Powerblocks Attachable Barbell/EZ Curl Bar

[Dmoc23]

Help me out with what I should buy. Here are two of my choices:


U90 Stage 3 With Barbell Attachment
Price: $1186 (With Shipping)
Maximum Weight: 275
Advantage: Quick Switching out of weights


Fitness Gear 300 lb Weight Set
Price: $210
Included Weight: 300 lbs
Advantage: Cheap




My Application
I plan to use these with either custom workouts or the dvd video Body Beast. I will purchase a power rack to use with these (plan on working out alone.) Any other suggestions welcome.

[owasM]

quite a no brainer lol def the weight set.

[Detrus]

Weight set. WTF does powerblock with barbell even look like? Can't find anything.

With a weight set you can someday do 500 lbs. 275 lbs won't get you much results. What are they gonna come up with then, stage 5? You don't need to switch weights that quickly except for some ridiculous P90X programs that market those dumbbells. If you want conditioning crossfit WODs do it without magic quick switch dumbbells.

[trnk1001]

New models of Powerblock barbell attachments:



Older model:


I'd go with the weight set (and Powerblock) from Craigslist if possible.

[Dmoc23]

You guys made it clear that the Powerblocks are a poor value, however, is there any disadvantages to the Powerblocks for a barbell and advantages to the Olympic barbell that overshadows the time-saving of the Powerblocks? I do not want to purchase something just because of price; I plan on using these for a long time.

[Stasher1]

You guys made it clear that the Powerblocks are a poor value, however, is there any disadvantages to the Powerblocks for a barbell and advantages to the Olympic barbell that overshadows the time-saving of the Powerblocks? I do not want to purchase something just because of price; I plan on using these for a long time.

You mean besides the fact that you're limited to 275lbs (max), they rattle, and are likely to break if you drop them straight, or bend if you drop them slightly crooked?

For that same ~$1200, you could buy two 300lb oly sets, a rack, and a bench, and have something that's capable of growing with you.

[ICEcap2]

They don't make any sense at all. Also they don't rotate, try doing some cleans with them and tell my how they feel.

[morebarbell]

I think the Powerblocks are good DUMBBELLS. If I hadn't found a good deal on Craigslist for Ironmasters, I probably would have bought a set of Urethane Powerblocks. BUT, I don't think the Powerblock BARBELL makes much sense. The Ironmaster barbell makes more sense but it's basically just a standard spinlock bar for a LOT more money.

There's a lot of money to be made selling accessories... in some cases that may be the main reason for their existence... even when they don't make much sense. Somebody will buy it.

...
I'd go with the weight set (and Powerblock) from Craigslist if possible.

^^What he said.

[Detrus]

You guys made it clear that the Powerblocks are a poor value, however, is there any disadvantages to the Powerblocks for a barbell and advantages to the Olympic barbell that overshadows the time-saving of the Powerblocks? I do not want to purchase something just because of price; I plan on using these for a long time.

Being limited to 300 lbs is a huge disadvantage. Enormous. Mahoosive. Powerblocks save no time whatsoever in a workout where you're lifting 200 lbs. Because you need a minute or more to rest, which is when you do your weight changes. Total time saved is 0 attoseconds.

Even in dumbbell mode, if you're lifting over 60 lbs per hand you're probably resting long enough between sets to change weight on regular adjustable dumbbells and get bored waiting.

[Penorsandwich]

[Powerblock barbell image]


I think this might be the most embarassingly awful abomination of an attempt to make money that I've ever seen in my life.

[brochocinco]

Being limited to 300 lbs is a huge disadvantage. Enormous. Mahoosive. Powerblocks save no time whatsoever in a workout where you're lifting 200 lbs. Because you need a minute or more to rest, which is when you do your weight changes. Total time saved is 0 attoseconds.

Even in dumbbell mode, if you're lifting over 60 lbs per hand you're probably resting long enough between sets to change weight on regular adjustable dumbbells and get bored waiting.

As far as total time goes, if you are lifting heavy then you're right, you'll probably spend the same amount of time working out. I have an olympic bar and for me, it's a pain in the ass switching the plates from one workout to another. Maybe it's because my area is a little cramped. I have the U-90s and ever since I got them, I hardly use my olympic setup. Powerblocks are all about convenience.

[Skidmarx]

[Powerblock barbell image]
I think this might be the most embarassingly awful abomination of an attempt to make money that I've ever seen in my life.

