Which dumbbells are best to buy for home workouts?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2015-12-08

Many people ask me this question quite often, both men and women. People do not fully understand what kind of dumbbells they need for home use: what weight and what type. At the same time, when it comes to home workouts, dumbbells are the most essential and necessary equipment. Firstly, they are relatively inexpensive, and secondly, they are very functional and can be used to train absolutely all muscle groups. Therefore, if you decide to work out at home, you definitely need at least dumbbells.

In this article, I will explain which dumbbells are better for both men and women. I won’t specify particular models, as different cities have different stores that sell various dumbbells. However, using my recommendations, you will easily choose what you need.

Adjustable or fixed dumbbells?

First, you need to determine the type of dumbbells. There are only two:

• Adjustable (you can change the weight of the dumbbells)
• Fixed (the weight cannot be changed)

Adjustable dumbbells

Adjustable dumbbells are cheaper because by buying just a couple of dumbbells, you get any weight you need. Additionally, you can buy weight plates separately to add more weight to these dumbbells. Undoubtedly, this is very convenient from a financial perspective, but not very convenient for workouts. I will explain now.

When you perform supersets or circuit training, you need to quickly switch from one exercise to another. This is not possible with adjustable dumbbells. Different exercises often require different dumbbell weights, and you will have to constantly change the weight, which reduces the intensity of your workout.

For instance, if you want to do a drop set (when the weight of the dumbbells changes during one set), it will also be inconvenient with adjustable dumbbells because you will have to interrupt your set to change the weight. In general, from an economic point of view, these dumbbells are worthwhile, but from a practical standpoint, they are not very convenient.

Also, adjustable dumbbells have 2 types of locks:

• Threaded (screwed on by threads)
• Non-threaded (put on freely but need to be tightened by hand)

It's better to choose the threaded ones, as the threaded locks can be tightened less securely, or they can unscrew from the impacts of the dumbbells. That’s why threaded locks are more reliable in terms of safety. Especially for heavier weights. Nowadays, most dumbbells come with threaded locks.

Fixed dumbbells

Here, everything is the opposite. For full workouts, you will need to buy about 4 pairs of dumbbells, which is much more expensive than a pair of adjustable ones. However, fixed dumbbells are convenient for workouts. They don’t need to be disassembled, making it easy to perform supersets and drop sets. I think this is something everyone understands well, and there’s no need to dwell on this topic.

In summary, if you have the money – go for fixed dumbbells. If not – choose adjustable ones. If you choose adjustable, make sure that finding and purchasing additional plates for them is easy. Usually, the standard diameter of the sleeve is 28 mm, 31 mm, and 50 mm. The 50 mm size is a European standard, but such dumbbells start from 5 kg.

Another option is to buy 2 pairs of adjustable dumbbells. This might even be the best option. This way, you can prepare 2 weights in advance if you have, for example, a superset. Additionally, you can transfer plates from one set of dumbbells to another to increase their weight beyond the initial capability. For instance, if you buy 2 pairs of 10 kg dumbbells, you can easily make yourself dumbbells weighing 15 kg by adding plates from the additional set of dumbbells.

What weight of dumbbells do women need?

Women will benefit from dumbbells weighing between 2 kg and 10 kg. There is no point in taking dumbbells of 1 kg. If you ever need such light weights, you can easily substitute them with liter water bottles. However, even for beginners, 1 kg dumbbells are too light.

So, I recommend that women buy dumbbells weighing: 2 kg, 4 kg, 6 kg, 8 kg, and 10 kg. That is, with increments of approximately 2 kg. You can start with weights up to 6 kg. Then, buy more as your strength and fitness improve.

However, some exercises for well-trained women may require dumbbells weighing more than 10 kg. However, after 10 kg, it is advisable to buy dumbbells in increments of 5 kg. That is, 15, 20 kg, and so on.

If you opt for adjustable dumbbells, choose those weighing up to 10 kg when fully assembled. Later, you can buy heavier plates as needed.

What weight of dumbbells do men need?

For men, the situation is quite similar, but with slightly heavier dumbbells. Men should start with dumbbells weighing 5 kg. There’s no point in getting lighter. If you’re opting for fixed dumbbells, consider weights of 5 kg, 7-8 kg, 10 kg, and 15 kg to start with. Later, you can move on to 20 kg and 25 kg.

If you choose adjustable dumbbells, it’s better to start with weights of up to 20 kg. Then, purchase additional plates when the weights become insufficient.

By the way, here’s another tip: the plates from adjustable dumbbells can also be used as separate weights. This is slightly less convenient, but it can sometimes be useful. For example:

I think now you understand not only which dumbbells are better for you to choose but also you've learned a few useful tips. I hope this article has been helpful for you. Please leave comments on which dumbbells you use at home, as well as the pros and cons of using them.