Many gym goers, new and experienced, question if dumbbells are as good as barbells. We must remember, we all have different bodies, different injuries, different aches and pains, and straight up different mechanics. Find what is best for you but still try to sprinkle in some new things to keep your workout fresh and fun. Here are the benefits of using dumbbells and a small list of why you may want to add in barbell exercises.
Benefits
- Allows for a large range of motion.
- Easy to learn movements.
- Can train almost every muscle group.
- May offer additional stabilizer muscle benefits on certain exercises.
- Beneficial for people with joint pain or injuries.
- Can mix in a variety of exercises for each body part.
- Safer alternative when exercising alone or without a spotter.
- Great for developing a mind-muscle connection on a variety of exercises.
Risks
- Normally cannot use as much weight as a barbell.
- Hard to go heavy without a spotter, especially to get the movement started.
- Typically outgrow certain exercises and need higher weights.
- Not as many choices for bilateral lower body exercises for more experienced weightlifters.
I hope you find these points useful and beneficial. As you can see, you can get a great workout plus gain size and muscle with only dumbbells. Like I mentioned earlier, try to mix up your workouts so you don’t hit a frustrating plateau.
