Powerblocks - which to choose?

CeeBeeSlim

Happy New Year, All. Got a monetary gift that I want to apply to getting Powerblocks and got overwhelmed by the options. I'm 53, 5'3, 135 and would like to lose 10-15 lbs. I'm starting strong curves again after an injury (can't rule out that I was letting my ego determine the amount of weight I was using - without regard to form). I was thinking of getting the personal trainer powerblocks as it's the only one that allows me to get EVERY 2.5 weight increment between 5 and 50 BUT it doesn't go past 50lbs per dumbbell. I could get the pair that expands to either 70 or 90 or higher but they don't allow for every 2.5 increment and I'm wondering whether I will truly need more than 50lbs per dumbbell. I can use hubbys barbell if I ever get that strong. Am I being shortsighted and should get the pair that expands or stick to what that doesn't but gives me 12.5 and 22.5 etc - the thing is for some reason the jump from 10-15 was harder than I thought for some exercises, so I was looking for a 12.5 weight. If it matters, I'm not looking to powerlift and it's vanity weight I won't to lose. Thanks in advance for your help!

DopeItUp

The one thing you didn't mention is: what do you plan on doing with these DBs? Obviously you will run out of weight quickly if you're using them for squats and deadlifts but <50lbs should be fine for just about everything else.

Davidsdottir

If you're doing Strong Curves, you'll be best to do the ones that go up to 50 with the 2.5# increments and use the barbell for the hip thrusts, deadlifts, etc.

CeeBeeSlim

@DopeItUp. Hmmm. In addition to squatsand deadlifts, military presses, rows, walking lunges - etc. Wow. I'm not that experienced with strength training but you'd think I'd increase in weight pretty quickly?

@Davidsdottir Thank you. Will check out sales. Strange - the ones that expand are cheaper than the ones that don't.

Davidsdottir

If his bar is 45#, you'll be able to use that once you outgrow the powerblocks.

sgt1372

At your size, I seriously doubt that you'd need dumbbells weighing more that 50# each. However, as mentioned above, you'll probably need as much fractional adjustability as possible (2.5 vs 5# increments) for each dumbbell to make them more useful to you.

For exercises/lifts requiring more than 100# combined, a barbell simply would be better.

FWIW, I'm male, 5'8" & 158# and have a pair of adjustable 50# (each) dumbbells that I seldom use because I seldom do any isolation exercises for which they are best suited but, when I do use them, 50# is more than enough weight to carry in each hand for me.

CeeBeeSlim

@sjt1372. Thanks. You're right. I think my max lift in one hand was a 30 lb dumbbell row. And not sure I made it to 6 reps. I think the 2.5 increments make sense, and have since looked at the PB site. Geez Louise. Sooooo confusing!