Dumbbells Vs. Bars for Chest Lifts

To build a big chest you need to repeatedly stress your muscles; repair them by eating enough food and getting plenty of rest; and use a variety of exercises and training methods in the gym. Both dumbbells and barbells have a place in your chest routine, but they each have distinct advantages and disadvantages.

  1. Dumbbells

    • You'll get a bigger range of motion using dumbbells than you will with a bar, notes trainer Jimmy Smith, author of "The Physique Formula." When performing exercises such as flat, incline or decline presses, you can lower the weight farther, which increases muscle activation in your chest. Dumbbells are also safer if you train, as you can drop them if you get into difficulty without danger.

    Barbells

    • The main advantage you'll gain from using barbells is building your strength, according to trainer Shannon Clark of Bodybuilding.com. Barbells require less stabilization than dumbbells, meaning you don't have to worry about balancing the weight, and can lift more to target chest muscles. The bench press is the standard barbell chest move and this can increase muscle size, boost your metabolism and improve athletic performance, notes powerlifter and strength coach Mike Robertson on his website.

    Isolation Exercises

    • Chest exercises that involve two or more joints and multiple muscle groups are known as compounds and include all types of dumbbell or barbell pressing. These should be the foundation of your routine, advises trainer Christian Thibaudeau in "The Black Book of Training Secrets." Single-joint isolations are also important for building muscle though, he adds. You can't isolate your chest with a barbell, though you can use dumbbells for isolation chest exercises like flyes and pull-overs.

    Considerations

    • For optimal results, use both dumbbells and barbells in your routine. If you perform a barbell move like the bench press or incline press as your main exercise during one session, opt for dumbbell presses the next time. You can add machine exercises such as cable crossovers or machine presses, along with bodyweight moves such as pushups and dips. Whatever training equipment you choose, aim to increase the weight you're lifting or the number of reps each week to progressively overload your muscles and build size and strength.