Building Your Own Home Gym: Choosing the Right Dumbbells

One of the most important items you can buy when you start to build your home gym is Dumbbells. This is because they are so versatile. You can perform hundreds of exercises with a set of dumbbells. They also can prevent the risk of injury presented with using a barbell. Using barbells also forces your body to utilize more of your stabilization muscles when performing exercises allowing for more muscle growth. Also the fact that you don't have one continuous bar allows for more range of motion. This doesn't mean that barbells don't have their place, however dumbbells are the best type of weights to start out with.

Different Types of Dumbbells

There are many different types of dumbbells to choose from when building your own home gym. These vary in quality, price, as well as functionality. In this hub I will give you a basic overview of the major types of dumbbells and also the pros and cons of each. 

Where to Buy Dumbbells

Where you buy your dumbbells will be determined by how much you are willing to pay. You can buy them brand new from many sporting goods stores however once you get into the higher weights you will most likely have to order them specially. A cheaper way of getting dumbbells would be second hand from either online, yard sales, or gym sales.

Adjustable Dumbbells

Adjustable Dumbbells are the cheapest option you have when choosing dumbbells. Adjustable Dumbbells consist of two handles four collars and either standard or Olympic weight plates that you already have. The only draw backs to Adjustable Dumbbells are that every time you want to change the weight you must unscrew the collars then re-screw. The second draw back is that they can become cumbersome depending on the design that you get. With all this in mind adjustable dumbbells are an excellent choice for someone looking to build their own home gym.

Fixed Dumbbells

Fixed Dumbbells are widely excepted as the best choice of Dumbbells. They range in price quite significantly however they are expensive to say the least. The cheapest type are slag grey hexagonal dumbbells which are noisy but very functional. The most expensive are rubber coated beauties with ergonomically shaped handles, but will cost you an arm and a leg. When you are outfitting your new home gym with dumbbells you cant go wrong with buying a set of Fixed Dumbbells except with the prices. When you start out buying a set it will put you back a large sum of money. Then in a few months you will realize that those dumbbells you bought aren't still heavy enough for all exercises, so you will need to buy more. However if you can afford this I would highly recommend investing in them!

Selectorized Dumbbells

Selectorized Dumbbells are nested hand weights, they are plates that can be attached and unattached at the turn of a nob. They save room as well as money! They are great for home gyms where space is not readily available. They are simple to use as well as functional!

Every gym starts with a good solid foundation of dumbbells. Try to get your hands on a set as soon as you can when you start your home gym! There are many options out there but most all of them are good, just find one that fits your needs as well as budget!