Thanks for this - I have been managing with a small bar (only 3.5 feet long) and adjustable weights but I can see how limiting that will be in the future unless I get access to barbells and racks.

The All Pro routine - it seems philosophically different from the NROL4W - since it suggest one weight for one cycle with rising reps, and the workouts each week drop in intensity. NROL drops the reps in the same cycle but increases the weight.

For newbies, which one would you prefer? [maybe i should put that in a new thread?]

AllPro is simpler and focusses more on progression of the same lifts.

I have not done NORWFL (or AllPro for that matter, even though the lifts are more similar to what I do). but would recommend AllPro. That being said, the really good thing about NORWFL is the explanations and discussion. With AllPro, as its not a book, you do not have as much support. However, the lifts are very standard and you can get good details about them by checking out Stronglifts and Starting Strength as well as watching form/technique video's.

Goblet squats are awesome!

Great post, just what I've been looking for! I'm a complete beginner wanting to start SS or SL but wanting to have a go and get used to lifting at home with dumbells before committing to a gym membership (and making sure I can at least lift the empty bar...)

My question is, what weight range should I be looking at buying to take me from complete beginner (with pretty poor upper body strength) to the point where I'd need barbells to progress further?

That is a hard answer to be specific with as it varies individual to individual. However, the main issue you will find is when doing lower body work as our legs/glutes are much stronger than out upper half, so you will max out on those before the upper body stuff. It is not quite so bad for squats as there are ways to make them harder (to a degree) without having to have more weight (pistol squats are really hard to do). The other main issue is that it is hard to up the weights on upper body in the usual 5lb increments that DBs come in. Wrist weights are a good way to add a bit of load to them if you cannot get ones that go up in increments smaller than 2 1/2lb.

Even though they are a PITA, I would get DBs that you add the plates to rather than the fixed weight DBs as it will be more economical and flexible.

A point to note however, is that you will not be able to do as much re weigh with dumbbells as you will with a barbell as you engage more stabilizers with DBs. For example, I can do about 1/3 more pressing a barbell than DBs (adding the 2 DB weights together to compare).

A good range of weights would be ones that go up to at least 20lb - that way you can be sure that you can lift the bar. More weight is better as you can use them when you cannot get to the gym.

Another point to remember is that some gyms have bars that weigh less than an Olympic bar so you can start lighter than 45lb if they have them,