It's right there with the Powertec power lever lol

[TheStiffmeister]

You guys made it clear that the Powerblocks are a poor value, however, is there any disadvantages to the Powerblocks for a barbell and advantages to the Olympic barbell that overshadows the time-saving of the Powerblocks? I do not want to purchase something just because of price; I plan on using these for a long time.

i got powerblocks 5-90 lb dumbbells. the quality is fantastic and space saving. i got them for 350 total with an adjustable bench and the stand. would do it again absolutely. wouldnt pay 1000 though

[PaulRivers]

Looks like you got a lot of knee-jerk "it's new so I don't like it" reactions for the powerblock idea.

I love powerblocks, and saving space, and if they were without drawbacks I would be extatic - I'm always looking for something that's as easy to tuck away at home between workouts as possible.

This is the page for the powerblock barbell -
http://www.powerblock.com/prod_homeu...ight%20Bar.php

There are a couple of realistic drawbacks to the powerblocks as far as I can tell -
1. The bar part is 40" long, and that might be to short to fit on the squat pegs in a power rack. Not sure on this one though.
2. Max weight seems to be 195lbs, no expanding above that. Squats and deadlifts are the components of most weight lifting programs, and for both you will quickly and easily outpace lifting 195lbs if you're an average guy. A 200lb guy squatting 200lbs happens fairly quickly (depending on your current physical condition of course), and deadlifts use even more weight. I'm not sure if body beast does squats and deadlifts, but most programs that a power rack is required for do use squats and deadlifts.
3. You have to rest between sets anyways if you're doing large compound movements for at least a minute. This largely negates the time savings of adjustable dumbells. That being said, it would be nice not to have to do plate math in your head. Hmm.
4. An Olympic weightlifting bar also free rotates as you lift it, which is apparently necessary for the olympic lifts like the power clean. Not sure if this is "required" for you or not, but fyi.

However...all that being said...I'm not sure the Fitness Gear 300lb weight set is a good choice either. The big question is - is it a "standard - 1 inch" or "olympic - 2 inch" bar? A standard bar generally has a weight limit of 250lb's...not sure if that includes the bar, if it doesn't it could be the 300lb rating includes the bar weight. Whereas an olympic bar has a weight limit of...more than you'll ever lift. Not sure if the bar rotates either, as if it doesn't say in the description - something else an olympic bar does.

Bottom line is that the best choice is to buy a weight set with Olympic weights and an Olympic bar (you cannot use Standard weights with an Olympic bar, and if you work out much you'll surpass the weight limit on the Standard bar fairly quickly). I think the Powerblock thing is cool, but it's big drawback is it's weight limit. No matter what weight you get with an Olympic bar and Olympic plates, if you need more weight you can always buy more and add it on.

[morebarbell]

I'n my opinion, my comments weren't "knee-jerk" and I suspect others feel the same about their comments but no offense is taken. If the barbells appeal to you, you should buy them. I can see the barbells appealing to someone who already has the dumbbells and wants to keep things at a minimum... perhaps not wanting to lug around more weight because of frequent moves... or perhaps not intending to lift heavy or much at all... or someone who enjoys gadgets or spending money. And perhaps there are other reasons. I do think your comments overlook a lot of drawbacks and perhaps those things aren't important to you. Yes, there are no rotating sleeves. There's also a completely abnormal distribution of weight along one axis. Yes, the selector pins will work great for 20 pound weight changes but for normal 5 pound changes you'll need to remove the pins, remove the handles, remove 2 chrome weights, line up handle with two stacks of weight (what a pain!), and insert the selector pins on both sides. (see video below) I don't see how that is less work than sliding two 2.5 plates on an olympic bar. And I think (or atleast hope!) most people will be able to do the math with regular olympic weights. I'm not sure if they'd fit in a power rack. I doubt it. But even if you actually had a power rack then you probably aren't going to be buying these to save space and you probably already have an olympic bar. Also the bar is sort of short to comfortably do squats. It's less than 5' long with the blocks and even shorter (40") if you don't include the blocks. EZ curl bars are mostly useful for triceps extensions and forearms... but you could just use the dumbbells for 2-hand triceps extensions or hammer curls. This is just my opinion. The barbells cost about $150 shipped each. You can buy a Cap 300 pound olympic set with bar and plates for $160 new and can easily find a set used on Craigslist for less money. An curl bar is $29 shipped on Amazon. I do happen to think the U-33 and the discontinued U-50 (now only sold as a club set) are hands down the best adjustable dumbbells in their weight ranges. The U90s and higher weight ranges are very close competition with the Ironmasters in my opinion. Both have their pluses and minuses but I won't get into it here.

