Dumbbell weight varying by gym

[willie mosconi]

Anybody ever noticed that dumbbells sometimes vary in weight from gym to gym- meaning that an 80 pound dumbbell in one gym doesn't weigh the exact same as an 80 pound dumbbell in another gym. I've noticed this on several occasions and is quite annoying when visiting a new gym when traveling. I wonder the reason for the variance.

[Hurricane Beef !]

THE BEEF consistently uses 220's for dumbbell benches & sees little if any difference between gyms.

THE BEEF

[BB]

It's the quality of the casting in the plates usually. Great plates are off by a few grams, better quality gym plates the standard is +/- 2%, and finally cheaper plates which are usually standard size, and used for the fixed dumbbells and barbells. Those can be all over the place, I've seen them off by as much as a #1/2 pound on smaller #10's and #5's.

Also the diameter of the actual bar can swing from 1" or so (25 - 26mm)  to 1 1/4" (32mm) sometimes, and that messes with the feel.

[Hulkotron]

It's usually the quality of the casting in the plates usually. Great plates are off by a few grams, better quality gym plates the standard is +/- 2%, and finally cheaper plates which are usually standard size, and used for the fixed dumbbells and barbells. Those can be all over the place, I've seen them off by as much as a 1/2 pound on smaller #10's and #5's.

Also the diameter of the actual bar can swing from 1" or so (25 - 26mm)  to 1 1/4" (32mm) sometimes, and that messes with feel.

I always found that benching with a bent bar (like if a getbigger has previously been using it for their "heavy work") made it much more difficult as well.

[ritch]

The quality of the dumbell can have an impact I find. The shitty one's that are all lose with bad handles feel 10-15lbs heavier than the nice one piece "iron grip" models which have nice handles, easy to grip and all.

Or even the given environment can "weigh you down". I get this every time I visit my folks in the small town they live in if I go train there. Everything feels heavy over there for some weird reason and I just hate the environment training wise. The dumbells are total shit.

And a good olympic bar can make or break a set of bench presses.

[_aj_]

That's why I carry a precision scale, some lead adapters and a metal grinder in my gym bag. 85.5 pounds MY ASS.

[TheShape.]

800 SOLID ASS POUNDS

[BlackMetallic]

dumbells with smaller diameter handles feel heavier than db's with larger diameter handles

[Mawse]

steel prostyles usually weigh 2-5lbs more than they claim because of the handle weight

urethane DBs always weigh what they claim


hope that helps with your new-to-the-gym goals for 2015

[Rambone]

I've noticed this. I think handle width and the dumbbell dimensions are to blame

[Never1AShow]

My gym has two different kinds of dumbells and they both feel different.

[wes]

If it feels heavy,it is heavy...........fuck numbers.

[local hero]

I think a lot has to do with balance, solid and well made just sit better and feel better

[oldtimer1]

Dumbbells are rarely accurate from manufacture to manufacture. Even the same manufacture can put out dumbbells that are off though they have the weight on them.

What they weigh isn't important. Just that the 80lbs are heavier than the 75lbs then all is good.

[Papper]

Dumbbells are rarely accurate from manufacture to manufacture. Even the same manufacture can put out dumbbells that are off though they have the weight on them.

What they weigh isn't important. Just that the 80lbs are heavier than the 75lbs then all is good.

No! If they are 0.5% lighter, my biceps will decrease 0.5 % and that is just not good enough.

[el numero uno]

Rubber coated dumbbells always feel like they're lighter than they claim.

[Hulkotron]

Rubber coated dumbbells always feel like they're lighter than they claim.

I agree.

[DroppingPlates]

I'm not sure if I sleep well tonight