Question - Can I do DB presses instead of barbell presses?
DB presses are outstanding. Many physique competitors, as well as strongmen, prefer the DB variation to the barbell variation. Interestingly enough, Mark Rippetoe himself feels that the DB may ultimately be a better alternative.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe, pg. 68, Starting Strength
...the dumbbell version of the exercise...is probably a better exercises for most purposes other than powerlifting competition.
There are a few reasons why the barbell version is the preferred "initiation" to the supine press (as the bench press used to be called). The primary one is simply that it is more appropriate to start with the technically easier exercise.
The learning curve for the barbell is much smoother than for DBs. Picture a complete novice trying to do a bench press. The bar wobbles everywhere, it is lowered at a variable rate of speed, it is pressed crooked, the left side flops forward, the right side flops backward, etc. Very few things are as humorous as watching a complete newb try to perform a bench press.
Now...add the aspect of unilateral balance and symmetry to the equation, both of which are required for dumbbell use...both of which are completely lacking in the untrained athlete-to-be. Since the majority of people are either right OR left-hand dominant, they will not have unilateral balance and symmetry. As a result, trying to teach a novice to do the DB press is a train wreck in the making.
You could possibly spend weeks just trying to get the trainee to learn how to balance the DBs. Those precious few weeks are going to be when the trainee is most adept at adding muscle and strength. Better to spend it with weight progression, rather than spending it trying to iron out balance and symmetry issues.
First learn walk, then learn run.
A good analogy exists when one compares barbells and DBs to automatic and manual transmissions.
Learning to drive a stick shift will undeniably make you a better driver. You'll learn more about driving, cornering, slowing and accelerating, etc using a stick than you will while driving an automatic.
However, the pain, aggravation, and lost time from trying to teach a 15-year old how to drive WHILE teaching him how to use a stick is probably going to be similar to the amount of pain and aggravation (and lost time) from trying to teach that same 15-year old to bench with a pair of DBs before they've even managed to perform a barbell press correctly. The trainee will definitely want to incorporate DBs into their routine, and eventually may end up with a routine that is predominantly DBs. Not only will they probably not suffer, they could possibly flourish. That, however, is better left to the more experienced trainee rather than the novice.
So yeah. I said all of that so that I could say this:
Don't use DBs in this program. Their use is wholeheartedly and enthusiastically endorsed by Mark Rippetoe and me (and any experienced strength athlete who has used them). However, their use is not warranted on this program.