Looks like you got a lot of knee-jerk "it's new so I don't like it" reactions for the powerblock idea.

I love powerblocks, and saving space, and if they were without drawbacks I would be extatic - I'm always looking for something that's as easy to tuck away at home between workouts as possible.

This is the page for the powerblock barbell -
http://www.powerblock.com/prod_homeu...ight%20Bar.php

There are a couple of realistic drawbacks to the powerblocks as far as I can tell -
1. The bar part is 40" long, and that might be to short to fit on the squat pegs in a power rack. Not sure on this one though.
2. Max weight seems to be 195lbs, no expanding above that. Squats and deadlifts are the components of most weight lifting programs, and for both you will quickly and easily outpace lifting 195lbs if you're an average guy. A 200lb guy squatting 200lbs happens fairly quickly (depending on your current physical condition of course), and deadlifts use even more weight. I'm not sure if body beast does squats and deadlifts, but most programs that a power rack is required for do use squats and deadlifts.
3. You have to rest between sets anyways if you're doing large compound movements for at least a minute. This largely negates the time savings of adjustable dumbells. That being said, it would be nice not to have to do plate math in your head. Hmm.
4. An Olympic weightlifting bar also free rotates as you lift it, which is apparently necessary for the olympic lifts like the power clean. Not sure if this is "required" for you or not, but fyi.

However...all that being said...I'm not sure the Fitness Gear 300lb weight set is a good choice either. The big question is - is it a "standard - 1 inch" or "olympic - 2 inch" bar? A standard bar generally has a weight limit of 250lb's...not sure if that includes the bar, if it doesn't it could be the 300lb rating includes the bar weight. Whereas an olympic bar has a weight limit of...more than you'll ever lift. Not sure if the bar rotates either, as if it doesn't say in the description - something else an olympic bar does.

Bottom line is that the best choice is to buy a weight set with Olympic weights and an Olympic bar (you cannot use Standard weights with an Olympic bar, and if you work out much you'll surpass the weight limit on the Standard bar fairly quickly). I think the Powerblock thing is cool, but it's big drawback is it's weight limit. No matter what weight you get with an Olympic bar and Olympic plates, if you need more weight you can always buy more and add it on.

That's hilarious!

It's right there with the Powertec power lever lol

[Jetigen]

After watching the video, I don't think it's that of a bad idea to use powerblocks on a bar for people doing light workouts at home, especially multi-level apartment building dwellers.

[owasM]

pretty sure this is made to be used as a replacement for those fixed barbell sets not a deadlift/bench/squat bar.

[dskoo65]

besides what others said, the powerblock U90 stage 3 kit is a mess anyway....even just as a dumbbell.

[PaulRivers]

I'n my opinion, my comments weren't "knee-jerk" and I suspect others feel the same about their comments but no offense is taken.

Still think a lot of it is. When people diss something based on specifics, they're often (though not always) concerned about something...specific. When people start posting silly pictures it's almost always because they don't have a real argument so they're relying on unrelated emotional appeal.

Or the guy who disses it, then mentions that he can't even find a picture of it (you know, like looking on the front page or powerblock.com would be so hard).

I'm more than happy to write about the actual specific drawbacks, but the idea that it's absurd to have weights that are compact and function as both dumbells and a barbell is...absurd.

If the barbells appeal to you, you should buy them. I can see the barbells appealing to someone who already has the dumbbells and wants to keep things at a minimum... perhaps not wanting to lug around more weight because of frequent moves... or perhaps not intending to lift heavy or much at all... or someone who enjoys gadgets or spending money. And perhaps there are other reasons.

Your body doesn't care what form the weight you're lifting is in. It just reacts to you lifting heavy objects.

I do think your comments overlook a lot of drawbacks and perhaps those things aren't important to you. Yes, there are no rotating sleeves. There's also a completely abnormal distribution of weight along one axis. Yes, the selector pins will work great for 20 pound weight changes but for normal 5 pound changes you'll need to remove the pins, remove the handles, remove 2 chrome weights, line up handle with two stacks of weight (what a pain!), and insert the selector pins on both sides. (see video below) I don't see how that is less work than sliding two 2.5 plates on an olympic bar.

I mentioned some of those in my post, and mentioned that the weight change time is a non-issue. Only the non-rotating sleeves possibly make it worse than plates, and a powerblock is much more compact - and more versatile as one can use them as dumbells as well.

