I Use Bowflex’s Best-Selling Adjustable Dumbbells at Home and Don't Miss the Gym at All

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My dwelling gymnasium has by no means been something elaborate. Workout tools is relegated to a slim strip of ground area in my dwelling workplace with an exercise mat, drugs ball, heavy sandbag, resistance bands, two kettlebells, and a single 35-pound dumbbell. Yes, only one dumbbell. Not even a pair. Due to area limitations, getting an entire set was by no means one thing I thought of. I’ve all the time had a gymnasium membership, so I figured I did not want a set of adjustable dumbbells. That is till I bought my palms on the Bowflex SelectTech 552.

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The Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells simply match into my tiny exercise area and have made at-home workouts have turn into far more frequent. 

“I’m a huge fan of adjustable dumbbells,” says Jim Ryno, a private coach with over 30 years expertise and proprietor of dwelling gymnasium design firm Iron House. “I use them at home, as well as in my gym. You can’t beat the price point, they save a ton of space, and they look cool, too.”

When you contemplate how a lot use you’ll get out of them, no single piece of at-home exercise tools affords a greater worth than adjustable dumbbells. And Bowflex SelectTech 552 is a class chief in the area, delivering 15 completely different dumbbell weights.

In the under evaluation, you’ll get an entire breakdown of each key characteristic of Bowflex SelectTech 552 that can assist you determine if that is the product you wish to take your own home gymnasium to the subsequent degree.

Overall Impressions

Easy to Use Right Out of the Box

First impressions are vital, and Bowflex SelectTech 552 handed the check. The dumbbells are already put collectively, so no meeting required. Just take them out of the containers (every packaged individually), take away the security straps with the included Allen wrench, and get proper right into a exercise if you need. The adjustability is self-explanatory, with dials on both facet that listing the weight increments clearly.

Related: The Best Adjustable Workout Benches For Your Home Gym

The dumbbells are solidly constructed and have a pleasant, high-quality really feel to them whereas figuring out. The particular person weight plates are spaced a number of millimeters aside, however you don’t get the annoying clanging you usually do with cheaper adjustable dumbbells. These are stable by and by.

Price Is Competitive With Other Comparable Adjustable Dumbbells

Bowflex SelectTech 552 affords a fantastic worth at an inventory value on Amazon of $549, and are presently marked right down to $429. To the uninitiated, $400 to $500 might sound costly, however for the high quality Bowflex tools supplies and the truth you might have a full set of dumbbells starting from 5 to 52.5 kilos, the value is true—particularly when you think about that even an affordable gymnasium membership lately will run you $500 a 12 months ($40 a month), and pricier boutiques and purposeful fitness amenities are simply into 4 figures ($100+ month-to-month).

Bowflex SelectTech 552 is priced competitively with different comparable adjustable dumbbells:

• NordicTrack 55-Pound Select-a-Weight Dumbbells: $399
• Ativafit 66-Pound Adjustable Dumbbells: $360 (was $500)
• PowerBlock EXP 50-Pound Adjustable Dumbbells: $370 (was $395)
• Core Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set (50 lbs.): $370

Adjusting Weight Is Quick, Easy, and Conducive to Fast-Paced Workouts

As beforehand talked about, weight modifications are so simple as turning the dials on the dumbbells. When doing so, you get a reassuring (even satisfying) audible and tactile click on at every increment. 

One barely awkward factor about “re-racking” the dumbbells after a set or to vary weights is that they have to be positioned completely into the trays so the plates match into their assigned slots. The plates aren’t all the time symmetrical on both facet, so chances are you’ll must flip the dumbbell to suit accordingly.

This is the case for the different adjustable dumbbells listed above as properly, so it’s not a knock on the Bowflex set specifically. Just one thing to bear in mind should you’ve by no means used this sort of adjustable dumbbell. 

Related: 50 Best Abs Exercises That Pack a Six-Pack Punch

The technique of placing the dumbbells again in the trays, altering the weight, and selecting the dumbbells up once more can take wherever from 5 to fifteen seconds. If you’re doing supersets in a exercise, the place the objective is to eradicate relaxation intervals to maintain depth high, this quantity of down time to vary weights is suitable. Perhaps you might do it faster with a full rack of mounted dumbbells all sitting subsequent to one another, however that’s nitpicking.

The Dumbbells Feel Great In-Hand

The grips on Bowflex SelectTech 552 are very snug. They have an analogous contour as many different dumbbells (mounted and adjustable) together with a rubber sheath in the center to successfully eradicate slippage. Some lifting purists might favor a non-contoured, knurled grip with no rubber (like what you get with an Olympic barbell). Personally, I like the really feel of the rubber and curvature.

