With the body beautiful being ever more desirable, and access to decent gyms at affordable prices harder to find, it makes sense to keep your workout closer to home, and a set adjustable dumbbells are just the thing to provide a good, empowering workout even if you want to watch a movie whilst doing it!
Adjustable, as opposed to fixed, dumbbells allow weights to be added, or removed, to fully personalize your training session. Many start their workout with light weights, increasing the pressure as their muscles warm by adding more weight in increments. Either alone or as an addition to your home gym, a set of adjustable dumbbells makes a great upper body workout, offering numerous ways to tone up.
1) Bowflex SelectTech 552 – Two Adjustable Dumbbells
Overview
With an almost sci-fi styling, this set of adjustable dumbbells from Bowflex, are unique in their design concept. Offering a weight range from 5lbs through to 52lbs, dials on the ends of the dumbbells allow you to select the weight required. Simply lift the dumbbell from its base unit, and only the weights amounting to your selection will be attached! If you wish to increase, or decrease, the resistance, slot the weight back into the base and adjust the dial. Pick the dumbbell up and your new weight is attached.
What We Like
We love the look of these – if weights were designed for gamers, these would be the ones. Red and black with silver dials, the design is impressively cool. The innovative adjusting technique, however, beats their appearance into the ground. Eliminating the need to have a pile of weights waiting for you to use them, everything fits into the neat base unit, and by just moving the dial, your weights are personalized for each workout.
There’s also a downloadable free app containing workout programs, journals and more. How cool is that!
What Needs Improving
These could be considered a little bulky, however, once you’ve got used to the feel, the whole concept works really well.
2) PowerBlock Sport 24 Adjustable Dumbbells Set
Overview
With the weight options ranging from 3lbs to 24lbs, and a design concept similar to the Bowflex, these use a ‘snap to adjust’ method, meaning that once you’ve selected the weight you require, and pick up the bar, only those plates will be attached. However, these use an innovative block design, rather than the traditional discoid style.
What We Like
The idea of keeping your weight plates neatly together works well, and like the Bowflex, PowerBlock have come up with a great concept to do just that. The snap and adjust method allows you to change the resistance in a second, with no workout interruption to screw on the disc plate.
The flat weight blocks, we felt, offered a comfortable ergonomic approach, and were well balanced, while the rubberized grip felt … grippy.
We found that it’s easy to just keep working one arm while you change the plate on the other dumbbell if you’re in the middle of an intensive session.
What Needs Improving
The flat plate design took a while to get used to, however once we did we found them extremely versatile and comfy.
3) TELK Adjustable Dumbbells
Overview
For a traditional style set of dumbbells, these, from Telk, are well put together. The stackable plates, manufactured from cast iron, add up to 32.5 lbs for each dumbbell, and are simply and easily screwed onto the bar, with lockable collars to ensure they stay in place. Included in the set is a connector rod, allowing an easy conversion from two dumbbells to one barbell for increased workout versatility.
What We Like
The solid simplicity of this set of dumbbells is reassuringly comforting, and although any adjustment takes a fraction longer than that of the innovatively designed Bowflex and Elevens, we like the minimalist components – the bar, the weights and the securely fitting collar. Not much can go wrong here!
What Needs Improving
Whilst the product is excellent, the price is a little high. However, for this level of quality, without the risk of rusting or paint flaking, we’re happy to pay the fraction extra.
