Hi, im a newbie here

Have been reading the boards for about a week or so and have gained alot of new ideas and inspiration for my new years workout resolution. So thanks for that.

I was wondering - and i guess this is aimed at people located in the UK - could anyone recommend a good dumbbell set. I was thinking of going with these (http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=1751&productId=94566&Trail=C$cip=12298>C$cip=12331>C$cip=12334&categoryId=12334) from Argos. However, i would love to hear from anyone with better suggestions.

Cheers.

Hi Bishop
I wouldnt hesitate to reccommend the cast iron dumbell sets from argos, they're great value and last forever.
All i would say is buy a bigger set. actually i'd say go for a 50kg set with a bar as well as dumbells if u can afford. You'd be surprised at how quickly you'll outgrow a standard set.

I agree, assuming you can afford it i'd definatly go got a bigger set, you'll out grow those almost instantly as far as any meaningfull muscle gaining goes.

I bought a 80k set and i'm already looking for more weight for deadlift, squats, calves and soon rows, bench press and others.

But for starting out, certainly a 50k dumb and barbell set would be good, even with out a bench there's lots of good barbell exercises.

You'll find cheeper online than argos, but with highstreet companies you know where you're buying from etc etc. I got my equipment through edirectory.co.uk which basicly offers the best prices on equipment from multi different sellers, so you pay through the one place but are actually purchasing from the individual companies.

I bought that 20kg set.

Thing is Argos are really bad at delivering as I found out.

December I ordered the 50kg Barbell and Dumbell set. Delivery came and 2 spinlocks and 18kg was missing. I sent it back and a week later they do the same mistake. So I had to cancel it.

To get my hands on those dumbells I went into town and carried them to the Black Taxi place, not a chance I could do it with 50kg though.

I got the 50kg barbell/dumbell set from Argos a few weeks ago - ordered from their website on the Thursday night, paid an extra £3.50 for Saturday delivery and they arrived as promised on the Sat. morning. No problems. I also order a tricep bar and EZ curl bar set, but to be honest, I don't use these much.

I'd agree with the above about getting the 50kg set, as the 20kg dumbell set won't be heavy enough for some exercises (e.g. squats, deadlifts). Although I mainly use the barbell for squats/ deadlifts, I sometimes use 15kg dumbells and do dumbell deadlifts, just for variety.

BTW, I've also just bought a Golds Gym Olympic 100kg barbell set, since I've bought a Marcy Eclipse Power cage , and that only takes 6' or 7' bars!

I use the EZBar and Tricep bar a good lot, the Tricep bar well... mainly for Triceps.

Soon I'm going to be buying two 10kg disks aswell.

Jim,

I got the 2 10kg discs too - I use them mostly on my barbell.
For triceps, I prefer lying dumbbell triceps curls (skull crushers) - I just feel I get a better isolation on my triceps with them. I do use the EZ bar for bicep curls tho'

mate if your in the uk and somtimes delivery costs mount up. im fortunate i was given a lot of discs free with my rack but i needed a few more 5kg and 2.5kg discs so i was shopping in tesco and found them there the price was average and no arsing about waiting.

Hmm argos are currently doing a sale on the vinyl 50kg set.
Half price from 40 quid to 20. Seems pretty damn good value for money.

I actually need the weights more for weighted chinups and pullups and weighted ab work.... but I could start on standard free weight work I suppose.
Problem is actually getting them from the argos in southampton...

I guess the vinyl ones are bigger and bulkier in size?