TITAN Olympic dumbbell vs Power block elite dumbbells
This is a comparison between the TITAN Olympic dumbbell and Power block elite dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.
Overview and review Power block classic elite series
The Power Block classic series has a stacked design to save maximum space at home. You will invest around $299 to get one to your home. This article has been originally posted in "which dumbbell to get from Rogue".
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Overview of the Powerblock
The
Powerblock dumbbells are a classic design to save space and cost. The design is nested. Think of it like the russian dolls in dolls. The handle fits in each higher weight set and there it gets bigger and bigger. The good thing about this is that you only have two sets of handles. The
power block sets are available from 5lb to 90lb. Some of the features include:
- Black Powder Coat painted steel weight plates in classic square shape
- Snap on color band applied to rails on one side of each block.
- Handle has padded wrist supports
- Straight Center Handle (hand grip)
- Welded construction (non flexing)
- Limited 10 year home use warranty. Home use products are warranted only for home use and warranty is void if used commercially.
This is a good alternative for people who do not want to pay too much and want their home
dumbbells to be as compact as possible.
Pros of the powerblock
Cons of the powerblock
The mechanics of the
power block can become annoying when changing weights and are prone to break. In the higher weight ranges, the
dumbbell can also get very cumbersome based on its rectangular design.
Alternatives to the powerblock
The
Rogue loadable dumbbell is basically a shortened barbell that can be loaded with weights. Rogue also offers smaller weights to go with the
loadable dumbbell. This is a great option when you want to be able to have a load of different weights on one
dumbbell without eating too much space. Ideal for home gyms. For a commercial gym, it might be better to stick with a rack of
dumbbells as they are more convenient to use and cover more clients at the same cost.
The
rubber hex dumbbell is pound for pins the cheapest
dumbbell with a rogue logo on it. They are also sold in pairs. If you like the hex design for your commercial gym I think this is the one to go for in bulk.
Kettlebells are always a good alternative to
dumbbells. You can do almost all
dumbbell movements with kettlebells while kettlebells also offer the Turkish getup and kettlebell swing as great conditioning exercises. The only negative with kettlebells is that I haven’t seen a great
loadable Design for them yet to save space. If I was in the market for a big set I
dumbbells I would get a wall of kettlebells instead. Especially if you have very heavy kettlebells it will set you apart from other gyms. It all depends on the clients you want to target as bodybuilders usually prefer
dumbbells.
Summary for the Powerblock
Great for the occasional, recreational lifter to have a full set of
dumbbells at home.
Overview and review of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
This is an overview of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more information.
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Overview of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
Price: $42.99 - $74.99
The
Titan Olympic dumbbell comes in three sizes. These are 36-inch, 20-inch, and 15-inch. With these sizes you get the possibility to have a shortened barbell and use it like a dumbbell. You can use your change and fractional plates to load the barbell. This saves money and space, especially in home gym setups. The full specifications of this dumbbell are:
- Knurled handles for better grip.
- Titan Branded endcaps
- Compatible with Olympic plates
- Overall Length: 20-in
- Handle Length: 5.75-in
- Handle Diameter: 28mm.
- Loadable Sleeve Length: 6.5-in.
- Sleeve Diameter: 50mm.
- Knurling: Medium
- Sleeve Coating: Chrome
- Weight Capacity: 500 lb.
- Weight: 12.1 lb. Each | 24.2 lb. Total
- Quantity: 2
Be aware that only the 20-inch version is sold in pairs and that the 15-inch and 36-inch come in singles. Read the fin print on each version to get their specifics.
Pros of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
-
Price
-
Space requirements
-
Flexibility
One of the main point in favor of TITAN fitness equipment is their price. TITAN strategically positions themselves at half the price to
Rogue Fitness and Eleiko for comparable products. The Loadable dumbbells are no exception to this. If you are on a budget and like the idea of a loadable dumbbell, TITAN is a good vendor to get your supplies.
Loadable dumbbells have the advantage that you can adjust them with the plates you already have. This makes them a lot more space efficient than regular
urethane or
rubber dumbbells. Just stack the plates on and work away with the weight of your choice. If you lack space in your home gym setup a pair of loadable dumbbells is the best options to cover dumbbell exercises in a wide range without having to pole vault into your gym every morning.
Another plus of
Olympic loadable dumbbells is that they are compatible with standard plates from all vendors. Especially if you already invested in your home gym and intend to get a barbell and rack too, this is cost and space efficient. There are other solutions in the market which provide flexible weight choices but they are usual not as flexible. The widely know block systems only work with the same weights and once the mechanics break you need to get anew set of dumbbells.
Cons of the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
If you like to run the dumbbell rack up and down for bodybuilding exercises, this is not for you. With regular dumbbells you have the advantage that you can switch fast between weights. With
Olympic dumbbells you have to take the plates on and off between sets if you want to work with different loads.
Especially in hotels this might also not be the best solution. Most hotel gyms do not have plates and therefore the
Olympic dumbbells are more trouble than they are worth. If you want to have a full set of dumbbells in a hotel on a minimal footprint, the stackable dumbbell systems are a better option even though they are more prone to break.
For a very busy gym
Olympic dumbbells are also not the best solution. If you have a lot of clients training at the same time you also want to provide them with a lot of handles and material. With an
Olympic dumbbell you are focusing all of the options on one handle to save space. In a commercial gym you want multiple weights so that multiple clients can train at the same time.
Alternatives to the TITAN Olympic dumbbell
Cast iron dumbbells are cheaper than
rubber or
urethane dumbbells as they are easier to produce. They are little more prone to rust and also not great for dropping on the ground. Apart from that it is easier to acquire a full set to have multiple options for your training, if you have the space to store them
If you want to switch fast between different weights and not wreck your floor
rubber hex dumbbells are good value for money. The only downside is that you will not the space to store multiple pieces to work through a full range of loads.
Adjustable chrome dumbbells are a little cheaper than the
Olympic dumbbells as they already come with the weights included. They are a good option when you just want dumbbells in your home to work on your physique and do not plan to build an entire gym. IN other scenarios they are not really the best option, as the weights only fit to the respective handles.
Conclusion for the TITAN Olympic barbell
Loadable dumbbells are great for home gyms to save space while still being able to train with a wide variety of different loads. The TITAN loadable dumbbells are also a budget friendly option to get a loadable dumbbell into your home gym. Commercial gyms should invest in a rack of
rubber hex dumbbells or urethane dumbbells depending on budget. Very affluent home gym owners also might fill their massive space with a full rack of dumbbells.