The thickness of the handles is in the “middle” vary—a bit thicker than my 10-pound dumbbells, not fairly as thick as the heavy-duty kettlebells I personal, and just about the very same thickness of my 35-pound mounted dumbbell.

15 Different Weights Have You Covered for Vast Majority of Exercises

The weight goes up by 2.5-pound increments till 25 kilos; after that, the increments go up by 5 kilos with the exception of 1 final micro-jump to 52.5 kilos. In different phrases, you might have each weight selection you’ll ever want should you don’t plan on going tremendous heavy.

That mentioned, a possible unfavourable is {that a} max weight of 52.5 kilos is limiting for superior lifters who wish to go heavy on exercises like dumbbell bench presses for the chest and lunges and farmer’s carries for the legs. For these cases, an adjustable set that goes as much as 80 or 90 kilos (like NUOBELL 80-Pound Adjustable Dumbbells and PowerBlock Elite USA 90-Pound Adjustable Dumbbells) could also be desired. Just have in mind these heavier sets run $700+.

“Adjustable dumbbells that top out at 50-ish pounds represent a sweet spot in which full, well-rounded workouts can be accomplished,” says Ryno, whereas additionally noting that having the ability to increase the set as much as 80 or 100 kilos (which this Bowflex set does not supply) could be preferrred. “I prefer to have the option to go heavier, if needed.”

Bottom line: A overwhelming majority of individuals will be capable of do a overwhelming majority (if not all) of their most well-liked dumbbell exercises with Bowflex SelectTech 552.

All-in-One Design With Practical Plastic Trays

The space-saving nature of adjustable dumbbells can’t be overstated. When sitting subsequent to one another, the pair of dumbbells take up roughly 16”x16” of sq. footage (at round 9” high), making them simply stowable in the nook of a spare bed room, dwelling workplace, lounge, or storage gymnasium.

The plastic trays the dumbbells sit in come customary and serve two main functions: (1) to accommodate unused weight plates when the dumbbells are in use at any weight below 52.5 kilos; and (2) to assist hold your own home exercise area wanting tidy and organized reasonably than having dumbbells scattered round.

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The trays additionally come in useful for maintaining the dumbbells stationary and permitting them to double as makeshift pushup handles; you don’t get the similar rotating motion as with devoted instruments like the Perfect Pushup, however holding onto the dumbbell handles helps scale back wrist flexion versus doing pushups on the ground.

Not as Compact as Fixed Dumbbells, however Not a Serious Issue

Although measurement is the inherent advantage of adjustable dumbbells, these weights are awkwardly lengthy the lighter you go. To be truthful, this can be the case with many adjustable dumbbells; it’s the nature of the beast, you may say.

Regardless of weight, every Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbell is roughly 16.5 inches lengthy. At the heavier settings (e.g. 50 or 52.5 kilos), this isn’t far off from a hard and fast dumbbell and appears fairly pure. But at decrease poundages, it’s a fairly dramatic measurement distinction.

To illustrate this, I did side-by-side comparisons between Bowflex SelectTech 552 and two completely different mounted dumbbells I have at dwelling (a 35- and 10-pounder). The 35-pound mounted dumbbell is a bit over 13 inches—over three inches shorter than the Bowflex, and it’s fairly noticeable.

The 10-pound mounted dumbbell is a bit below 10 inches (a 6.5-inch distinction), and the side-by-side with the Bowflex Select 552 appears to be like pretty comical.

In each instances, the Bowflex dumbbells are additionally wider—round 8 inches large versus 6 inches and 3.5 inches, respectively, for the 35- and 10-pounders.

Awkward, sure, but it surely’s not a dealbreaker. Functionally, it’s not an issue. Some individuals may complain the extreme size doesn’t assist you to deliver your palms shut collectively on chest or shoulder presses (until you flip your palms in towards one another in a impartial place), however that’s a minor gripe.

It’s price noting, nonetheless, that the dumbbells are a bit restricted with regards to squats. You can do squats the place the dumbbells are held at your shoulders, however goblet squats positively work higher with a hard and fast dumbbell or kettlebell. Again, I’m nitpicking.  

While There’s Plenty of Plastic, These Should Last for Years

Lifting diehards might scoff at the truth the solely seen metallic on Bowflex SelectTech 552 is on the outer edges of the handles in distinction to the aforementioned PowerBlock and NUOBELL merchandise and even less-expensive forged iron sets like Yes4All Adjustable Dumbbell Set. Granted, Bowflex is delivering a “softer” look right here, with nearly each half both coated in or fabricated from plastic (together with the trays).

Will this have an effect on the long-term sturdiness of the dumbbells? I can’t say for positive from private expertise, as my testing interval was weeks, not years, lengthy. But offered you’re not repeatedly dropping them on the ground and banging them collectively at the prime of your dumbbell bench presses, you possibly can really feel assured these can take a few years of normal use with out cracking. In the occasion the plastic does crack below regular use, Bowflex affords a 2-year elements guarantee with the choice to purchase three or five years of additional protection.

