Whether you’re trying to increase muscle mass in your chest or boost your upper body strength, the bench press is one of the most popular exercises used to achieve both. Many people assume the bench press is best performed with a barbell, but the dumbbell bench press is a solid alternative with unique benefits.

In this blog, we’ll explain the differences between the barbell and dumbbell bench press and how to complete these workouts at our Thornton gym.

What Are the Differences Between Barbell and Dumbbell Bench Presses at the Gym?

There are several differences between the dumbbell bench press vs. the barbell bench press at the gym. Some of the differences include the equipment you use, the muscle groups you emphasize, the range of motion, and how you actually perform the exercise.

The Gym Equipment You Use

Both the barbell bench press and dumbbell bench press use a flat free-weight bench. However, the most obvious difference between the two exercises is that the dumbbell bench press relies on using a pair of dumbbells while a regular bench press uses a barbell. The barbell bench press might also require you to use a barbell rack.

How the Exercises Are Performed

The general movement of the dumbbell bench press and barbell bench press is similar. Both exercises are classified as free weight workouts that fall under the horizontal press movement pattern, requiring you to press the barbell or dumbbells up and then lower them down.

However, the arms move slightly different in each exercise. With the dumbbell bench press, there’s more of an arch in the path of your dumbbells. As you lower the dumbbells, you bring your forearms outward and away from each other. As you press the dumbbells upwards, you bring your forearms closer toward each other.

With a barbell bench press, you move your forearms straight up and down, with your hands staying the same distance away from each other.

Muscle Groups That Are Emphasized

Both the barbell bench press and dumbbell bench press target the pecs (chest muscles), deltoids (shoulder muscles), biceps and triceps (upper arm muscles).

However, one 2017 study showed that the dumbbell bench press targets the biceps (upper arm muscle) and pectoralis major (largest muscle in the chest) more than the barbell bench press.

On the other hand, the same study found that the barbell bench press activates the triceps (back of the upper arm) more than the dumbbell bench press.

Range of Motion Achieved

The dumbbell bench press offers a greater range of motion than the barbell bench press, but how much greater varies from person to person.

Why does the dumbbell bench press have a higher range of motion? Because when you lower the dumbbells, you don’t have a barbell hitting your chest and limiting the descent of your arms. That means you’ll be able to stretch your pectoral muscles more. In addition, when you press the dumbbells upward, you’re able to bring your arms closer together. This increases how much you can contract your pec muscles. The dumbbell bench press also works your shoulder’s stabilizer muscles more than the barbell bench press.

While the dumbbell bench press allows for a greater range of motion, you’re also more likely to go too deep which can place excessive strain on the shoulder. This will also take away some tension in your chest muscles.

Strength Gained

Since you can lift more weight with a barbell than you can with dumbbells, the barbell bench press is more likely to build your strength. A key quality of any strength training exercise’s ability to give you gains is the potential to load it with more weight. Barbells usually allow you to increase and fine-tune your loading more than dumbbells.

Not to mention, you’re more likely to accurately assess your one-rep maximum with a barbell than with dumbbells.

So, if your goal is maximum strength, the barbell bench press makes more sense.

Muscle Hypertrophy Realized

Both the dumbbell and barbell bench press can help you grow your muscles. The dumbbell bench press, however, allows you to achieve a bigger range of motion which can result in more muscle activation and, in turn, larger muscles.

Spotter Needed

In order to train to failure on a barbell bench press, you’ll need a spotter. With dumbbells, however, if the weights get too heavy for you and you fail a rep, you can easily drop them to the side.

Sports Performance Maximized

If you are a powerlifter, barbell bench pressing is a competition lift, so of course this exercise is indispensable to your gym workout program. The dumbbell bench press can provide you with benefits as an extra exercise, but the barbell bench press should be one of your gym staples.

If you’re in a sport that doesn’t require you to bench a barbell, then a balance of both the dumbbell bench press and barbell bench press can be used to create a powerful combination of strength and symmetry. The dumbbell bench press might also make your body a little more resilient against injury since it allows for a freer range of shoulder motion and helps you address imbalances.

Muscle Imbalances and Asymmetries Corrected, Injuries Prevented

If you’re trying to correct an imbalance or asymmetry in your upper body muscle growth, the dumbbell bench press is better at helping you address that. The ability to independently load each arm with a dumbbell allows you to target weaknesses in your body — balancing out your muscle size, strength, and training at the same time. This can also help you prevent injury in the future.

Bilateral vs. Unilateral Movement

The barbell bench press is a bilateral movement. This means both your arms are engaged in unison. Bilateral exercises like this are more stable in nature because you’re only moving one weight. This extra stability allows you to recover from unexpected mistakes in your form. The path of the barbell is locked in and you’re using your total muscle mass to guide it. Due to all these factors, you can lift more weight safely with a bilateral exercise like the barbell bench press.