The non-rotating sleeves are a concern, but as I mentioned my biggest concern is the low max weight. 195lbs is not enough. I'm not sure whether the non-round shape would be a long term concern or not.

And I think (or atleast hope!) most people will be able to do the math with regular olympic weights.

That's what I mean about a kneejerk reaction. There's no strength gain to doing the math, and it's annoying. I *could* jog to work each morning, but instead I choose to take a much more convenient car (and partially because it would probably take 4 hours of jogging each day). It would be more convenient not to have to do plate math, and that's all there is to it. No one said that doing the math is a monumental task, it's just annoying.

I'm not sure if they'd fit in a power rack. I doubt it. But even if you actually had a power rack then you probably aren't going to be buying these to save space and you probably already have an olympic bar.

Wow, everyone who buys a powerrack already has an olympic bar? Well why are we even debating then! There you go - no one will even consider this, no reason to even have a discussion.

In the real world, people find more compact setups for doing squats as well. Ironmind exists because some people are willing to pay a lot of money for a more compact (and packupable) workout area.

Also the bar is sort of short to comfortably do squats. It's less than 5' long with the blocks and even shorter (40") if you don't include the blocks.

A long bar makes no difference in doing a squat whatsoever. I've never seen someone for whom their elbow to elbow distance was anywhere near 5 feet, and squatting usually puts the hand in closer than that.

EZ curl bars are mostly useful for triceps extensions and forearms... but you could just use the dumbbells for 2-hand triceps extensions or hammer curls. This is just my opinion. The barbells cost about $150 shipped each.

The powerblock bar comes in both ez curl and straight bars, so I don't see the point there.

You can buy a Cap 300 pound olympic set with bar and plates for $160 new and can easily find a set used on Craigslist for less money.

That's pretty amazing considering the actual price on amazon right now is $429 for that set. I don't think I've ever seen a 300lb weight set with olympic bar on craigslist for less then $160, unless it had something horribly wrong with it. And as they're not bumper plates, you don't want to drop those either.

However, it's certainly the far cheaper route to go with craigslist and a weight set. It's not as compact as an option. And that assumes you aren't *also* buying dumbells for some of your exercises...if you're going to need to buy powerblocks anyways, things are very different.

Not that any of this matters, as I said it's the weight limit on the powerblock set that's the biggest problem.

An curl bar is $29 shipped on Amazon. I do happen to think the U-33 and the discontinued U-50 (now only sold as a club set) are hands down the best adjustable dumbbells in their weight ranges. The U90s and higher weight ranges are very close competition with the Ironmasters in my opinion. Both have their pluses and minuses but I won't get into it here.

Then I'm sure you could see how - *if* someone needed the most compact setup, or needed both dumbells and a barbell for their work anyways - this would theoretically be fantastic.

I say theoretically because, as I said in my original comment, there are some drawbacks - like the apparent low max weight, possibly the non-rotating thing, or even other things that we don't know about just because it's so new. And definitely, a traditional weight set has some advantages. It just seems to me that this thread is simply attracting powerblock haters. Some of the people have good points in the comments, but a lot of people seem to just dislike it because it's new and not what they're used to.

[morebarbell]

....
I'm more than happy to write about the actual specific drawbacks, but the idea that it's absurd to have weights that are compact and function as both dumbells and a barbell is...absurd...

Standard weight plates can be used with standard dumbbells or standard barbells. Olympic weight plates can be used with olympic dumbbells or olympic barbells. Weights that are used for both dumbbells or barbells are not a new idea. Welding Powerblock dumbbell handles perpendicular to the ends of a barbell does have drawbacks. I think the "actual specific drawbacks" are useful to discuss before making an informed decision about whether or not to buy them.

....
I mentioned some of those in my post, and mentioned that the weight change time is a non-issue. Only the non-rotating sleeves possibly make it worse than plates, and a powerblock is much more compact - and more versatile as one can use them as dumbells as well.

The weight change time may be a "non issue" for YOU but it is not for me. For me, the ease of changing weights with Powerblocks is by far the biggest advantage of the dumbbells. The reason why I think the U-33 and the U-50 are Powerblock's best designs, is the ability to make normal 5 pound jumps with a pin change and ability to only use the chrome weights to micro load. On the U-90, 5 pound weight changes are slowed down a bit because you need to use the chrome weights. It's not that bad but it's really not going to be that much faster than a 5 pound change on the competing Ironmaster product. Weight changes are slowed down even further with the Powerblock barbell… it appears to be slowed down so much that it would take longer to change the weight 5 pounds with the Powerblock barbell than to make a 5 pound change with an olympic barbell.

