The Final Answer: Dumbbells vs. Barbells
by Rusi
Last Update On December 6, 2011
The dumbbells and barbells are some of the oldest training equipment. To this day they remain the most effective ones as well. However since we like to compare things and come up with winners many people are probably wondering - what's better? The answer is: it depends. Let's see on what.
Lower Body Training
Barbell just destroy dumbbells when it comes to lower body work. Your legs need a lot of weight since they are the strongest muscles in the human body and they have to be punished in a way they will remember. Dumbbells fail to do that. Let's say you are doing dumbbell squats. First there is no way you will be able to hold or even get in position with heavy enough dumbbells if you want to perform squats for low reps like 6 or even 15. It's impossible. That's where the barbell comes in. It allows you to safely place a heavy load on your back without worrying about grip failure or lifting the weight from the floor. A barbell squat will achieve much better stimulation than a puny dumbbell. Doesn't matter who you are the barbell is better for squats .The same is true for deadlifts. If you are doing deadlifts with dumbbells it will feel quite odd. First, since the deadlift allows you to lift some heavy weight and make the girls around you scream you will have to use some big ass dumbbells. Big ass dumbbells are extremely uncomfortable when they constantly hit your thighs. It's not impossible of course but it's not as practical. At the same time you are not getting any benefits from using the dumbbells. The benefits of the dumbbells are that you are allowed to work both sides independently. Doing classic dumbbell squat or deadlifts does not match that goal because the work is still spread between your two sides and the strong one may end up doing more work due to the nature of the exercises. Dumbbells are just odd for lower body training and the weight is too light. Any questions?
"Yes..bro. What about Bulgarian split squat and one leg lunges type of exercises?"
First I don't like those exercises and I think there are much more effective drills but everything can be useful when used in the right context. The dumbbell will be better for Bulgarian split squats but unless you are using straps or something your grip will be the limiting factor and not your legs. Anyway dumbbells seem pretty good for that type of movement. Another good lower body drill with dumbbells is the single leg deadlift.
Upper Body Training
Upper body training in my opinion should rely on dumbbells exclusively and a lot of shoulder injuries will be avoided. The dumbbell bench press destroys the barbell for the the following reasons;
- less shoulder pain because you can find a “sweet spot” and you are not forced into a fixed groove;
- more chest activation because you can squeeze the dumbbells;
- more shoulder stabilizers are brought into play;
- you train both side independently which means that the weak side will have a chance to catch up;
All of that is hard to neglect. Not to mention the fact that unlike using dumbbell for legs this time they will be more than enough for growth stimulation. The upper body just loves dumbbells. Of course there are downsides such as bringing the dumbbells into position prior to a bench press but you will get used to it.
"Ok...brah but what can you say about the following text posted on Stronglifts.com?"
“The key to building muscle & strength is progressive loading. Beginners can easily add 2,5kg on the bar each workout as they're using both sides. With dumbbells you're only using one side. Systematic increases of 2,5kg lead to stalling sooner."
The key to building muscle is progressive loading but that can be achieved through many ways. More weight does not always mean your are stronger. Of course you will stall sooner with dumbbells but that's because there are more variables brought into play. You have to stabilize two independent objects while the barbell does that for you. Also the range of motion during a bench press is larger so you end up doing more work. That's why you end up lifting more weight - not because it's easier. If you bench 200 pounds and you think that you will be able to bench 100 pounds dumbbells think again. You may end up doing less than 70 pounds. It's just harder and you won't be able to add 2.5 kg every time but please how long would you be able to add 2.5 kg to your bench press even if you use a barbell. I would guess - 1-2 months at best and that's if you start light. So, next time you fall for statements like the above try using your brain.
Conclusion: Dumbbell are not the best option for lower body training due to the strength level of your legs and hips. That's where barbells come very handy. You can just take it from the rack and squat for example. It's much more convenient for heavy lifts. However dumbbells are invaluable training equipment for upper body and if you feel pain during any kind of upper body exercise with barbell try dumbbells. A mixture of both is obviously the best despite the general opinion that more weight is always the answer.
You might also like...
