Dumbbells are one of the most common fitness equipments available in both commercial gyms and home workout rooms. Although a piece or two won’t hurt your wallet, people serious in building muscles or losing plenty of weight find themselves needing more dumbbells as their fitness level progress. If you are one of these people, dumbbells can become a costly addition to your home gym. Fortunately, you can find cheap dumbbells if you know where to look. Here’s a quick guide where you can buy cheap dumbbells and avoid getting ripped off.


• Used Dumbbells at eBay and other Online Stores – If you’re trying to find cheap dumbbells, make sure you dedicate some time surfing the net. Websites like eBay and Amazon provide buyers with second-hand items. Unlike buying electric fitness equipments like treadmills, second-hand cheap dumbbells could still serve their purpose even if they show signs of wear and tear.
• Fitness Forums – The great thing about fitness forums is that there are people exactly in your shoes. Some have the money to buy decent dumbbells even at their regular price. Check out the buy-and-sell section of online forums and find cheap dumbbells being sold there. If you’re lucky, these cheap dumbbells may even be in mint condition, but with a significantly lesser price. Due to the weight of the dumbbells, it is best that you find sellers that are near your location to save on shipping fees.
• Reputable Gym Equipment Sites – Some gym equipment stores offer online promotions and sales to their customers. Make sure you subscribe to newsletters of these reputable sites, so you’ll be notified of upcoming sales. You may even get to buy brand new, yet cheap dumbbells. If you’re serious about weight lifting, you can also check out cheap dumbbells offered as packages. When computed against the cost of buying piece by piece, these packages may even save you money.
• Garage Sale – Check your local paper to find upcoming garage sales in your neighborhood. The most common cheap dumbbells found in garage sales are cap, pound and hex dumbbells. In rare occasions, you may get branded, yet cheap dumbbells at half their original price. The great thing about finding cheap dumbbells in garage sales is that you can hold the item in person and get a feel of the dumbbell first. Plus, you don’t have to worry about costly shipping fees.
• Local Gyms – Go to gyms near your location and ask around for members selling their fitness gears. Sometimes you’ll be lucky to find someone who is getting rid of their dumbbells for cheap. You can also get a hold of cheap dumbbells by asking if the gym rents out their equipment. Renting dumbbells allow you to “try out” different weights before buying new sets.


Opting for cheap dumbbells is not a big deal, since the life of a decent dumbbell could last years. If you know how to look, cheap dumbbells could still serve their purpose and help you lose weight, tone your body, build muscles or improve overall health. It may be hard to look for cheap dumbbells at first, but once you checked these resources out, you’ll find other people like you who are selling their dumbbells to make way for heavier dumbbells or other fitness equipments.

A barbell is a weight training equipment designed with a long bar and a set of disc plates secured by collars. The barbell has different types, each with a specific use in weightlifting. If you’re taking weight training to the next level, a barbell is a must-have home gym equipment that you should definitely consider. However, not all barbells are ideal for everyone. This guide will help you choose which type of barbell to buy based on your individual goals.


• Standard barbell – Used by people with advanced fitness levels and home weightlifters, a standard barbell can hold disc plates with 1-inch holes. Standard barbells do not have rotating parts. It is ideal for home gyms, even with minimal space available since these barbells are shorter than the Olympic version.
• Olympic barbell – As its name suggests, an Olympic barbell is mostly used in competition-level weight lifting or by professional weightlifters. A standard Olympic barbell is 7 feet long and 20 kilograms heavy. Various Olympic barbells are available, but all of them can only hold disc plates with 2-inch holes. You should only buy this type of barbell if you prefer lifting overhead, if you have plenty of space at your home gym, if you are strong enough for heavy plates and if you are training to compete at weightlifting events.
• Fixed Barbell – Usually found in gyms, a fixed barbell is designed similarly like the fixed-weight dumbbell. The weights of a fixed barbell is permanently attached to the bar, giving the use a quick transition between one weight to the next without having to adjust the plates.


• EZ Curl Bar – This type of barbell is used in performing upright rows or bicep curls. The zigzag-looking or curved grip portion of the bar takes pressure off the user’s wrists during exercise. The EZ Curl Bar is often used by weightlifters in handling more weight without worrying of overstressing joints on the wrist. It could accept both standard-sized and Olympic-sized plates.
• Triceps Bar – If you wish to do more triceps exercises performed behind the head, a triceps bar can handle more weight. This type of barbell allows the use of a parallel grip. Although it functions similarly to an EZ curl bar, the triceps bar usually costs more.
• Trap Bar – A trap bar is used to reduce lower back stress during deadlifting or shrugs. It works the trapezius muscles of the neck and upper back. The main problem with this type of barbell is that it is hard to find them on sports stores, but most equipped commercial gyms should have them.
• Cambered Bars – Also known as bent bars, these types of barbells are used in performing bench presses and squats, while providing more stability and less stress on the lower back. It is often used by professional weightlifters.
• Safety Squat – This type of barbell is a specialty bar designed to reduce pressure on shoulder joints with lifting the bar.
• Thick-handle barbell – Designed to improve the grip of users, a thick-handled barbell is used when deadlifting or performing overhead presses.

Because weightlifting can lead to injuries, it is important that you buy or use a barbell you’re strong enough to handle. Hopefully, understanding how each barbell works could help you make the right decision.