What dumbbells to buy?

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Replies

  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    If you were thinking "fixed dumbbell, I would first either try a friends or go to a gym and ask for a free one day pass(standard). Then train your program for one day. You might find you like the idea of gym and if not, then you have a better understanding of what you need for your program including your current strength for the exercise selection you plan to use.

    Normally, I'd suggest that too, but figured gyms probably hadn't re-opened in the OP's area yet (or, if they are, that the OP might not be comfortable with it at the current time).
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    I get one day passes at gyms to try out different commercial equipment. Especially with so many gyms closing and selling off their machines, I want to see if there’s any new pieces I wish to add to my home gym on the cheap 😜
  • katarina005
    katarina005 Posts: 259 Member
    Kettlebells
  • threeyears2024
    threeyears2024 Posts: 52 Member
    I think I am joining a gym. I actually went today and liked it there. It wasn't that intimidating as I thought. But thank you guys for all your advice. I really appreciate it.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    IMO joining a gym is your best option. Depending on their monthly dues, you really can't beat the quality and variety of equipment available for the cost. This was my decision when looking for a cardio machine to use when it was either too hot or too icy to run outdoors. $21 a month for RetroFitness or $3,000+ for a good elliptical (for which it would take 142 months [12 YEARS] to break even. Plus you get everything the gym offers. They open now?
  • threeyears2024
    threeyears2024 Posts: 52 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    IMO joining a gym is your best option. Depending on their monthly dues, you really can't beat the quality and variety of equipment available for the cost. This was my decision when looking for a cardio machine to use when it was either too hot or too icy to run outdoors. $21 a month for RetroFitness or $3,000+ for a good elliptical (for which it would take 142 months [12 YEARS] to break even. Plus you get everything the gym offers. They open now?

    Yes. Dwell gym, Toronto. I got one for $330 (Canadian dollar) for six months. The adjustable dumbbells were around $250
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    I spent over 1.5 years building my home gym by shopping around on places like let go and fb marketplace. My home gym is almost 100% used commercial equipment and I did it for about $7-8k. It took a lot of dedication and patience though to wait for the right prices. I would still love to find a great deal on a used concept 2 rower, but until then, I have plenty of other stuff to use. 🤗

    I live in the middle of nowhere and despise the commute to the gym, so the home gym was the way to go for me.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I think I am joining a gym. I actually went today and liked it there. It wasn't that intimidating as I thought. But thank you guys for all your advice. I really appreciate it.

    Good to hear 👍.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,721 Member
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    If you were thinking the adjustable style, I would just search out "used standard weights" on several playforms. You could possibly find a the dumbbell/clips included or just buy the dumbbell new.

    If you were thinking "fixed dumbbell, I would first either try a friends or go to a gym and ask for a free one day pass(standard). Then train your program for one day. You might find you like the idea of gym and if not, then you have a better understanding of what you need for your program including your current strength for the exercise selection you plan to use.

    This is a really good idea. Or, if anyone you know has dumbbells (and the coronavirus situation near you, and your sensibilities about it, allow), borrow some to try or try a workout at the friend's house. Others speculating about your current strength level are . . . speculating. ;) I won't.

    To be more pointed: Some of the recommendations, IMO, may be low-ish. Possible you're there, at the start, and no negative judgement if that's so. But it's equally possible that the low end of the range suggested is underestimating you, for the exercises you say you want to do. Some experimentation would sort that out.

    I also second the idea of checking out what if anything you can get locally, used, which could save you some cash. You can always fall back to buying new if nothing's available.

    The rest of this may be simplistic and naive, because I'm really not a tuned-in lifter (dislike it, do some anyway).

    I have mostly fixed dumbells, and wish I'd gotten adjustable. The adjustable are expensive up front, but if you use fixed-weight ones, you'll be buying more, and more. And then, after a while, there's the question of storing the fixed ones at home. I have a nice sturdy rack, but that's another expense, and it takes up a good bit of space.

    It's true that if you go with adjustable, you'll have to mess with switching them between exercises. If you get plates/bars/clips, you could get multiples (long run, that would still be cheaper, and smaller storage, than lots of fixed weight, I think). I've only used the Powerblock or similar things at hotel gyms, so I don't have a strong impression about how annoying they'd be for switching, or not, once I got used to them.

    FWIW, noodling around with the fixed-weight ones over a long period of time, I've ended up getting quite a granular range in the lower weight (5 to 10, or 10 to 15, seemed too big a jump, for me, for some things, for example, even when messing with reps/sets to work my volume up . . . but maybe that's just me). It didn't seem to be as big an issue, as I got heavier, for whatever reason.
  • GeneralSTpower
    GeneralSTpower Posts: 25 Member
    Try this dumbbell guide Might help you out :)
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    I spent over 1.5 years building my home gym by shopping around on places like let go and fb marketplace. My home gym is almost 100% used commercial equipment and I did it for about $7-8k. It took a lot of dedication and patience though to wait for the right prices. I would still love to find a great deal on a used concept 2 rower, but until then, I have plenty of other stuff to use. 🤗

    I live in the middle of nowhere and despise the commute to the gym, so the home gym was the way to go for me.

    I’m quoting myself because I got a great deal on a concept2 rower and added it to my gym.

    My point is to keep an eye on Facebook marketplace and Craig’s list because you CAN still get good deals on used equipment.

    If you decide to join a gym, go for it. Adjustable dumbbells are great for space saving purposes at home though if the gym route doesn’t work out. 😊
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    I guarantee when things calm down, you will see a lot of equipment for sale. I had to piece my gym together, and I'm still waiting on a couple of pieces of equipment to arrive.