Adopting healthier eating habits, creating a fitness meal plan, and engaging in physical activity are crucial steps you can take to become the better version of yourself. All of these changes won’t only improve your physical appearance, but most importantly, they will improve your health and mental health. How come?! Well, the more you see results, the better you’ll feel about yourself.

When it comes to choosing the right fitness equipment for starting to see some results, dumbbells are the first option to consider. In fact, they are regarded as standard fitness equipment as they can be used both at home and in professional gyms. These equipment pieces are widely available and affordable, making it easy for you to find the right ones for you.

Types

As one of the best pieces of strength training equipment, dumbbells are designed to build muscles in every part of your body. Depending on your needs, you can easily adjust your exercise and target specific muscles on your arms, shoulders, legs, torso, back and chest. In order to obtain the needed benefits, you can choose from two types of dumbbells:

Adjustable

Just like the name suggests, these are designed to be adjusted to different weights. They certainly are a versatile and beneficial option since you will be able to lift different weights according to your needs. These adjustable weights are space-efficient as well, especially the ones that come in a set and are packed in a convenient carry case.

Fixed

These pieces of fitness equipment have a fixed weight without the need to be adjusted, like in the previous model, which makes them less flexible. However, they are stable, durable and more budget-friendly.

Which Shape of Dumbbell Is Best?

The shape can play a huge role in how comfortable you’ll feel while exercising and what benefits you can get from these pieces of gym equipment. Generally speaking, you can choose from hex and round shapes.

Hex

Hex models get their name from their hexagonal look, and they are usually made from iron with their ends being covered in durable rubber in order to help you perform some exercises that otherwise cannot be done with the round-shaped models. These models are lighter than the round ones and are perfect for those of you who need less weight when working out. Knowing this means that they are more affordable than the round ones, making them the most commonly used home gym equipment.

These pieces of equipment are also great for performing specific floor exercises that cannot be done with round-shaped ones. Thanks to their flat sides, these pieces of gear can easily stay in place.

The only downsides of these products are the unpleasant odour they might have because of the rubber and their bulky and tricky shape, taking up more floor space.

Round

These certainly are one of the most commonly used and widely available types of dumbbells. As you can assume, instead of hexagonal, their heads (weight) are round, and this means that they cannot stay in place between sets. Once put done, the chances that they’ll start rolling are huge, which is considered a bit of a drawback.

Even though they are available with rubber coating just like the hexagonal models, they can also be found with a urethane coating on the ends, which is considered significantly more durable. This coating seems to be more resistant to wear and tear. Unlike the hex models, these ones can come in heavier weights.

The main downside is their higher price point and their poor stability, which makes them not very suitable for floor exercises.

Choosing a shape comes down to your needs and personal preferences. However, if you are looking for something sturdier and more durable, then you should certainly consider the idea of investing in the round-shaped ones.

Important Things to Consider When Buying

Material

The handle material should be non-slip for improved grip and reduced chances of the equipment slipping from your hands. Regarding the weight plate, usually, they can be made from a selection of materials like cast iron, plastic and neoprene, where cast iron is considered the most durable option. Neoprene, on the other hand, provides a softer surface, and it seems to be more gentle on the floor.

Ergonomics

Choosing an ergonomic design is also crucial for getting the most out of your workouts .When in the search for the right dumbbells, make sure to pick a design that has a comfortable and ergonomically shaped handle with just the right thickness, as too thin or too thick can put a strain on your muscles.

You should also consider the length, as not all of them can suit your body type and size. This mainly goes to the adjustable models, which tend to be a bit larger than the fixed ones.

Safety Locks

If you’re interested in adjustable models, make sure to choose ones that come with secure locks because this can prevent the weight plates from slipping or even falling off.