The chest days in the workout schedule tend to not just be intense but are also the hardest. And two exercises that are part of any chest routine are the dumbbell and barbell bench press. Both the upper body exercises have a push movement and target the same set of muscles. However, they are not the same, say experts.
The difference between the two variations lies in muscle activation, though the same set of muscles – the pectoral muscles of the chest – are primarily engaged. How the two exercises isolate and strengthen the primary and secondary muscles in each of the exercise is also different.
Dumbbell and barbell bench press
As per a 2017 research paper, the dumbbell bench press variation had a greater pectoral muscle activation when compared to the barbell variation. In terms of secondary muscle activation, the research concluded that the barbell bench press had a greater muscle activation for the triceps brachii muscles, and the dumbbell variation gives a higher activation to the biceps brachii muscles.
“The barbell bench press is called a bilateral exercise because here we hold the barbell with both hands and then lift the weight in unison,” says Yogi Raghav, a fitness expert from Noida. “In the dumbbell bench press variation, though both hands lift the weights at the same time, the weights are held and moved separately, making them unilateral in nature.”
Since barbell bench press is a bilateral exercise, it is possible to lift heavy. People practice the 1-rep max (the maximum weight a person can lift for a single repetition) with it. The dumbbell bench press variation, on the other hand, provides greater angular variations which helps in higher muscle activation.
“Sometimes we come across people who have a misconception that just lifting heavy weights in the barbell variation will help in developing the chest muscles. But that’s not the case, both variations need to be practised for effectively developing the chest muscles,” adds Raghav.
Strengthening the weaker side of the body
It is common for people to have a weaker side, mostly dependent on their preferred hand. Righthanders tend to have a weaker left side and vice versa. This will lead to the muscles on the weaker side getting used less during physical activities, leading to lesser activation and conditioning.
“While lifting weights in the barbell bench press, a right-handed person may feel that his left hand is unable to apply the same strength but as the weight is lifted with both hands, it gets compensated and similar is the case with a left-handed person,” explains Raghav.
He further adds: “Here dumbbell bench press provides an advantage. In the variation, weight is held in each hand and the lifting is done separately. Thus, it strengthens the muscles on both sides of the body equally. This can help in improving performance while doing the barbell bench press and the 1-rep max capacity too.”
Since the muscle of both sides are isolated and worked upon, it also helps in muscle growth.
Mastering alignment essential for beginners
To avoid injuries in both variations, it is essential that the alignment of the hands and the movement are correct. Muscle memory plays a big role in this. Beginners are advised to start with the barbell bench press.
“As in barbell bench press, the weight is held with both hands, so it helps in improving the alignment of the hand and movement which is difficult to achieve in the dumbbell variation. And once the barbell bench press is mastered, muscle memory will help in a proper alignment while doing the dumbbell variation as well,” says Raghav.
Injury risks in dumbbell and barbell bench press
If done with an improper form and posture, then both can inflict serious injuries. To start with do not overlift.
While lifting heavy weights during dumbbell press, the wrist position becomes improper at times, with dumbbells tilting towards the side. This should not happen as it increases the chances of injury. Some people tend to touch the dumbbells at the top while doing the exercise. This can break the flow of the exercise, and the jerk from the clanging of weights can put pressure on the shoulders.
Takeaways
- Both dumbbell and barbell bench press target the same set of muscles. But the dumbbell variation helps in strengthening the muscles of the weaker side as well, which in turn helps in lifting heavy weights in barbell bench press.
- It is possible to practice the 1-rep max in barbell bench press.
- Beginners should always start with the barbell bench press as it will help in making the alignment of the hand movement proper, which will further help in doing the dumbbell bench press variation properly with the aid of muscle memory.
