On average, most people are able to lift roughly 20% more with a barbell, compared to the combined weight of 2 dumbbells, on the same basic exercise. This is because you are using fewer stabilizer muscles on barbell exercises, which allows you to lift more weight.
The main difference between dumbbell and barbell bench press is that with dumbbells, you get more unilateral movement, better range of motion, and stability. Whereas with a barbell, while your range of motion is limited, you're able to lift 20% heavier than with a dumbbell.
How Much Should I Bench Press for My Weight? Men should aim to bench press their body weight as a starting point. Women should aim for half to three-quarters of their body weight. A man weighing 170 lbs should aim for a 170 lbs bench press.
Technique. Your technique can also influence how much less you can dumbbell press compared to bench pressing. If your technique is poor, you may struggle to control the weights and maintain proper form, leading to a significant difference in the amount you can lift.
The average Dumbbell Shoulder Press weight for a male lifter is 71 lb (1RM). This makes you Intermediate on Strength Level and is a very impressive lift. What is a good Dumbbell Shoulder Press? Male beginners should aim to lift 29 lb (1RM) which is still impressive compared to the general population.
After a year of lifting weights, 56% of guys could bench more than 135 pounds, but only 5% could bench 225. A third of guys were still benching less than 135 pounds. In your second year, I would aim to get past 135 pounds. You might even be able to bench 135 for sets of 6–12 reps.
What is the average overhead press? The average overhead press is 126 lb for men and 66 lb for women. This makes you an intermediate lifter and stronger than 50% of StrengthLog's users.
Expanded Range of Motion
One of the most significant advantages of the dumbbell bench press is its ability to increase the range of motion compared to barbell variations. This expanded range allows for deeper engagement of the chest muscles, which can enhance hypertrophy over time.
The main reason is Dumbbell presses require greater stabilization work from muscles around the Shoulder joint, and the Shoulder girdle as a whole. Additionally, they don't really give you room for using your stronger side to compensate for your weaker side, as it's commonly the case with Barbell Presses.
Barbells allow you to lift more overall weight than dumbbells. This is partly because you activate much more of your body in most barbell-based lifts, compared to dumbbells, which are more often used for isolation exercises. With more muscle groups working, you'll be able to withstand more weight. Studies back this up.
Fully grown silverbacks are in actually stronger than 20 adult humans combined. How strong is a Mountain Gorilla? – A Silverback gorilla can lift 4,000 lb (1,810 kg) on a bench press, while a well-trained man can only lift up to 885 lb.
The average bench press weight can vary among different age groups. However, as a general guideline, a beginner lifter in their 20s can bench press around 135-185 pounds. In comparison, an advanced lifter in the same age group may be able to bench press 225 pounds or more.
What is a good Dumbbell Bench Press? Male beginners should aim to lift 35 lb (1RM) which is still impressive compared to the general population.
The Conclusion. The findings indicate that bench press angle significantly affects muscle activation. For the pectoralis major, a flat bench (0 degrees) was most effective, while a higher incline (60 degrees) maximised anterior deltoid and triceps brachii engagement.
The average Incline Dumbbell Bench Press weight for a male lifter is 87 lb (1RM). This makes you Intermediate on Strength Level and is a very impressive lift. What is a good Incline Dumbbell Bench Press? Male beginners should aim to lift 41 lb (1RM) which is still impressive compared to the general population.
Weight Capacity and Progressive Overload: Bench presses with a barbell typically allow you to lift heavier weights than dumbbell presses. This process can be beneficial for building strength and applying the principle of progressive overload.
Why is incline bench press harder? Some people find that the incline bench press is harder than flat bench presses because the front delt likes to dominate the movement and tends to take away from the action of the upper chest because of how close in proximity these two muscles are.
The current world record (equipped, with shirt) is held by American Jimmy Kolb established on July 29th, 2023, at the 2023 IPA Tristar Bash meet, when he successfully locked out 635 kg (1,401 lb), beating the previous record by 23 kg (51 lb).
WHAT IS HYPERTROPHY? Muscle hypertrophy (known simply as hypertrophy) is an increase in the size of a muscle, or its cross- sectional area attributed to an increase in the size and/ or number of myofibrils (actin and myosin) within a given muscle fiber.
Progressive overload training is a type of strength training that involves gradually increasing the intensity or difficulty of workouts over time. The goal of progressive overload is to maximize results by regularly challenging the body.
Even among the guys who have been lifting for over a decade, only 2% of them have ever pressed 225 pounds overhead.
Average weight: 10-20 lbs per dumbbell. Your focus initially should be on mastering the technique and building stability rather than maximizing weights; you should try to increase the number of reps before increasing the weight of your dumbbells.