Dumbbells and barbells, the two workhorses of free weight training, each have subtly different advantages
Dumbbells are small; you hold one in each hand. A barbell is the longer, typically two-handed implement.
First, let’s look at a barbell’s biggest advantage: their size. Some exercises can be done just as well with either type of implement, but when you want to lift something really heavy
Let’s use deadlifts for an example. Beginners might be able to use heavy dumbbells for their deadlifts
But even a well-stocked gym won’t usually have dumbbells that go much above 100 pounds each