Dumbells vs Barbell page

[Shane.]

Trying to cut down on my equipment as the room its all kept in is being cleared out and turned into a proper spare room/drum room. I wouldn't mind getting rid of my current bench with non adjustable spotters in favour of a fold away flat bench and this got me thinking about switching to dumbells for lifts as they are much easier to pack away and I wouldn't need to worry about having a squat rack which takes up alot of space (and much easier to dump if I get in trouble as I train alone)

Just looking for any thoughts on this? I have some dumbell bars and about 110kg in plates already so plenty to progress with. Current lifting training is one day a week 5x5 bench press, front squat, bent over row and deadlift (may add a pull up bar to help aswell)

Thoughts please

[Wanderlust]

Barbell, any less is just uncivilized.

[counterpuncher]

What you lift to build strength really doesn't matter, as your body doesn't know whether you're lifting a barbell, dumbell, sandbag, big rocks, ect...
Lift whatever is convienent for you to lift. Just lift something.

[Bunk]

Dumb Bells would definitely be more convenient for storage at home. Don't think I could give up a barbell workout plan for a dumb bell one though.

[Shane.]

What you lift to build strength really doesn't matter, as your body doesn't know whether you're lifting a barbell, dumbell, sandbag, big rocks, ect...
Lift whatever is convienent for you to lift. Just lift something.

I guess I never really looked at it like that, thankyou for putting it in a different perspective.

[Scott F]

You won't be able to handle as much weight in lifts like bench press using dumbbells as you would using a barbell so that will limit strength grains in those lifts.

[RichMahogany]

How are you going to squat with dumbbells? What about incremental loading? And how many dumbbells do you plan to buy? A pair in every weight from 20-100? Gonna get spendy that way.

Do what I did, forego a couch in the living room for a couple squat stands and a proper "olympic" barbell. You won't regret it.

[bostonwolf]

I love barbells, but for bench press I need to use dumbbells these days. My right shoulder just doesn't like the movement any more so it's easier to use dumbbells or a machine for that.

If you have the space a squat rack and barbell is the way to go.

[Annlee]

I prefer DBs or KBs because I am strongly dominant on one side -- and the other side is happy to let that one carry more of the load with a bar or sandbag or any other two-handed object. To get more strength in my weaker side I have to make it carry its own load.

My own experience is that the stabilizer muscles in each shoulder are worked much more with DBs or KBs - and the result is that I can lift roughly 1/3 as much per DB/KB as the two-handed lift total. So ... 100# of barbell/sandbag/rock/etc means I can do about 32-35# per DB or KB. I think it's due to the lack of mutual support and stabilization - that's what it "feels" like to me.

[Leida]

Kettlebells.