These Adjustable Dumbbells Have Really Helped Me Stick to My Weight Training Regimen.
Last Christmas, I came up with the perfect idea for a “big gift” for my 15-year-old son—a set of adjustable dumbbells and an adjustable weight-training bench . This was perfect for two reasons. First, my son and his friends had gotten into strength training a few months ago, and he really enjoyed it, but the weather (or life in general) didn’t always allow him to get to the gym when he wanted. And second, since we live in a 100-year-old house, which typically lacks space—or even a garage—we’re limited in what we can realistically fit into a “home gym.” Having essentially a full set of dumbbells plus a bench that folds up and stores was the perfect solution.
The dumbbells can be adjusted in five-pound increments, from 10 to 55 pounds; the bench can be flat or adjusted to eight different angles. Plus, they’re all the same size, which is great.
He was thrilled and immediately started demonstrating exercises while I sipped my coffee and watched from the couch. “Maybe you could put together a little workout routine for me?” I said spontaneously. “Like, for my arms, shoulders, and stuff like that.” Without a moment’s hesitation, he set his phone on the floor in front of the bench to film a few exercises he thought would work for me (overhead presses, dumbbell hammer curls, dumbbell bicep curls, and the like). I asked Lifehacker’s senior health editor, Beth Skwarecki, for a good strength training app recommendation, and out of several she suggested, I settled on Hevy , where I was able to find a couple more exercises I liked and wanted to add to the routine (incline bench press and hex presses, if you’re interested).
Now, almost four months later, and for the first time since my 15-year-old was born, I’m consistently maintaining a regular weight training routine. Before having kids, it was much easier—I’d just stop by the gym on the way home from work for a little cardio and a spin on the machines. But now I work from home, and my kids constantly need rides from school to practice, and from practice to friends’. Finding the time to workout , and the time and energy to pack up and drive somewhere else, hasn’t worked out yet. But a trip to the basement is definitely doable. I even bring my laptop with me to edit articles between sessions; I couldn’t be more productive.
Lately, I’ve been using dumbbells more often than my son, who prefers to work out at the local gym with friends whenever possible. Although, as you can see in this photo, he used them yesterday, and I haven’t used them today; Mom is getting stronger, but not by 16 kilograms in each arm. Not yet.