320 Part VI: Conquering the Gym (Even at Home)
Probell:Instead of buying six pair of dumbbells, from 5 pounds to 30 in
5-pound increments, you can buy one pair of Probells and get the same
versatility. Instead of sliding weight plates on and off, you simply turn a
dial to indicate how much weight you want to lift. Through a feat of engi-
neering, the ProBell picks up the requested number of plates.
Just note that ingenuity and space savings come at a price. The steel
Probell set costs $199 — about twice the cost of six pairs of no-frills
steel dumbbells. But you will save money on the higher end: The $249
chrome Probell costs less than a set of six shiny chrome dumbbells. The
Probell stand costs an additional $149. See http://www.probell.com.PowerBlocks:Each block consists of a series of rectangular, weighted,
metal frames, each one nesting inside a slightly larger frame. A series of
holes runs along the outside of the frames; you insert a pin inside a hole
to select the number of frames you’d like to pick up. You can buy a set of
blocks that go from 5 pounds to 90 pounds in 5-pound increments, and
you can change the weight instantly. PowerBlocks come with an optional
stand and take up about the same amount of room as a telephone table.
A 45-pound set sells for about $240; the 85-pound set sells for just under
$600. Check out http://www.powerblock.com.
PowerBlocks rattle around a bit more than ProBells, and their shape is
more cumbersome, but PowerBlocks allow you to lift up to 90 pounds
with each hand whereas ProBells go only up to 30 pounds.Barbells
Most people can get along just fine with an array of dumbbells, but you can’t
beat barbells for power lifts like bench pressing and squatting (see Chapter
14). Plus, barbells add even more variety to your workout. We recommend
buying a single bar with a number of weight plates, because buying a whole
assortment of bars is expensive. Bars typically run between $25 and $125,
depending on the type of steel and where you buy the bar. Bars tend to cost
more at specialty shops than at sporting goods stores.Bars are typically 4 to 7 feet long and come in two sizes: the skinnier Standard
(about 25 pounds) and the thicker Olympic(about 45 pounds). Plates(the
round weights that you slide onto the bars) and collars(the clips that secure
the plates) are designed to fit one bar size or the other, so make sure that you
buy plates and collars that match your bar. We prefer Olympic bars because
they’re more comfortable to wrap your hands around — they’re also the
standard in most gyms.Purchasing a rack with your barbell is a good idea. Upright racks take up less
room than horizontal ones. A one-bar rack can cost as little as $100.As an alternative to traditional barbells, you can buy a series of lighter bars
from 9 pounds to 27 pounds covered with comfortable rubber padding. One
popular brand is Body Bar (www.bodybars.com). These bars are good for
beginners. They allow you to learn to do barbell exercises without having to