After a tough chest workout, guys using barbells or machines feel sore in their triceps for a few days, but those using dumbbells don’t feel any soreness at all—even though they lifted the same total weight.
Scientific Claim
Triceps brachii muscle soreness recovers by 72 hours after barbell and Smith machine chest press in resistance-trained men, but remains unchanged after dumbbell chest press, suggesting that dumbbell use may reduce or eliminate triceps soreness despite similar training volume.
Original Statement
“However, the Smith machine and barbell groups recovered from triceps brachii muscle soreness by 72 hours after exercise (p > 0.05), whereas the dumbbell group did not present any triceps brachii muscle soreness after exercise (p > 0.05).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
The RCT design and nonparametric testing (Friedman test) confirmed the absence of soreness in the dumbbell group versus recovery in others. The language accurately reflects the observed data without overgeneralization.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Chest Press Exercises With Different Stability Requirements Result in Similar Muscle Damage Recovery in Resistance-Trained Men
The study found that doing chest presses with dumbbells didn’t make your triceps sore at all, but using barbells or machines did — even though everyone did the same amount of work. So dumbbells might be easier on your triceps.