnr.ppl are retarded and dont know how to spot and i value my life and health.. I actually love DBS,way more stabalizers involved and actually isolates each individual arm..one arm cant make up for the slack of the other,so both sides right and left get equal training....

i do use the smoith machine quit a bit though,great for compound movements as well,though not as much stabalizers but good for isolating body prts..My shoulders react amazing to machines.

 

[blayke88]

Yea agreed jay888999 i feel the stretch better on db....yea when i do bench i must have a spotter..better to be safe than sorry...me too ive noticed my shoulders react to machines...lately ive been doing standing smith machine shoulder raises...something different

 

[Jay888999]

Yea agreed jay888999 i feel the stretch better on db....yea when i do bench i must have a spotter..better to be safe than sorry...me too ive noticed my shoulders react to machines...lately ive been doing standing smith machine shoulder raises...something different

stretch is way better.I go all the way down til inside dbs touch my shoulder then press,not bounce but touch =)

Funny how a back injury kept me out of the gym for 3 weeks,i went back simple,all machines for everything,out of no where my shoulders are growing,so i stuck with them..i still train shoulders with dbs ad bb ofcourse...

I focus on form,thats all i care about..form and rom,stimulate muscle growth and just eat =)

 

[blayke88]

Aggreed..forms most important..yea i switch things up every couple weeks...my side delts have responded well to seated side raises...of course diets key..alot of people lack on that part

 

[boogyman]

I stick with flat barbell bench and incline dumbbell bench for the most part. Seems to provide the best balance of strength and growth for me. I have never had any serious shoulder problems beyond minor aches, which is pretty normal for an active 35 year old. I hate the smith machine with a passion and refuse to use it. I feel extremely awkward and every movement I have tried in it feels unnatural, like I am 1 rep away from injury.

 

[blayke88]

Boogyman...bb bench is my preference just hurts my shoulder...yea incline has really thickend my upper pecs...i like the stretch u get from it more than incline db....i like thr smith for certain movements not so much for benching