My sister - who is the one who inspired me into a life of fitness believe it or not - was the first person to introduce me to adjustable dumbbells. She swears by them, and absolutely loves her set. The reason she likes them so much? It is simple they make doing weight training exercises at home (with a toddler running around) doable and they store away really easily. She got her set for Christmas last year and I am pretty sure it was one of her favorite presents. She has the Bowflex 24 lbs set which is similar to this Bowflex adjustable dumbbell set (her set is now discontinued).
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Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells List Price: $549.00 Sale Price: $377.77 Average Rating:   |
So basically, if you want home gym equipment that doesn't take up an entire room than yes, adjustable dumbbells are worth the money as long as you get good ones.
How To Get The Best Adjustable Dumbbells For You.
The first thing that you will want to do when you are looking at purchasing a set of adjustable weight dumbbells is to head on over to a store like Amazon.com/AdjustableDumbbells and check out the customer reviews on the product. That way you can know what other customers thought about them, and get a product that is good quality. Here are some specific things to consider.
Are the weights easy to change? This is probably the most important feature of any adjustable dumbbell set. The weights have to be easy to change out, or else the set is useless.
What shape is the set? Adjustable dumbbells come in two basic shapes. Round and square. This is a personal preference issue, but should be something that you consider when you are looking to buy your dumbbells.
How much weight do you need? Men often prefer a heavier adjustable dumbbell system to build mass, while women often prefer a lighter weight system to build long lean muscles. It all depends on what your objectives are.
Go for quality. I can't overemphasize this enough. A quality weight system is probably the most important thing you can look for. Usually you can tell by the customer reviews how good the system is.
Other things you should consider when developing your fitness routine.
There are two basic ways to get fit fast - strength training and simply moving more. As you know I am a big fan of using adjustable dumbbells for strength training especially when you are doing full body moves like the squat press. But any movement is positive movement and that is where tracking your steps comes in. One of the best ways to track how long you are walking for is to use a pedometer watch. Using a pedometer to track your steps throughout the day is a great way to get instant feedback on how much you are moving which really motivates you to move more. Combining weight training with walking or running in a great way to get fit FAST.
Of course you should always consult with your physician BEFORE starting an exercise routine. But for almost all people exercise is hugely beneficial. In fact here is a great source of information about diabetic exercise that should encourage you to get moving if you are dealing with diabetes. No matter what kind of shape you are in now, exercise can be very beneficial.
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Fitness is possible even if you have limited time and space. There is nothing like working out at home to give you great results in as little time as possible. One of the best ways to get quick results is to do weight training, and one of the best overall weight training exercises is to use adjustable dumbbells for a squat press. It will strengthen your entire body.
Here is the video for dumbbells squat press technique.
When you are watching this video be sure to pay attention to the technique that the instructor is using. The instructor is at a gym using traditional dumbbells, and they work great, but for home use, I really like adjustable dumbbells. Mostly because they are a lot easier to store. Here is the difference.
Adjustable Dumbbells (1 set - small space)
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Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells List Price: $549.00 Sale Price: $377.77 Average Rating: |
Regular Dumbbell Set (1 set - a lot more room)
Either one works for any dumbbell exercise. It is mostly a matter of preference or space and it just depends on what you are looking for in your equipment.
Tips for doing a Squat Press correctly.
- Don't go too heavy.
- Always use correct form and a lighter weight.
- Hold dumbbells at shoulders.
- Feet shoulder width apart
- Stomach tight, chest up
- Basic move is a squat combined with a shoulder press.
- Keep weight back on heels.
Because the squat press works all your major muscle groups it is a fantastic exercise for strengthening your entire body. Remember not to do the same exercise two days in a row. It is a good idea to also cross train in order to get the most benefit from your exercise routine. If you are looking for other adjustable dumbbell exercises be sure to check out the other videos on this site (like bicep curls). You will find some good ones.
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If you have read any of my stuff, you know that I love working out at home. I value a muscular body, but don't have a lot of time for the gym. So I usually break out my adjustable dumbbells and do some simple (but effective) exercises that keep my body looking great, but don't take a ton of time or an elaborate home gym.
One of the exercises that I do in a dumbbell shoulder press. This is an easy exercise to do and will work your shoulders and arms. Be sure to work both sides evenly. Here is a video to show you the proper technique.
As you can see the instructor in this video is using a traditional dumbbell set. I don't know about you, but I don't have room for those at my house so I use adjustable dumbbells instead.
Here are two of my favorite sets.
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PowerBlock Classic Adjustable 5 to 45-Pounds per Dumbbell Set List Price: $338.00 Sale Price: $279.00 Average Rating: |
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Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells List Price: $549.00 Sale Price: $377.77 Average Rating: |
I like these because they are both customer top rated at Amazon, and you can change the weights easily. My personal preference is the PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells set because it doesn't roll around, but some people have trouble getting used to the handle. So it really comes down to personal preference.
Some things to keep in mind when doing a dumbbell shoulder press.
- Keep your hands straight above your shoulders - never at an angle.
- Use a smooth controlled motion.
- Bend your knees slightly.
- Keep your stomach tight and chest up.
- You can do 1 arm at a time or both at the same time.
The muscles you will work by doing this exercise are the deltoids and triceps. Triceps are often overlooked, but very important if you want a strong look.
Remember to vary your workout and never work the same muscle groups two days in a row. What I do is arms and chest one day with legs and stomach the next.
Doing a dumbbell shoulder press is a great exercise to add to your workouts. You can do this exercise with either adjustable dumbbells or with free weights. Remember to pay attention to technique and you will get great results!
