Does anyone know comparisons between dumbell chest press to barbell bench press?

[zedd]

I have been doing dumbell presses instead of bench press due to shoulder injury. Does anyone know how the two lifts compare weight wise? For instance: would pressing 200 lbs on dumbells be the same as 200 on bench press or would it be like 250? I am asking because it sure seems a heck of alot harder and heavier. 125's feel like I am pressing above 330 lbs.

zedd

[Scrumhalf]

I have to drop way down in weight for dumbbell presses. I can do DB presses with about 1.1X my body weight, but I can do better than 1.5X my body weight with the barbell bench press. I guess it is because you are using more effort to stabilize the dumbbells compared to the barbell.

[meat12]

Originally posted by Scrumhalf
I I guess it is because you are using more effort to stabilize the dumbbells compared to the barbell.

:agree:


exactly

[beefcake]

What gets me though is, why is it that I can do more weight with a barbell on bench presses and curls, but can shoulder press more with the db's rather than the bar? Is it because of the angle the bar has to take rather than the straight up and down of the db's? :dunno:

[the_inkslinger]

I feel that sing the dumbells puts less stress on my elbows (coming back from injury) on top of that its helped build my chest definiteion better.. perhaps cause your form has to be so controlled ..

On bench I push about 285 ... but for presses on DB's I can only do aabout 125. Are we supposed to add them together ? hehe