The Pros And Cons Of
Barbell Pressing
Pros
Lifting heavy is
much more practical, and energy conserving
·
There is less energy wasted unracking a bar to perform a set
compared to having to launch multiple dumbells into position above the
chest/shoulders. If a workout calls for loads at, or above 90% of max, then a barbell
should be the only consideration, as the effort needed to get the dumbells into
position to begin the set, along with the risk involved with using near maximal
loads in a position which challenges stability, outweighs the possible benefits
of performing a few near maximal reps.
More weight can be
lifted because of the increased stability
·
With a barbell, there is a relatively large base of support below
the center of gravity – the base of support consisting of two points of contact
(both arms) which lie outside the center of gravity (the center of the bar). With
dumbells, there is a relatively small base of support below each separate
center of gravity – the base of support consisting of one point of contact (the
hand) which must remain beneath the center of gravity (center of each dumbell)
for both dumbells, or stability is lost, and force production is compromised. This
means it is a lot easier to stabilize a bar, since its center of gravity
remains relatively centered over the base of support, thus facilitating greater
amounts of force to be produced. Because dumbells travel medially/laterally as they
are raised/lowered, it is a lot more demanding for the nervous system to
effectively coordinate the movement in such a way that the base of support
remains under the center of gravity, which compromises force production. This
is why more weight can be lifted with a barbell as opposed to dumbells – roughly
10% more weight in most cases.
Intention can
increase muscle activation
·
Because a barbell is a fixed piece of equipment, medial or lateral
forces can be applied to the bar, to increase the recruitment of either the
chest/shoulders, or the triceps. Intentionally trying to bring the hands inward
while raising/lowering the bar increases the demand placed on the muscles
responsible for bringing the arms inward – chest and shoulders. Intentionally
trying to pry the hands outward increases the demand placed on the muscle
responsible for extending the arms outward – triceps (and to a much lesser
extent, the rear delts, which contributes to increased stability of the
shoulder girdle, facilitating the use of greater loads).
Cons
Greater risk of
injury
·
Because a barbell is a fixed piece of equipment, the nervous system’s
natural ability to share the load is limited, which elevates the risk of injury,
especially to the shoulders, as the body is essentially locked into position,
which can be potentially dangerous under heavy loads, or as fatigue sets in.
Easier to cheat
·
Because of the sense of security that accompanies the increased
stability provided by a barbell, it’s common to get brave and attempt to
complete reps that wouldn’t normally be considered, by instinctively relying on
the stretch reflex to assist with the lift. This becomes problematic when
performing reps in this way develops into a habit over because it has proven to
be successful. Consistently utilizing the stretch reflex to perform reps can cause
irreversible damage to the connective tissue, resulting in a permanent loss of
motor control.
Imbalances can be
created below conscious awareness
·
Because both arms contribute to lifting the same piece of resistance,
it’s possible for one side to take on a greater percentage of the load beyond
conscious awareness, resulting in imbalanced development which undoubtedly will
become a limiting factor at some point down the road.
The Pros And Cons Of
Dumbell Pressing
Pros
Cannot compensate
with the stronger side helping out the weaker side
·
Because both sides are individually loaded, each side has to do its
own work, and cannot rely on the opposite side for assistance, the same way it
could if both sides were working together. This can both prevent, and correct,
imbalanced development between each side.
Greater range of
motion allows for more complete muscular development
·
In most cases, dumbells offer a greater range of motion, which facilitates
growth in a few ways. First, the muscle that is stretched the most, is
recruited the most. Second, the greater the range in which the muscle remains
under tension, the more fibers that are stimulated. With a barbell, the range
of motion is limited by the thickness of the chest cavity at the bottom of the
range, and the hands not being able to travel inwards at the top of the range.
Dumbells are not affected by this as they can be lowered further, by bringing them
down, and to the side of the chest cavity, and raised higher by bringing them
in towards each other as the arms extend over the head/body – the exception
being dumbells that only a select few are strong enough to use, which are so
wide that they are limited by their own width, to the point where the plane in
which the hands travel is almost identical to the width in which the hands
remain when pressing a barbell. For optimal growth, muscles need to be under
tension at their longest, and shortest range, and the increased stretch at the
bottom, combined with the increased range at the top, make dumbbell presses a
more complete movement.
Offset grip can
increase muscle activation
·
By holding the dumbell with the thumb side of the hand tight
against the inner bell, the center of gravity is slightly shifted outside the
base of support, which increases the demand on the muscles responsible for
bringing the arms inward – chest/shoulders.
Cons
Can’t use as much
weight
·
Because of the increased neurological demand that comes with
needing to stabilize multiple pieces of resistance, along with the effort
required to get heavy dumbells into position to perform a set, it is not
possible to use the same amount of weight, for the same amount of reps, as is
possible with a barbell.
Which one is better,
and why?
Because the body
adapts to everything, neither is better. However, both can be used to better
each other. Barbell presses can increase strength levels so that greater loads
can be used to build muscle with dumbells, and dumbbell presses can be used to
stimulate growth and correct imbalances, increasing the potential to demonstrate
strength with barbells.
If you have any
questions regarding the differences between barbell and dumbell presses, feel
free to contact me at ben@paramounttraining.ca. I'm available for
online consulting and personalized program design, as well as one on one
training if you are located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
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