Does the plastic harm the aesthetics? This is subjective, after all, however in my view, no. These dumbbells look good. They’re smooth, with rounded contours as an alternative of laborious edges and 90-degree angles, and the contact of crimson appears to be like good in opposition to the black. Maybe appears to be like shouldn’t matter with regards to exercise tools, however contemplating your dumbbells will possible be out in the open in your house, it’s higher in the event that they’re not an eyesore.

Bowflex’s JRNY App Offers Trainer-Led Workouts

These dumbbells can plug and play into any current free-weight training routine, however you even have the possibility of getting your workouts straight from Bowflex. The JRNY app is ideal for novices or anybody who desires to comply with pre-programmed video workouts demonstrated by an skilled coach (just like Peloton).

At an inexpensive value (subscriptions start at $11.99 monthly or $99 per 12 months), the JRNY platform means that you can choose workouts relying on how a lot time it’s important to exercise (from “under 11 minutes” as much as an hour-plus), what areas of the body you wish to goal (entire body, decrease body, core & legs, arms, and so on.), and what tools you wish to use (adjustable dumbbells or body weight solely). JRNY accommodates some fairly cool tech options, together with movement monitoring to verify your kind and rely your reps.

Related: We Tested 9 Highly Rated Exercise Bikes for Your Home. These are the Very Best.

I did a number of completely different JRNY workouts utilizing Bowflex SelectTech 552 and discovered them simple to comply with. I particularly appreciated having the ability to decide the muscle teams I wished to focus on and for the way lengthy. The workouts aren’t simply light-weight “sculpting” routines; for instance, I did a strength session with comparatively low rep counts (8 per set) the place I was in a position to do ground chest presses with the full 52.5 kilos, and it wasn’t simple. The movement monitoring was useful and simple to make use of. I’ve been lifting weights for over 30 years, so I know what I’m doing, but it surely was nonetheless good to get the occasional mid-set teaching cue that I wasn’t bending sufficient at the hips on my dumbbell bentover rows. I additionally used the app for a number of quick stretching routines post-workout.

For anybody needing workouts designed and demonstrated for them, whether or not you get the Bowflex dumbbells or not, the JRNY app is properly price the modest funding of round $100 per 12 months.

Pros and Cons

Final Verdict

For anybody on the lookout for an entire set of fairly priced dumbbells to make use of at dwelling, assuming you don’t plan to go super-heavy in your workouts, Bowflex SelectTech 552 is a transparent winner. They look good, really feel good, take up minimal ground area, and are infinitely helpful for any type of training—hypertrophy (muscle building), strength, HIIT, you identify it. If you’re conscious to not drop them on the ground or bang them round unnecessarily, you’ll get a few years of use out of them. Even at listing value ($549), these are a fantastic funding; after they go on sale for sub-$400, the worth is off the charts.

Are these for everybody? No. If doing dumbbell exercises with upwards of 80 kilos is a major facet of your training—and you’d wish to train this manner at dwelling—you’ll in all probability wish to spend a number of hundred additional {dollars} for a heavier set. Likewise, in case your workouts by no means name for greater than 25 kilos per dumbbell for any exercise, go forward and save a bit cash and go for a 5- to 25-pound set like Lifepro Adjustable Dumbbell Set or Keppi Adjustable Dumbbells.

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Why You Should Trust Me

I have greater than 20 years expertise as a health and fitness journalist overlaying fitness tendencies, writing exercise articles, and getting hands-on expertise with gymnasium tools for a lot of of the largest manufacturers in print and digital publishing. Outside of my profession, I’ve been a constant gym-goer for over 30 years, so I know what I like and don’t like with regards to dumbbells and all different varieties of free weights.

I’ve all the time frequented business gyms, however in the final a number of years—as a result of being dwelling with younger children, a busy work schedule, and/or gymnasium closures throughout the pandemic—I’ve spent a whole lot of hours figuring out at dwelling with naked bones tools. Prior to testing Bowflex Selecttech 552, I had solely owned one different set of adjustable dumbbells: a pair of PowerBlocks I lent out to a pal and by no means bought again. This is all to say that at-home exercise tools is an space I have private expertise in and that I plan on increasing in the future.

To present an much more thorough perspective, I enlisted an unquestioned skilled on training and at-home fitness gear: Jim Ryno, an authorized private coach and proprietor/founding father of Iron House, a New Jersey-based firm that designs customized dwelling gyms incorporating strength-training, cardio, yoga, and spa tools. Ryno has been designing gyms since 2005, so he’s a professional at deciding on the greatest tools for varied budgets and dwelling setups.

