Barbell vs. Dumbbells – Which is better?

“Which is most effective to gain mass in my arms – the rod, the barbell, or the curly?”  This question was posted on Quora.com recently.  While there are many exercise and fitness questions that I choose to skip over, I decided to answer this one because I felt it highlighted a common misunderstanding in the fitness industry.  There is a notion out there that the results you get from exercise are somehow dependent on the tool (machine, free weight, cable, band, etc.) that is used while exercising.  And, if you use one tool versus another, that you will get better results (more muscle, less fat, increased strength, improved endurance, and so forth).

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