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he Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbells are a good option for someone looking to work out at home, and for both strength training and conditioning. The weights start at 5 lbs and go up to 52.5 lbs.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Easy to change weight even when your muscles are already fatigued
These dumbbells have a dial-adjust that allows you to change the weight in about 5 seconds in between reps. This is great, because your hands will get shaky after some time of lifting, and after just turning the dial you can spend your break actually resting, instead of fidgeting with your dumbbells to get ready for the next rep.
Pro Versatile
The Bowflex SelectTech552 dumbbells are a good investment for people who want both strength training and conditioning. Their length forces you to use your stabilizer muscles a lot, which makes for a better (harder) work out in both strength training and conditioning. It's very easy and quick to change the weight on these, which is important for conditioning workouts.
Pro Takes up less space than stand alone dumbbells
Because of their dial-adjust mechanism, the Bowflex SelectTech 552 is a great investment for people who want to work out at home, but don't have the space for a home gym. Given the number of increments these dumbbells have, you'd need 14 separate dumbbells to cover you from 5 to 52.5 lbs.
Pro Very easy to customize your workout
You can change weights in 2.5 lbs increments, starting from 5 lbs up to 52.5 lbs. This gives you a lot of control over any stage of your workout. Combine this with the ease of using the dial-adjust, and you can fine-tune these dumbbells to suit your every need without frustration.
Pro Comes with exceptionally user-friendly instructions
Bowflex stands out from the competition by providing instructions for picking up/putting down their dumbbells in a safe and sustainable way. It's encouraged that you read these instructions and follow them, because that will help you avoid injuries and increase the lifespan of your dumbbells. This shows concern for their users well-being, and gives some peace of mind to beginners who are worried about working out without a personal trainer.
Cons
Con Need to be handled with care
The trays (need to be purchased separately) for the Bowflex are set up so that you need to be mindful when placing the dumbbells back. All weights need to be lined up for it to fit, which takes an extra second or two of concentration. Furthermore, it's not recommended that you drop these weights from more than a 12 inch height. You should instead adjust the weight to a lower setting, to eliminate the need to drop them if your muscles get fatigued.