Exercise Comparison
Barbell Guillotine Bench Press vs One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Instructions
Barbell Guillotine Bench Press
Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over your neck with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
As you breathe in, bring the bar down slowly until it is about 1 inch from your neck.
After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press
Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand on top of your thigh.
By using your thigh to help you get the dumbbell up, clean the dumbbell up so that you can hold it in front of you at shoulder width. Use the hand you are not lifting with to help position the dumbbell over you properly.
Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrist forward so that the palm of your hand is facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbell at all times. Tip: Use the hand that you are not lifting with to help keep the dumbbell balance as you may struggle a bit at first. Only use your non-lifting hand if it is needed. Otherwise, keep it resting to the side.
As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.
Switch arms and repeat the movement.
Verdict
Both exercises target the chest. Barbell Guillotine Bench Press is a intermediate exercise using barbell, while One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press is beginner and uses dumbbell. Choose One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Barbell Guillotine Bench Press for a greater challenge.