Is there an effective way to double up dumbbells somehow?

jeremyjhartley
jeremyjhartley Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I think the title says it all, but here is my question. I have a set of dumbbells, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 pairs of each. For nearly every workout so far this is adequate for me. Except for maybe squats. I want to be able to somehow strap two dumbbells together in order to effectively double my weight. That way I can have a 30 and a 10, or whatever I want, hanging from the other weight so that I am only gripping one weight but lifting two. I am thinking about some type of straps or metal S hooks or something like that. Any ideas? I just don't want to have t buy more dumbbells. If I can connect them, I will have effectively changed my set of dumbbells from a max of 30 to a max of 55 in each hand.

Replies

  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    just being thick can you not just use one hand at a time and add more weight onto it that way? yes it takes more time blah blah blah...but it's a solution! :wink:
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    I guess you could pick up some heavy-duty bungee cords or some chain from Home Depot and try.
    Might be cheaper and safer to go ahead and buy the heavier dumbbells,though.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    They are expensive, but you can get adjustable dumbbells.
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
    I duct taped 2 tens together one time.... true story lol

    but the bungee cords might work and then you can only grip one handle
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    I duct taped 2 tens together one time.... true story lol

    but the bungee cords might work and then you can only grip one handle

    Duct tape would definitely work on hex-head dumbbells, but my thought was he'd have to remove the tape each time.
  • jeremyjhartley
    jeremyjhartley Posts: 9 Member
    My weights are rubber coated hex dumbbells. What I was thinking about is a very short motorcycle tie down type of strap. I know that adjustable weights would be the way to go, I just dont want to drop $300 on some selecttechs. The reason that I got these over the adjustable in the first place was that my wife and I sometimes work out at the same time, so one set wasn't enough. This set was only $200 at costco. It really is plenty of weight except for squats, so I thought that if I strap the 25s to the 30s wouldn't be too hard and it wouldn't be unsafe in any way.
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    Go for it and see how it works.
  • jeremyjhartley
    jeremyjhartley Posts: 9 Member
    I think I may have found a decent solution. Climbing quickdraws. I may try to find a couple and as long as they clip over the handle, they should work.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Why not just buy a barbell/free weights and do squats with that?

    If you and your wife keep up the lifting you'll be graduating from static dumbbells soon enough anyway. So I would think an adjustable barbell weight set with dumbbell bars would be the way to go. Buy it once, get years of use out of it and never have to worry about outgrowing it.

    I love my barbell set. If I was to use dumbbells nowadays, I'd get the shorter bars and use the weights I have already.

    Just my 2 cents. I don't know your space/financial situation or future goals so I hope that was helpful in some way.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    The number 1 rule of the game is to stay in the game. Jerry rigging dumbbells together sounds like a fast track to an easily avoidable injury to me. Just save up till you can buy some 50s or a heavy kettlebell
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    I've got two sets of cheap spin lock bars with plates. Sooo much cheaper than the powerblock/ selecttech type adjustable weights. Granted they are slower to change but a fraction of the price.
  • matt2442
    matt2442 Posts: 1,259 Member
    Get bodylastics resistance bands...you can hook them on to the handles and you can have up to 142 lbs of resistance on them. What you're doing now is going to injure you and you won't be squatting much for a while.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Try this!!!

    http://m.wikihow.com/Make-a-Homemade-Weight-Set
  • MagicalLeopleurodon
    MagicalLeopleurodon Posts: 623 Member
    We use tie straps to hold 50lb dumbells together for lawnmowers. (100lb dumbell=$97. No thanks)
    Theyre flat, ratchet doen solid, and are easy to remove.
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    Many good answers here. I used to hold two dumbbells in one hand and ended up injuring my wrists. That's when I broke down and bought selecttech weights, but I got them at a discount since the box was damaged.

    Adding a resistance band is a great suggestion, and a barbell would be great for squats, too. You can get a decent barbell with some plates for about $100.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Do bulgarian split squats - hold one in each hand - or save up for heavier ones.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Why not put the weights in a backpack and climb some stairs? That'll give you one heck of a lower body workout.

    Safer than many of the alternatives until you can get a barbell.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    The number 1 rule of the game is to stay in the game. Jerry rigging dumbbells together sounds like a fast track to an easily avoidable injury to me. Just save up till you can buy some 50s or a heavy kettlebell

    i was going to suggest that you start looking at heavy kettlebells. one heavy one can be held in front of you for goblet squats. and a lot of people mistakenly think that KB's are for arms. they're mostly a lower body work out. i like doing them at the end of my dead lift day to work on my hip drive and strengthen my lower back.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    The obvious solution would be make a dumbbell vest that enables you to hook/tie numerous dumbbells to it :laugh: Perhaps a weight belt and some seamstress skills...
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    I have done this with smaller weights but I'm always afraid they will come lose and knock me out and that will defeat the purpose.

    I I have to spend some money to get the heavier weights.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Do bulgarian split squats - hold one in each hand - or save up for heavier ones.
    This makes the most sense. Bulgarian split squats will effectively double the weight because you're only working one leg at a time.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    The number 1 rule of the game is to stay in the game. Jerry rigging dumbbells together sounds like a fast track to an easily avoidable injury to me. Just save up till you can buy some 50s or a heavy kettlebell

    ^This! Tying/Duct taping dumbbells together sounds..well...dumb. That's just asking for a trip to the ER. Save up until you can buy heavier weights or figure out a way to get to a gym.
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
    The number 1 rule of the game is to stay in the game. Jerry rigging dumbbells together sounds like a fast track to an easily avoidable injury to me. Just save up till you can buy some 50s or a heavy kettlebell

    ^This! Tying/Duct taping dumbbells together sounds..well...dumb. That's just asking for a trip to the ER. Save up until you can buy heavier weights or figure out a way to get to a gym.

    DITTO!!!!
  • adamrkearley
    adamrkearley Posts: 1
    I went the duct tape route. A sufficient amount of duct tape can be practically indestructible against a blunt extruding force. The only issue I'm having is with the awkward weight distribution of the dumbbell, makes certain exercises pretty much impossible. I have cement I bought to make homemade weights, will probably get on that as soon as the weather turns around.

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