One of the best advancements in fitness equipment for home gym users in recent years may be the adjustable dumbbell. These dumbbells can offer similar free weight benefits, but they don’t take as much space as having numerous pairs of fixed dumbbells and a weight rack in your personal weight room. Like fixed dumbbells, you can use these weights to train individual muscle groups or target all of them in a full-body workout.
If you were to match up the two most popular pairs of adjustable dumbbells to determine which is best, you may pick Powerblock vs. Bowflex. Bowflex is known for both adjustable free weights and machines, but Powerblock dumbbells were among the first adjustable dumbbells to hit the market. Which pair is best for you and why? The ACTIVE Reviews Team has done the research so you don’t have to, and they have all the answers that you need to make the best decision possible for your home gym.
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The Powerblock adjustable dumbbells are sold in pairs, and they have multiple weight options that you can choose from. The standard version goes from 5 to 50 pounds, but there are others that go as high as 90 pounds each. The shape of the weights is different from traditional dumbbells, but they still function as a normal dumbbell would.
You slide the pin into the desired weight, then pick the handle up off the stand. The pinned weight will come up while the rest of the weight will remain in the stand. You must return the weight to the stand in order to adjust them. The square shape will keep the dumbbells from rolling if you need to set them down.
What We Like
The weights are identified by color
15 different weight options to work with
Dumbbells have smooth ends to rest weights on the thighs
What We Don’t Like
Handles aren’t knurled
Weight surrounds the hands
The Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbell has a simple approach to changing the weights. You simply turn the dials on the outside of the weights, and you pick the dumbbell handle up to begin your set. The length of the weight won’t change, but the weights you work with will connect to the handle as the dial is adjusted. The handle on the inside is knurled for easier grip.
The standard version of this dumbbell will go as heavy as 90 pounds and as light as 10 pounds. Like the Powerblocks, you must set the weight in the stand in order to change the weights. You also must make sure the number is the same on both dials on each side. The SelectTech dumbbell is shaped more like a traditional dumbbell, which some users may prefer.
What We Like
Consistent 5-lb. increments
Weight feels like a fixed dumbbell in the hand
Numbers are easily identifiable on the dials
What We Don’t Like
Sold as a single instead of a pair
Bigger overall size may compromise form on some exercises
Source: active
