5 Adjustable Dumbbell Sets to Replace Your Weight Rack

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Strength training at home doesn’t have to mean purchasing a huge set of free weights. Adjustable dumbbells give you the ability to fine-tune your workout from the lowest weights to some serious metal.

What to Look for in Adjustable Weights

Because adjustable dumbbells are essentially a whole set of weights in one package, they’re a bit more expensive than just two normal dumbbells. So, it’s important to consider what you want out of your weights before you invest.

Here are some things to look for:

• Weight range: First, how much weight do you want? Adjustable dumbbells have a minimum and a maximum capacity. Make sure you can easily lift the minimum weight, and that you won’t have to exceed the maximum to continue your training.
• Adjustment: It should be easy and quick—no more than thirty seconds—to switch a weight. So, you should be able to change weights during a cooldown between sets. Nicer weights have either a dial- or handle-twist adjustment method that usually only takes a few seconds. Standard collar or sliding-pin weights take longer and are more cumbersome to change.
• Comfort: One of the most important parts of any workout is your form. If your weights feel awkward to hold or lift above your head, it’s more likely you’ll perform the exercise incorrectly and potentially injure yourself. Adjustable dumbbells are bulkier than regular weights, so it’s important they feel comfortable, so you can properly use them. Also, the handles need to be easy to grip—slippery handles lead to injuries or a broken set of weights.

Best for Most People No. 1: Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Set

Core Fitness

The Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbells are a great set of weights with a ton of range and lightning-fast adjustment. You adjust the weights via the twist-handle method, so you can change sizes between sets in just a few seconds, with only one hand. You just place the weights in their cradle, twist the handle to the desired weight, and then lift them back out—it’s that easy.

The weights start at five pounds and work up to 50, in five-pound increments. This gives you the flexibility of a 10-piece weight set in one compact package.

These weights are also comfortable to grip and aren’t incredibly unwieldy—they just feel like normal dumbbells.

Best for Most People No. 1

Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set by Affordable Dumbbells – Adjustable Weights – Space Saver – Weights – Dumbbells for Your Home –

With the Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Set, you get an entire 10-piece weight set in one compact, easy-to-adjust package.

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$277.00

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Best for Most People No. 2: Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells

Bowflex

We just couldn’t leave out the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells. This solid set of weights is a best-seller for a reason. They start at five pounds with a maximum capacity of 52.5. Initially, it’s a precise, 2.5-pound adjustment, but when you reach 25 pounds, it shifts to five at a time. The final adjustment drops back to 2.5 pounds (from 50 to 52.5). It’s an odd system, but it combines more than enough weights for all kinds of workouts.

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