I've seen plenty of spec comparisons on the different adjustable dumbbell systems that are out there, but it would be nice to get some advice from other people doing the same workout program.

At the moment I'm considering 3 options: scrounging a cheap set of individual dumbells from craigslist/ebay/etc., Bowflex Selectechs and Power Blocks. I'll probably be fine with up to 50 lbs for a while, but eventually I'd like the option to increase my weights. Here are some of my thoughts so far.

Regular dumbbells can be affordable if bought used and are the easiest to switch out when you change sets. The down side is the space they take up (I live in a small apartment) and the difficulty transporting them (I'm frequently out of the apartment for a few days at a time and will be moving to a new place by next year).

The Selectechs seem reliable enough, have a great look, and are easy to dial. They're a little pricier than the powerblocks from what I've seen. Also, if I buy the 552's, they'll be great for a while but when I outgrow them I can't simply upgrade to a bigger set. That would mean if I plan on moving up to heavier weights eventually I would have to fork over $600 now for the 1090's, and that's a bit expensive at the moment. Although the dial mechanism seems easy to work, I've had trouble getting the weights back in place using the store models.

The powerblocks don't look as nice as the Selectech's in my opinion, but I love the feel and compact design. I also like that I can spend about $350 on the 5-50 lb Stage 1 set now and then fork over another $240 in the future to upgrade to 90 lbs. The pin mechanism will allow me to change weight in 10 lb increments very easily, but changing 2.5 or 5 lbs will require taking out the handle and adding/removing adder weights.

So like I said, I understand enough about the specs but would like some advice from people who have actually used these products with the program.


Zach

I have the powerblocks and one of my friends has the selectechs. True the selectechs are sexier but the quality is horrible. They rattle significantly and that is not a good "feature" when they a suspended above your head, haha. Check out some of the reviews on Amazon. The powerblocks may not LOOK as nice but for the 50 lbers(upgradeable to 65) they are 100 bucks less and have a 15 year warranty while the selectechs only have a 1 year warranty.

Ya, I've heard the quality of the powerblocks is much better. It also gives me the option to spend half as much on the 50 lb model and then upgrade to 90 lb later for more money, whereas with the bowflex I would have to buy the 1090 straight away with no expansion available for the 552.

The only advantages I see to the 1090 set are the fact that it's easier to change in 5 pound increments without having to remove/add adder weights and that I can get the 1090 about $60 cheaper than the 90 lb sport model of the powerblocks.

I might start with a cheap set of used dumbbells for now and trade them in for the adjustables later when I'm moving out, but I guess I'll wait and see.

I had the Golds Gym adjustable set from Sports Authority.

Very high quality set, and for an adjustable set you could switch weights (in 2.5 increments) pretty quickly. I think it retails for around $375.

However, I decided to trade it out with someone on craigslist for his 30-50 lb dumbells and rack. Then I went and purchased 5-25 lbers.

I'm extremely happy with my dumbell set. So nice to be able to just grab the weight I want super fast without pausing the video. Also the dumbells are so much sleeker than adjustables so you can do compound movements much better without the dumbells getting in the way (those adjustables are pretty bulky). And contrary to belief, it actually doesn't take up much more room than my adjustable set used to. Of course, if you're in an apartment you need every amount of space you can get, so I understand.

Ya, I definitely see the advantages of a full dumbbell set if you can find one cheap enough and have space to store it. But I'm definitely in one of those apartments where every bit of space counts.

As far as bulkiness, that depends on what you get. The 30 lb hex dumbbell I just measured (the biggest one I have here)is around 12" long and 5.5" wide and high, and a 50 lb hex would obviously be bigger. The bowflex 552 is much bulkier at 15.75" L x 8" W x 9" H, whereas the 50 lb powerblock is 12"L x6.5" W x 6.5" H. So at the max of 50 lb, the powerblock is around the same size or even smaller than the corresponding hex. Just something to think about.

Right now I'm keeping my eye on some regular dumbbell sets on ebay and craigslist, but if that doesn't work out I think I've convinced myself to get the blocks.

zachattack wrote:


True, as you get into the 50 lb range it's probably pretty close.

I'm thinking more about the 20-30 lb dumbells. When I'm doing the compound motions with these (like in core synergistics or doing the lunge sequences), that's when I'm happy to have a much smaller weight to move around with. I remember my adjustables getting in the way quite a bit. But the most annoying thing was changing the weight.

Some people really like the adjustables. They just weren't for me, that's all.

Play it Again Sports sells new dumbells for 79 cents a pound.