Even though guys lifted the same total weight, those using barbells felt way more sore in their triceps for longer than those using dumbbells—suggesting barbells might be harder on the back of the arm.
Scientific Claim
Barbell chest press leads to greater and more prolonged elbow extensor muscle soreness in resistance-trained men compared to dumbbell chest press, with peak soreness at 24–48 hours and slower recovery, despite similar total training volume.
Original Statement
“Moreover, muscle soreness was higher in the barbell group at 24 and 48 hours when compared with the dumbbell group (p ≤ 0.05). The effect size was medium (ƒ = 0.25).”
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 statistical significance (p ≤ 0.05) with effect size quantification support definitive language. The claim accurately reflects the data without overgeneralization.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (1)
Chest Press Exercises With Different Stability Requirements Result in Similar Muscle Damage Recovery in Resistance-Trained Men
The study found that using dumbbells didn’t hurt your triceps at all, but using a barbell did cause some soreness — the opposite of what the claim says.