Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells Review

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I review the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells. How does it fair?

If you’ve got limited space for your gym equipment, or you are just trying to save money by thinking small, the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells may be the perfect answer to your problems. These innovative new weights are comparable to a full 16 piece set and at just a little over $350, they are very economical. Are the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells all that they are cracked up to be? Let’s take a look!

First off, you’ll be getting two weights that look pretty simple. However, thanks to their unique design, you can adjust each one from five pounds all the way up to fifty. Each weight comes with plates that are adjusted with the dial system that is built in. You can start off with five pounds and then add weight in 2.5 pound increments until you reach 25 pounds. Each dumbbell is very compact. There is a five year warranty on the plates with a one year warranty on labor. (I’m not sure I’ve seen a labor warranty on a set of weights until now.)

When I tested Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells out, I found that the weights were very well made. I was concerned about the dial, but it seemed to hold up well to stress making me feel that it is as well made as the rest of the weight. This was an area that could have been a problem for the weights, but it seems as though they considered this ahead of time to cut down on complaints.

The one major problem that we found with the weights was that they were a little bit too big for dumbbells. While the overall concept is great, they are a bit bulky for many exercises and you may find that they get in the way. This is particularly true if you have shorter arms. Those that are quite big and tall may not experience this issue. I would have liked to have seen them come in a bit narrower design to take care of this issue.

The dial mechanism may be a bit confusing for some. Each weight comes with two and they rotate in opposite directions. This can be little annoying when you’re trying to increase the intensity of your workout and you have to drop everything to get them calibrated. In addition, the plates seem to shift quite a bit and if you’re not using the right form, it can be easy to get thrown off balance.

Overall, I’d give the Bowflex SelectTech 552 Dumbbells a solid B+ for the idea, but a B for overall implementation. There are a few issues that could easily be corrected. I’ve seen cheaper versions on the market, so if price is a concern, that might be an option. The concept is terrific and in theory they sound great. In practice however, they just fall a bit short of where they could be. However, if you don’t have a lot of space, they may be just what you are looking for, particularly if you were blessed with longer arms and some patience to get them dialed in perfectly.

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Review

Posted by Lazy Man on August 1, 2008 in Review.

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