Hi,

Ok, so just started going back to the gym after doing nothing for over a year. Have my routine planned, did the first Chest/Tricep day yesterday.

My question is, which is better. Using a free weight barbell for my bench press, where I have to stop before failure so I can get the weight back up, were was I usually prefer to go until failure. Or, use a machine, where I lose out on having to stabalise the weights, but can go to failure...

So, failure or stabalizing muscles, which has more benefit, or is it just a matter of choice? (My preference would be having somebody to exercise with that can spot me, but not an option at this time)

well if you use the barbell you will be working more muscles than just the chest, your front delts as well as triceps get a good kick as well....you lose this on the machines as they aremore isolation exercises. Failure is not always necessary, and if youe last rep is hard to get to the bar then that should be sufficient load on the muscle....you can also alternate barbell one week, machine the next and get the best of both worlds.

Or do dumbell benchpresses. Just be careful not do drop it on your head
I'm sort of serious... I've seen someones arm give out mid rep.
I actually think dumbell presses are better than barbell. More stretch at the bottom... more flexible range of motion = easier on the shoulders.

Thanks

I was doing mostly dumbell work last year at home, so I guess I went with the barbell as something different, and something I wasn't able to do at home. I think I'll stick with it for now with what Lady said, and not worry too much about not going until I fail. I can fail on my flys and incline without as much of an issue.

thanks.

I do those, too. I agree with MPS here. I do very little work with a barbell - mostly, I use dumbbells.

...scratches head, thinks...

Yeah, I only do barbells for squats and deads, come to think of it.

Right now, anyway.

I use dbs for pretty much everything as well. That way I don't worry too much about having a spotter as I can always bail dbs if I have to. I also like it because it allows for better range of motion.

About the only times I use a barbell is deadlift, squat, reverse curls, though sometimes regular curls with a curved bar.

I suppose the machine might be fine as well for going to failure if you can't find someone to spot you. I don't always care for the machines, but for this particular lift it's probably ok so long is you also do db and bb on other days to keep your support muscles in sync with your main muscles. Otherwise you can get injured a bit more easliy when you go back to bb and db after using the machine a while.