“When working with clients on their home gyms, we often end up recommending adjustable dumbbells for their versatility and space-saving qualities,” he says. “For clients aiming for a comprehensive workout with minimal equipment, adjustable dumbbells are an excellent option.”

What We Look for in Adjustable Dumbbells

The key issues to think about when searching for adjustable dumbbells are proper in step with the options I’ve highlighted above for Bowflex SelectTech 552. Nonetheless, I asked Ryno what he appears to be like for in a set, no matter the model. Here are his major {qualifications}:

Price

One purpose to decide on adjustable dumbbells over a rack of mounted weights (apart from lack of area) is the huge value financial savings. But that doesn’t imply the cheaper, the higher.

“When shopping for dumbbells, cost is definitely something to be skeptical of,” says Ryno. “If they’re inexpensive, there’s usually a reason. Adjustable dumbbells are priced according to weight range. You can typically stay under $200 for a pair, but they may only top out at 25 pounds, if that.”

Durability

“Will they last? Are they mainly constructed of plastic and rubber, or steel?” Ryno asks. While adjustable dumbbells present worth, they’re not low-cost. If you wish to get your cash’s price, they should maintain as much as a number of years of great workouts. It’s price noting that materials shouldn’t be the solely standards; plastic and rubber can show sturdy should you’re not too laborious in your tools. The inner elements you don’t see are simply as essential to the longevity of your dumbbells.

Related: The Most Creative Dumbbell Workouts to Build Muscle and Burn Fat at Home

Feel

Aside from offering the purposeful advantage of isolateral training (the place every arm lifts an unbiased weight, versus a barbell that’s held in each palms), guys usually like the approach conventional dumbbells really feel throughout a set. You needs to be on the lookout for the similar expertise with adjustable dumbbells. “They should feel just like fixed dumbbells when you’re using them,” Ryno says.

Ease of Use

Adjustable dumbbells aren’t very sensible if weight modifications are difficult and/or time consuming. Ryno all the time appears to be like for a pair which can be simple to make use of and alter shortly. This is particularly vital for guys who do fast-paced workouts that require quite a few weight modifications—notably supersets, the place you return and forth between two exercises that always name for various resistances. Circuit training is one other instance; right here, you’re doing exercises one after one other for each giant (legs, chest, again) and small (biceps, triceps) muscle teams, so your weights can be throughout the map.

The goal for each supersets and circuits is to reduce relaxation time between exercises in order to maintain training depth high to maximise outcomes. If it takes a full minute to vary the weight (and even 30 seconds), it undermines the exercise stimulus.

Comfort

Handles are an vital component of dumbbells. “How are they built, and what kind of grip are they providing?” Ryno says. The handles ought to really feel stable and snug throughout your set, with a grippy sufficient floor, by both knurling or rubber, to reduce slippage.

Maximum Load

Ryno prefers adjustable dumbbells that go as much as 80+ kilos or a 50-pound set with the possibility so as to add on extra plates. How a lot top-end weight to get is determined by your training wants; you probably have no plans (or need) to go above 50 kilos on any exercise, a set of adjustable dumbbells that goes as much as 80 or 100 kilos is overkill.

Also, contemplate what different tools you might have at dwelling. If you have already got an influence rack with a barbell and a whole lot of kilos of weight plates, you will get your heavy work in through barbells and save the dumbbells for moderate-weight and high-rep sets.

Length of Dumbbell

“The longer the dumbbells are, the less compact and therefore the more ‘clunky’ they’ll be,” Ryno says. This is considered one of the major drawbacks of adjustable dumbbells versus mounted. The latter are typically extra ergonomic and higher proportioned, which makes them higher for Olympic-style actions like dumbbell cleans and snatches, in addition to completely different squat variations. This is the sacrifice with adjustable dumbbells, however for most individuals the budget- and space-saving advantages outweigh the clunky draw back.

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Testing Process: How I Reviewed Bowflex SelectTech 552

While penning this evaluation, I used Bowflex SelectTech 552 adjustable dumbbells for 2 weeks price of workouts (eight workouts whole). Most of the workouts have been a part of my current routine, with a number of handpicked from the JRNY app.

My workouts concentrate on main compound actions for big muscle teams, the place each exercise is supersetted with at least one different transfer (for instance, legs and core, chest and again). I discovered the weight providing (52.5 kilos max) enough for all the exercises I do, and the fast dial weight modifications stored each superset seamless.

The major exercises I did utilizing the dumbbells have been: goblet squats (one dumbbell), two-dumbbell squats (held at the shoulders), cut up squats, reverse lunges, Romanian deadlifts, bent-over rows, one-arm rows, ground chest press, standing shoulder press, standing alternating curls, and mendacity triceps extensions (aka “skull crushers”). 

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