Flat Dumbbell Press Vs. Barbell Bench Press

The flat dumbbell press is a free weight exercise that’s effective in developing your chest muscles. Compared to the barbell bench press, you can achieve a greater range of motion with the flat dumbbell bench press. Include this exercise in your dumbbell workouts if you’re looking for the best exercise to build your pectorals.

Another added benefit of dumbbell bench presses over the barbell bench presses is the ability to change your hand position during the lift. With the barbell bench press, the bar is flat, and your hands remain in the same position throughout the movement. However, with dumbbell bench presses, you have the ability to turn your palms inward during the exercise. Turning the dumbbell inward at the top of the press gives you a better contraction in your chest.

Additionally, since you need each arm to stabilize the weight, it’s more difficult to bench press with a pair of dumbbells. For the same amount of weight, you’ll find that dumbbells will be more challenging to handle compared to barbells. This in turn leads to more muscles being stimulated during the exercise. As a rule of thumb, when you’re working out with dumbbells, you’ll find it to be more difficult with any exercise compared to a barbell or a workout machine.