Dumbbell

Tags: notes, 2021, tools, fitness, short

Dumb, but equally heavy

Dumbbells are lifting weights meant to be used with one hand, most often in pair. They are composed of two equal weights, generally of circular shape, linked by a central handle. The bigger and heavier version, designed for two-hand use, is called the barbell.

They are either fixed-weight, which is simple but not always efficent for home gyms, or adjustable, with various mechanisms allowing a to change the weight.

Similarly to the kettlebell, their history seems to go back as far as Antiquity and beyond, with different cultures using different shapes for a variety of strength training purposes.

Dumbbells are especially useful to develop upper body strength and muscles. This generally involves periods of bulking and cutting.

I started with a pair of 10 kg adjustable dumbbells. Handles weight 2 kg, and come with two discs of 2 kg and four discs of 1 kg. When I became more serious about lifting, I switched to a pair of Powerblocks.

After a couple of years and an injury, I've switched to clubbells, which are, in my opinion, much more fun, and likely better for general health and fitness.