On the other hand, the dumbbell bench press is a unilateral exercise — each arm moves independently to lift a different weight. You’ll be forced to pay attention to your technique because you must guide more than one weight simultaneously. This also allows you to isolate each side of the body, forcing both arms to put in the same amount of work. You’ll be able to reveal any weaknesses or deficiencies that might be present. In contrast, with a barbell bench press, your dominant side can easily take over a greater portion of the lift without you even noticing.

Benching for Beginners

When you first start a strength training program, it’s normal to lack neuromuscular control. That makes moving a single piece of equipment like a barbell easier to handle when learning pressing movements. That said, beginners should use dumbbells and other unilateral pieces of equipment like kettlebells in addition to barbell training.

Another factor that beginners should consider is the weight of the barbell. An Olympic barbell weighs 45 pounds, which may be too heavy for someone just beginning to bench press. Dumbbells can be anywhere from 2-200 pounds, so beginners can easily choose a weight that will enable them to practice and perfect the movement before jumping into heavier weights.

Using both barbells and dumbbells can help you learn stability and the fundamental movements necessary for muscle growth. Dumbbells can also help you prevent muscular and strength imbalances from the get-go.

Set Up and Positioning of the Lift

When you work with dumbbells for any lift at the gym, you’re doing a lot more than unracking barbell from a station. You have to get each dumbbell off the floor and into the starting position. While setting up and getting into position isn’t part of your lift, it does require good technique and can be taxing to your muscles, especially as the dumbbells get heavier.

How Are the Dumbbell and Barbell Bench Press Similar?

As close cousins, the barbell and dumbbell bench press have a lot in common. Both moves can be a smart addition to your upper body workout plan.

Any bench press variation, when performed correctly, can develop your chest strength and muscle growth. In addition, your shoulders, biceps, triceps, and lats will experience boosts in strength and growth from both dumbbell and barbell bench pressing.

Along with the overhead press, the barbell and dumbbell bench press are also the foundation of any upper body push workout. Both bench press variations stimulate the anterior flexors and are a necessary addition to your training program.

How to Do the Barbell Bench Press at the Gym

1. Load the barbell on a rack with the desired amount of weight. If you’re a beginner or warming up, you can lift the barbell without any weights loaded at first.
2. Position a bench perpendicular to and partially underneath the barbell.
3. Lie back on the bench with your back flat against the pad. Avoid arching your back.
4. Your eyes should be aligned with the barbell and your feet should be planted firmly on the floor.
5. Grip the barbell above you with your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
6. Squeeze your shoulder blades to prepare to take the weight off the rack.
7. Lift to unrack the bar and bring it above your chest.
8. Slowly lower the weight to gently touch the lower part of your sternum.
9. Keep your elbows tucked at about 45 degrees as you use your chest, shoulders, and triceps to lift the weight back up.
10. Continue to lower and lift the barbell for the desired number of reps.
11. Return the weight to the starting position.

How to Do the Dumbbell Bench Press at the Gym

1. Find a set of dumbbells that you can lift and place them at the end of your bench.
2. Stand between your dumbbells and the bench.
3. Grab the dumbbells one at a time and place the end of each dumbbell on a knee.
4. Kick up one knee at a time to drive the dumbbells to your shoulders as you sit down and lie back on the bench slowly.
5. Your arms should be fully extended with the weights over your chest.
6. Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground.
7. Once you’re in position, bring the dumbbells down slowly to the lower part your chest. Don’t bring the dumbbells to your shoulders, as this can strain your rotator cuffs. This also fails to work your chest muscles effectively.
8. At the bottom of the lift, the dumbbells should be just slightly above your torso.
9. Press the weights up again slowly above your chest.
10. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
11. When you’re done, pull your knees up with your legs bent, bring the dumbbell ends to the tops of your knees, and sit up.

The Bottom Line of Bench Pressing at AFAC Gym

Your training program doesn’t have to be all dumbbells or all barbells at AFAC gym. Depending on your goals, you can prioritize one bench press variation over another, but you can still do both in different training cycles. If you want a well-rounded training program, integrating both the dumbbell bench press and barbell bench press into your program will benefit you. Please speak to one of our personal trainers to learn more about how to perform the barbell and dumbbell bench press correctly and when to include them in your chest workouts at the gym.

If you’re looking for a gym in Thornton, Colorado, with a team that supports your fitness goals, we hope you will consider Adventure Fitness Athletic Club. Our gym offers an extensive selection of strength training equipment, cardio machines, and  fitness classes that you can combine to maximize your fitness level. In addition, our personal trainers can design an individualized fitness plan especially for your needs.

To find out more about becoming a member of AFAC gym — the best gym in Thornton, Colorado — please stop by or give us a call anytime. We’ll be happy to assist you. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.