On the bench press with a barbell, a heavier load can be used to improve absolute strength. A lighter load can also be used on the bench press; it is important when using a lighter load to control the eccentric and be fast on the way up. We can also be creative with the barbell bench press by using the foam balance pad on the chest to be more explosive on the bench press. With the foam balance pad on the chest, the barbell can almost bounce off the chest creating a faster stretch-shortening cycle at the bottom which leads to better motor unit recruitment.

The benefits of dumbbell bench pressing allow us to pause deep in the hole, which gives a bigger stretch. The range of motion with dumbbells allows us to get deeper. Another thing that can be done with the dumbbells is alternating which arm is pressing. The arm not pressing can either pause in the lockout or the hole. Dumbbells allow the rep scheme to be changed up in a multitude of ways.

Right off the bat, if we want to gain a ton of strength, we want to get on the barbell. We want to get on the barbell and do a ton of work because it can be overloaded with a heavy weight. Now let’s say we are strong, but we want to look more swole. In that case, we want to do a ton of reps with deeper stretches to lead to greater hypertrophic gains. All of that said, we want to use the barbell and dumbbells synergistically to lead to hypertrophic gains, enhanced structural integrity, and bigger, heavier lifts. 

The next thing we want to look at is technical coordination movements. Training with barbells allows us to do heavier loads when performing more explosive movements like a behind-the-neck jerk. We can also get into deeper movements like snatches and cleans. The big thing is that we can load more weight, have a technical focus, can execute at a high speed, catch in deeper positions, and improve athletic performance because the load is high. Remember, there is a big difference between moving heavy weight and moving heavy weight fast. That is where the technical coordination exercises with the barbell come into play. 

Technical coordination movements with dumbbells will not be as complex or as loaded, but dumbbells can still be used for explosive work, like a dumbbell snatch. Another great explosive movement is dumbbell jumps. All of these exercises can be used to maintain or slightly improve impulse ability. Dumbbell technical coordination movements just won’t be as complex as technical coordination movements with barbells. 

Explosive technical coordination movements with dumbbells are easier to perform making dumbbells a great teaching tool. It is also good to use dumbbells when peaking as an athlete.

Athletes need to be using the barbell if they want to focus on sports performance exercises around technical coordination and absolute strength. Dumbbells are great for unilateral upper body movements and creating a metabolic response through high reps to burn a little more calories.

Ultimately, dumbbells and barbells are great tools to improve overall importance. But when it comes down to it, the barbell is superior. 

Some of my favorite bicep exercises are explosive barbell movements like drop curls and slam curls. But here is the factor. Some people when using barbells get a lot of pain in their forearms. Typically it can be a mobility issue, a genetic disposition, or just a result of having pathetically weak forearms. Regardless, be aware that using a barbell to curl can lead to some forearm pain. That said, an EZ curl bar or a super-bar can be used for curls. 

Let’s just say that both apparatuses can be used for increasing arm thickness. All of that said, the dumbbells are the superior implement for overall arm hypertrophy for the biceps and triceps. Dumbbells allow for more time under tension by doing just one arm at a time which improves grip strength and forearm size. The dumbbells also allow for movements like Zottman curls which can’t occur with a barbell.

Dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion. Dumbbells also allow for really wacky exercises like post curls. Dumbbells can be done for super high rates. We can even run the rack, decreasing the weight and plowing through reps.