There will be a time when your body becomes used to the barbell for a chest exercise and will reach a plateau. At this point you will need to switch up the exercise by either attacking the muscle in a different angle e.g. Incline to decline or by switching the type of weights you use e.g. Barbell to dumbbells or cables to machines. By switching to dumbbells, you will have to use different muscle fibers to stabilize each muscle individually instead of the barbell which does not require as much stabilizing muscles to be activated to complete the rep.
You will not be able to lift as much weight as you would if you were doing the barbell bench press. But, one benefit of the dumbbell bench press is that you will be able to get a better stretch of the muscle because of the wider range of motion with the reps.
This stretch combined with the activation of other stabilizing muscles means more muscle fibers will be recruited to preform this exercise. The more muscle fibers that are engaged, the more muscle mass will be produced afterward.
When performing the dumbbell bench press, start out by using a weight that is 20 percent lighter then you usually do for the bench press. So, if you were benching 200lbs with the barbell, grab two 80lbs dumbbells for a total of 160lbs.
With the dumbbells in your hand, sit on the edge of the bench and place the dumbbells vertically on your knees. As you lean back to lay on the bench, let your knees assist you in lifting the dumbbells to the correct position which is about an inch above your chest and shoulder width apart. By doing this, you are not only preventing a risk of injury by over exerting your muscles but, you are also helping save energy to perform your dumbbell bench press.
Once at this starting position, lift up the dumbbells in an explosive and control manner until your elbows are extended but, not fully locked out.
At the top of the rep, hold for a second and slowly lower the dumbbells as low as you can without putting stress on the shoulder. You should feel a stretch in the chest muscles toward the bottom of the rep.
Because the dumbbell bench press has a longer rep range then that of a barbell bench press, you will engage and activate more muscle fibers during your workout. The more muscle fibers you can stimulate, the more the muscle will grow as result. Even with a 20 percent decrease in weight.
Make sure you keep the reps as straight and vertical as your can. Try to move the dumbbells up and down in a straight line. To gain the best results in the dumbbell bench press, have your elbows angled at a 45 degree angle from your body. This will place more stress on the chest and less on the shoulders and triceps.
At the end of your set, bring your knees up in the air and place the dumbbells on them to help you bring the weight down gently and without muscle strain. This is the safest way to end your dumbbell bench press. Your muscles will be fatigued and your mind not thinking straight. The last thing you want to do is throw your weight on the ground when you are done with a strenuous workout. This could cause injury to your shoulders or chest muscles.
Performing such tedious exercises challenges the muscles heavily. You need to look for proper nutrition and aid your muscles with ample lean boosters to ensure your workout is well paid off. Testogen results are one of the effective examples to ensure the supplements are fit if you intend heavy workouts. They aid you with workouts and also supply recovery support at their best.