Slowly talking myself into buying weights

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LoupGarouTFTs
LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A few weeks ago I posted that I was intimidated by lifting weights. Well, the guy I walk a Siberian husky for has a set of barbells and I've been able to use some 10-pound weights a few times a week. So far, I've not hurt anything or dropped anything and have felt generally okay doing it. (His are from Sports Authority.) So now I'm starting to consider getting weights for myself. I don't have a lot of room for storage, so smaller is better, but, can anyone give me advice on what to look for in terms of an inexpensive but reasonable quality set of weights? Would dumbbells be acceptable for someone like me, who will be a casual lifter at best? Or should I invest in weights I can adjust? Finally, Walmart sells the Gold's Gym bars for $5.00 each and the weight plates for $$. If I wanted to go on the cheapside and start that way, what kind of weight plates would you suggest starting with?

Thanks!

Replies

  • rjdunn87
    rjdunn87 Posts: 385 Member
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    I'm not an expert on this topic by any means, but I just wanted to throw it out there that I have the Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells and I really love them. They don't take up a lot of space and they allow you to move relatively quickly between different weights for different exercises. I invested in them to use with ChaLean Extreme but my boyfriend and I still use them all the time now. :)
  • ALittleHazey
    ALittleHazey Posts: 53
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    Most dumbbells are adjustable, it's usually only the really really cheap plastic sets, or very large expensive sets that aren't.

    I picked up a 2 pack of dumbbells from amazon, the bars each weigh 5 lbs, and it came with 4 2.5lb plates and 4 5lb plates, so i can work out with as little as 5 lbs, or stack them all onto one to have a single weighing 35lb.

    While the bowflex dumbbells are very convenient and easy to use, they're also at least 2-3 times the price of buying brand new bars and plates.
    (to save even more money, you can often buy weights used, paying 50 cents or less per lb, instead of an even $1/lb new.)

    Unless money is no object, the best advice i can give is go on a classified website. I picked up my like new weight bench and 100lbs for $50, as well as an elliptical with 20 miles on it for $50.

    Types/brands don't matter, weight is weight, and unless your eating 2000+cals a day YOU WILL NOT BULK UP, you will tone, build strength and burn calories, but you wont end up looking like she-hulk, so stop worrying and start reaping the benefits.
  • jghayes8
    jghayes8 Posts: 14
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    Stay with dumbbells. They are the safest and most versatile. I use a set of Powerblocks. They are expensive so I found a guy selling them on Craigslist. I do a hybrid workout of Body Beast (which is a weightlifting workout) and t25 (which is a core/cardio workout). I went to review websites for Body Beast (like Dumbbells and Diapers which is run by a woman with a 2 year old) and got the exercise lists then googled videos which demoed the movements. T25 I had to buy the workouts.

    Hope this helps

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