Strength Training Made Easier – SPY

There’s a reason most gyms aren’t home gyms. Because exercise equipment is the opposite of space efficiency. With weight plates averaging nearly a foot and a half in diameter, there’s no point in amassing a collection without adding barbells, weight racks, and real space to move around. Adjustable dumbbells are the fitness industry’s successful attempt at space-saving design, and none are better than BowFlex.

The BowFlex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells may not be the most valuable prop in my home gym (Peloton bikes have held that spot for years), but they come close. Fully assembled dumbbells take up only 2 square feet of floor space and you can move between 15 pairs of dumbbells with the twist of a few knobs. Up to 25 pounds he can go from 5 to 52.5 pounds in 2.5-pound increments and 5-pound increments thereafter.
I tested about 15 pairs of adjustable dumbbells while working on my fitness content. A lot of pairs tick the boxes I need: sturdy handles, easy weight changes, intuitive weight gain or loss, but the BowFlex pair are my favorite and the only ones I’ve tried. is a pair of I would actually buy one for myself.

For an adjustable dumbbell to serve its purpose, it must actually adjustment right in the middle of training. It doesn’t make sense if you can’t smoothly switch between him putting down one set of dumbbells and he picking up another set. Just because your equipment slows you down, it shouldn’t make hard training harder. It must be hard when you’re asked to do a 50-pound curl or a 100-pound overhead squat.

BowFlex weights transition quickly and smoothly, so you can decide mid-set if you need to increase or decrease weight depending on your body’s capacity for the day. The curved ends of the weights allow you to slip them in and out of the stand without rattling or scratching the surface of the weights, even if you’re in a hurry. My mid arm weight ranges from 12.5 to 17.5 lbs depending on movement, so the ability to increase or decrease the weight in 2.5 lb increments was also great for my strength training. BowFlex allows you to gradually increase weight while challenging yourself.

I usually stream strength training from fitness apps. These workouts typically involve a combination of light, medium and heavy weights for your upper or lower body. Bowflex adjustable dumbbells allow you to easily switch between different weights without having to physically pull out and set up a bunch of dumbbell pairs, just keep the dumbbell set nearby.

Also, this is a small detail, but it made a big difference for me. The octopus is a badge of honor in the world of heavy lifting, and it has a very comfortable handle that won’t hurt your hands. The lack of gritty knurling doesn’t compromise grip and makes the whole experience a little more comfortable.

The main drawback is the long weight. The weight’s center rod needs to have the capacity to hold up to 5 plates on each end, so even the lightest weight will be nearly a foot long from end to end. This makes movements such as Arnolds and shoulder presses difficult because the weight is applied before the arm is fully extended. This is somewhat unavoidable with adjustable dumbbells, but worth considering if you have a lot of overhead work.

I’m not going to say this about a lot of other home gym equipment, but even the most casual fitness gym enthusiast should own a set of these pieces of equipment. Whether you’re a beginner who hasn’t yet loaded heavy weights, or an experienced lifter who needs lighter weights to warm up, the efficient design promises. It takes up very little space compared to the added value and after years of use it has become a regular part of my fitness routine.

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