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How long is the dumbbell at light weights?
Updated
A fixed 10 lb dumbbell is short. An adjustable one set to 10 lb may be as long as it is at full weight, because the handle has to reach every plate in the tray. A long dumbbell can bump your thighs on curls, touch the other dumbbell on presses, and feel awkward on overhead work. Listings give one length. Only one maker here says what happens at light settings.
Length on each listing
| Set | Length of one dumbbell |
|---|---|
| BowFlex Results Series 552 | 16.9 inches |
| PowerBlock Elite EXP 5-50 | 12 inches |
| NordicTrack 55 lb Select-a-Weight | Not clear. The listing gives 11.4 x 19.4 inches, which reads like the pair in its trays |
| Core Fitness 5-50 Twist | 9.3 inches at 5 lb, 14.5 inches at 50 lb (maker) |
| Ativafit 66 lb Dial | 16.2 inches |
| FLYBIRD 55 lb 5-in-1 | 19 inches |
| BowFlex Results Series 1090 | 17.5 inches |
- BowFlex Results Series 55216.9 inches
- PowerBlock Elite EXP 5-5012 inches
- Core Fitness 5-50 Twist14.5 inches
- Ativafit 66 lb Dial16.2 inches
- FLYBIRD 55 lb 5-in-119 inches
- BowFlex Results Series 109017.5 inches
The one that shrinks, per its maker
Core Home Fitness says the length of its dumbbell "increases as additional weight is added", and gives two numbers: 9.3 inches at the 5 lb starting weight and 14.5 inches for the full dumbbell. That is 5.2 inches shorter at the light end. If length is your main worry, the Core Fitness set is the pick, with the tradeoff of 5 lb jumps.
The short one
The PowerBlock Elite EXP listing gives 12 x 6 x 6 inches. It is a cage, not a bar with plates on the ends. Your hand goes inside it. That keeps it short at every weight, but the shape is boxy, and some lifts where you hold one dumbbell by its end, like a goblet squat, feel different.
The long ones
BowFlex gives 16.9 inches per dumbbell for the Results Series 552 and 17.5 inches for the 1090. It gives one length for each, with no shorter figure for light settings, so plan on full length at 5 or 10 lb. The FLYBIRD listing gives 19 inches, the longest here. The Ativafit listing gives 16.2 inches.
Lifts where length gets in the way
- Curls. The inner end can brush your hips or thighs. Turning your palms slightly or curling one arm at a time helps.
- Chest and shoulder presses. Two long dumbbells can touch at the top. Stop short of touching them together.
- Overhead triceps work with one dumbbell. Dial sets are not built to be held by one end plate. Follow the maker's manual on which grips are allowed.
- Anything on the floor. Wide plates lift the handle higher off the floor than a small fixed dumbbell.
We have not handled these sets. The lengths above are from the listings and the makers' pages, and the lift notes are general.
Check your own lifts with the range and jump checker, or compare all seven picks on the roundup page.