Handy Weights

If you're looking for some lightweight fixed dumbbells these should work just fine. The neoprene handles make them comfortable to grip- as opposed to those that are bare metal (some of those metal ones with "hatch marks" on the grip are downright painful). Also these dumbbells won't be falling apart anytime soon. The worst that will happen to them over the long run is that the covering will start to wear down- however you'll still be able to use them for your exercises despite that. In other words a pair of these are going to last you awhile. One tip though when they do start to wear down most of the time its on an edge. Therefore always placing them on a soft a surface as possible will be easier on the neoprene and make the covering last longer. Metal dumbbell racks can take their toll that way.



The only downside to buying dumbbells such as these is that the weight is set. In other words for any given exercise you'll only be able to get "5 pounds strong". For example if you can lift a 5-pound dumbbell 10 times and you continue to lift it 10 times week after week you'll never get any stronger. That's because the human body is efficient and your muscles say "If I can already lift 5-pounds and that's all they ever want me to lift then I don't have any reason to get bigger or stronger so I'm going to stay just the way I am."



Therefore if you can use a 5-pound dumbbell quite easily with your exercises and you want to get stronger you're going to have to add a pound or two. And then you're going to have to go out and buy another dumbbell say a 6 or 7 pound one in order to progress and get stronger. And that was my point- fixed dumbbells are set so a disadvantage is that if you want to continue to get stronger you'll have to go out and buy more dumbbells. Tip: if you think you're going to need more weight in the furture look into buying a pair of ADJUSTABLE dumbbells instead. Just a thought.



All-in-all a good product and I highly recommend them if you're in the market for a pair of fixed dumbbells especially good if you're doing rehab exercises like for your rotator cuff. People with tendonitis might also be interested in Treat Your Own Tennis Elbow.More detail ...

BEST DUMBELLS EVER!!!!

I was torn between these and the PowerBlock dumbells I kept reading about. I had a chance to check out the 2008 and prior model Bowflex Select Tech's at Dicks Sporting Goods and I remember thinking about how easy it was to spin the dials to adjust the weights.



My only concern and hesitation was that a few reveiws mentioned the possibility of the weights rattling and people were worried they could fall off? I had not heard this before so I researched it more and although the PowerBlock dumbells had gotten good reviews I simply could not get past how ugly they were and the fact that they used a magnetic pin to hold the weights in.



I decided to spend the few extra dollars on these 2009 model Select Techs (assuming any prior issues they may have had were corrected) and boy am I glad I did they are AWESOME! The dials in my opinion are ten times easier than the magnetic pins of PowerBlocks and these Bowflex dumbells look ten times more fashionable (our gym equipment is on our loft so yes my wife and I have a style standard). These dumbells are about 15 inches long but neither of us have any issues with their size (I think the PowerBlocks were only a 3 inch difference anyways).



We are 100% happier we bought these and we bought the stand from Amazon to go with them also (it is better for your back if you lift dumbells from a standing position instead of from a squatting one). I hope you enjoy your SelectTechs as much as we enjoy ours!More detail ...

Nothing better for 10 times the price

Vitamin E is fantastic for your skin and Colonial Dames delivers. This product is 25% vitamin E so in a 4oz jar you get 1 pure ounce of E. My mother has used it for years and looks like she is years younger than she realy is. She and my sister swear it's this cream. Now my wife is using it and wont use anything else. Before she started 2 years ago all she would use is La Prarie. Now she is using this E cream and I'm saving a fotune. two big thumbs up.More detail ...

Not worth the price

I received the dumbbells yesterday. FedEx must have dropped the box over and over again as the cardboard exterior and foam interior were literally in pieces. The slide on one of the dumbbells was broken. However this review is about the dumbbells so here goes....



The slide components are plastic and this plastic seems like it will wear down quickly and fail over time. One of the slides (the adjustment that changes the weight) was broken and this damage seems to be more the result of a poor design and poor materials rather than the disrespectful horror of FedEx delivery. The other dumbbell is fully functional so I studied its mechanism and found that it did not move smoothly at all times. It is a hard truth that when lifting these dumbbells overhead my safety is in the hands of a plastic sliding clip.



Dumbbells are made to be handled. Even with the idiocy of FedEx the dumbbells should have been fully functional. When working out be prepared to treat them as if they were made of glass.



I would not recommend these dumbbells to anyone that is serious about using them. More detail ...

SUPREMELY VERSATILE...JUST ONE COMMENT THOUGH.

I am a very healthy and reasonably fit 50-year woman. I play tennis and swim 50-100 lengths daily. I bought the weights to gradually improve my upper arm strength. They are fantastically versatile the only comment I would have is that I think the weights should start from 5lbs not 10lbs.



Two of my friends used the weights and found the lowest weights too heavy to start training. My sons use them and can do much heavier weights.

We all gave them a score of 5 out of 5. More detail ...

Ironmaster vs Bowflex Ultimate

Got 1000 bucks to spend on a home gym? What might you want to buy? That was my dilemma when I got an overseas assignment in a remote area and knew I wouldn't see a decent gym for months on end. So I bought two alternatives--an Ironmaster weights bench and accessories and a Bowflex Ultimate.



After a year's use I have a clear favorite--the Ironmaster. Now the Bowflex claims that you can do some 100+ gym-quality exercises with it. You can do 100+ exercises but they are far from gym quality. Hey you can do 100+ exercises with two bags of rocks and a little creativity. The Bowflex took a LONG time to put together and frankly all of those exercises aren't so great. I max out the Bowflex on some exercises and I'm no gym dude--just a 50-yr old in respectable shape. And the Bowflex has variable resistance with those bows meaning you aren't getting resistance where you need it on a lot of exercises. Finally you don't need 100+ exercises. The fact is when you come right down to it there are probably about 15 exercises that will take care of your whole body.



Now the Ironmaster. First the free weights. I've used other adjustable free-weights and none are as secure or as fast to change out as the Ironmaster. And you can step it up 2-1/2 lbs at a go--not so necessary for me but great for my wife. One fast change-out trick when stepping up the weights--rather than adding equally on both sides just add an additional weight to ONE side of the dumbbell. This takes half the time. By shifting your hand slightly off-center on the crossbar it will still feel balanced.



The bench--superb quality. Quickly adjusts to various inclines from perpendicular to flat and plenty in between. Necessary accessories for a full range of exercises--definitely the leg extension curl and crunch sit-up attachments. Both are durable and comfortable and let you focus on your workout. I also got the curl bar and the preacher curl pad--all for under $1000 (you might find some specials if you go to the Ironmaster website).



Nothing puts on muscle faster than free weights true. But this is not just for putting on the meat. If I'm not feeling like a full workout I'll just go through a few reps to flex the muscles even in front of the TV. It's a lot better than couch-potato-ing it and leaves me refreshed. There are also a lot of exercises you can do without the Ironmaster--lunges squats all kinds of stretches toe raises (with or without weights)--to supplement the Ironmaster so that your body gets a thorough workout without a houseful of equipment.



Conclusion: gives a great essential workout saves time and money when compared to going to the gym and a lot more convenient. Going to last a long long time. For your money this might be unbeatable.More detail ...

My Opinion.

Potential buyers should be aware that these dumbbells only adjust in 10 pound increments had I known that I would have dropped some extra bills on the Bowflex selecttech. For that reasons and the fact that I could not find that information anywhere I give it 2 stars 10 pounds increments is a lot!More detail ...