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The bicep curl is a great exercise for building big biceps. To get the most of of a bicep curl using adjustable dumbbells, it is important that you have the proper form. Otherwise all you will get is a damaged shoulder. When you are doing bicep curls you will want to use moderate weights to get the best results. I could write forever on this subject, but it is easier to just show you a video on how to do it.
Proper form for a bicep curl.
In this video the instructor is using traditional dumbbells and they work very well. But I like to work out at home, and don't have the space for a huge stack of traditional dumbbells. That is why I use adjustable dumbbells instead.
Adjustable dumbbells can be used for any exercise that traditional dumbbells can be used for but take up far less room.
Here is a traditional set.
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Cap Barbell Solid Hex Dumbbell Set with Rack (150 Pound) List Price: $399.99 Sale Price: $198.95 Average Rating:  |
And here is an adjustable set.
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PowerBlock Classic Adjustable 5 to 45-Pounds per Dumbbell Set List Price: $338.00 Sale Price: $279.00 Average Rating: |
For me personally, I like the adjustable dumbbells because they are easy to change the weights on, they are comfortable, and they are durable. More then anything else though, they are easy to store.
One of the only downsides to using a set of dumbbells that is adjustable is that the grip can take some getting used to, especially if you are used to using traditional weights. Most people though, find that after a couple of reps it becomes more natural.
Some things to keep in mind when doing a bicep curl with an adjustable dumbbell set.
- Moderate weight is enough - you don't need to go too heavy to get great results.
- Keep your shoulders still when doing the exercise to avoid injury.
- Use a slow deliberate motion to get the most out of your workout.
- Don't do bicep curls two days in a row - vary your workout.
So there you have it... the proper form and technique for a bicep curl that will get you great results.
If you want a complete guide to working out here is one on how to build muscle quickly.
Happy weight lifting!
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Renegade rows are an amazing strength training exercise for the upper body. It can build some serious strength very quickly. But, because you hold yourself up on three points, this particular exercise requires learning a simple technique that makes it much easier to do. Here is an excellent 1 minute video of renegade rows with kettlebells that shows you the technique. (Don't worry we are getting to using the PowerBlock adjustable dumbbell set.) I really like this video because it explains how to do renegade rows really well.
The Technique for Renegade Rows
Now kettlebells do work great for renegade rows, but if you have a home gym they may PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells come in. Now that you know the technique, here is a video showing you how easy the PowerBlocks are to use for this exercise.
Powerblock Adjustable Dumbbells and Renegade Rows
One of the reasons that I like PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells is because of their square shape. It is very stable and will never roll away from you.
Here they are in 24 pound version.
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PowerBlock SportBlock 24 Adjustable 3 to 24-Pounds per Dumbbell Set List Price: $184.00 Sale Price: $157.55 Average Rating: |
Here is the 50 pound per dumbbell version.
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PowerBlock Personal Trainer Adjustable 2.5 to 50-Pounds per Dumbbell Set List Price: $418.00 Sale Price: $358.00 Average Rating: |
All PowerBlock sets are easy to adjust (they adjust with a pin like a nautilus machine), and have a super small footprint. They are also nearly always top rated by customers. The 50 pound version for instance has 11 customer reviews on Amazon 6 are 5 star reviews and 5 are 4 star reviews.
PowerBlock adjustable dumbbells can be used for every exercise that traditional dumbbells are used for they just take up far less room. Which makes them perfect for a home gym. The only downside is that the square shape takes some getting used to for some people, but usually after the first couple of sets you do you will be hooked.
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Adjustable dumbbells and a weight bench can replace an entire living room full of gym equipment, and make working out at home both effective and easy. Anyone who has done lunges or squats will tell you that dumbbells can really make your exercise routine effective. If you lack a lot of space and want a solid workout than this is one tool you won't want to live without.
The first thing you will want to consider when choosing the right adjustable dumbbell set is how much weight you want and or need.
These sets come in many different weight groups. Most of them go up to at least 24 lbs. Here is a customer top rated example (from Amazon) of a 3 to 24 pound set by Powerblock.
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PowerBlock SportBlock 24 Adjustable 3 to 24-Pounds per Dumbbell Set List Price: $184.00 Sale Price: $157.55 Average Rating: |
These smaller sets are perfect for men and women who are average exercisers and are looking to gain muscle and definition, but not a lot of mass. Between using one of these sets and a sensible diet menu, getting in shape will be no problem.
If you are a body builder you will want to go with a larger set, so that you have more weight to work with.
Of the heavier adjustable dumbbells people really like the ones by Bowflex (52.5 pounds) and the sets by Ironmaster (75 lbs) which comes with its own stand.
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Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells List Price: $549.00 Sale Price: $377.77 Average Rating: |
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Ironmaster 75 lb Quick Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System List Price: $449.00 Sale Price: $515.00 Average Rating:  |
Both of these adjustable dumbbell sets are also rated on Amazon at 4 and 1/2 stars by users. Since they are one of the more expensive pieces of home gym equipment you will buy, it is important to get ones that work the way they are advertised.
What other things should you consider?
Look at the grip of the adjustable dumbbell set that you are considering. Some people prefer a straight grip while others like a more ergonomic curved grip. There is no right or wrong here, just personal preference.
Check out the mechanics of the adjusting mechanism. As long as you go with a top rated set like those above, you should be fine. But each brand has a slightly different mechanism for weight changes, so you need to take that into consideration.
What shape do you want your adjustable dumbbells to be?
Powerblock dumbells are a big rectangle and you grip them on the inside of the weight (check out the above pictures). Bowflex dumbbells are shaped like traditional dumbbells. Both of these shapes perform equally well, but what you get depends on what you like.
Adjustable dumbbells are a great addition to any home gym, because they add a lot of versatility to your workout routine. When you combine them with a weight bench, you will find that you can do just about any exercise that you can in a big gym.
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