Fitness Weights & Dumbbells

Fitness Weights & Dumbbells

Three different implements here do three different jobs, and the weight that suits one will not suit another. Dumbbells are for controlled, isolated movements such as curls, presses and raises, and they are sold in pairs. Weight choice should follow the weakest exercise you intend to use them for rather than the strongest, since a weight you can press overhead is usually well below what you can row. The pairs stocked run from 0.5kg up to 4kg per dumbbell, which suits toning, rehabilitation, class-style workouts and older or newer trainers rather than heavy strength work. Neoprene covering matters in a home: it grips when hands are damp, does not chip a wooden floor and does not rust. Hex ends stop the dumbbell rolling away and let it sit flat for press-ups. Kettlebells are for swinging and ballistic movements where the offset weight below the handle is the point, so they train the hips and posterior chain in a way a dumbbell does not. Dual soft construction means it will not damage a floor or a shin. Medicine balls are for throwing, slamming and rotational core work, and 2kg to 4kg is the range for movement quality rather than maximal load. Colour coding across all three makes finding the right weight quick when several are in use.

Urban Fitness supplies the whole range. Neoprene covered hex dumbbells come as pairs at 0.5kg in pink, 1kg in purple, 1.5kg in green, 2kg in sky blue, 3kg in orange and 4kg in red. Dual soft kettlebells are stocked at 4kg, 6kg and 8kg, and medicine balls at 2kg in blue, 3kg in orange and 4kg in red. For mats, resistance equipment and the wider range see Home Fitness.