....
The non-rotating sleeves are a concern, but as I mentioned my biggest concern is the low max weight. 195lbs is not enough. I'm not sure whether the non-round shape would be a long term concern or not.

Both the non-rotating sleeves and the non-round shape are a concern to me. As I said in my prior post, the weight is distributed abnormally. Since all the weight is distributed perpendicular to the bar on a single axis, the torque will be even worse than a standard bar with symmetrical round plates (and much worse than an olympic bar which has rotating sleeves and uses symmetrical round plates).

....
That's what I mean about a kneejerk reaction. There's no strength gain to doing the math, and it's annoying. I *could* jog to work each morning, but instead I choose to take a much more convenient car (and partially because it would probably take 4 hours of jogging each day). It would be more convenient not to have to do plate math, and that's all there is to it. No one said that doing the math is a monumental task, it's just annoying.

I'm not sure that's the best example of a "knee-jerk reaction". Maybe I'm particularly good at math and don't know it, but I find it very simple to do addition and subtraction in my head. If I add two 2.5 pound weights to 225 pounds, the total weight will be 230. I can do the calculation without much thought. It's a skill that is useful in daily life outside the weight room and I do hope (for their benefit) that most folks will also find it just as simple.

....
Wow, everyone who buys a powerrack already has an olympic bar? Well why are we even debating then! There you go - no one will even consider this, no reason to even have a discussion.

Your sarcasm seems very misplaced, especially considering the politeness of my replies.

Are we talking about the same thing? Are we talking about an actual power rack… not a squat stand…. and not a Weider bench press… or the rickety bench press that came with a cement weight set. I don't know anyone who has an actual power rack and doesn't have olympic weights. Someone might have a standard bar instead…. though not all standard bars will be rack able. My points were that if you have a power rack, you probably already have weights. And that if one of the benefits of the PowerBlock barbell is that it is "much more compact", that benefit is mostly negated by a power rack. I don't think that much space will be saved by buying the Powerblock barbell and a power rack instead of an Olympic barbell and power rack. The rack will be taking up most of the space.

....A long bar makes no difference in doing a squat whatsoever. I've never seen someone for whom their elbow to elbow distance was anywhere near 5 feet, and squatting usually puts the hand in closer than that.

The actual bar portion of the Powerblock curl bar is 31.5", that's less than 3 feet. The actual bar portion of the Powerblock straight barbell is 40", that's 3 feet and 4 inches.

I don't find short bars comfortable for squats. Maybe I have a bigger frame. I have used short workout bars for squats in my friend's group power class and I found them very uncomfortable.

....The powerblock bar comes in both ez curl and straight bars, so I don't see the point there.

My point is that you could do those exercises with just the dumbbells. You don't need the bar for those exercises.

That's pretty amazing considering the actual price on amazon right now is $429 for that set. I don't think I've ever seen a 300lb weight set with olympic bar on craigslist for less then $160, unless it had something horribly wrong with it. And as they're not bumper plates, you don't want to drop those either.

For a year it was at $159.99 but they've raised the price $10 since I last looked. Be prepared to be amazed: http://www.dunhamssports.com/product...ic-weight-set/

I don't think you chose a good example of realistic prices. You could get a Cap weight set for FAR less than $429 at just about ANY local sporting goods store.

As I've said previously, I'm a big fan of PowerBlock dumbbells. I do think the PowerBlock barbell is very limited in its use. If it appeals to you, buy it. If I had unlimited funds, I'd buy the U-33, the U-50 and U-90 and XL club sets. But I probably wouldn't buy the barbells even if I had deep pockets. I suppose that if I were rich, I could buy them and not use them. But unfortunately I don't have unlimited funds and there are lots of options that are far less expensive and far more useful to me.

[RemainDieHard]

I love my powerblocks but I always thought the PB bar was goofy as hell. The problem with just a barbell set is without a bench you can't really do much for chest. Personally, after owning commercial quality plates and bar, I will never again go back to a cheap home quality wet noodle barbell and sloppy floppy plates. If I was in your boat I would go with Powerblock or IM DB set, a power tower, and a belt to use the DB's for weighted pullups and dips. The only disadvantage there would be your squats and deadlifts would be limited to 180#s.

[Detrus]

Or the guy who disses it, then mentions that he can't even find a picture of it (you know, like looking on the front page or powerblock.com would be so hard).

I'm more than happy to write about the actual specific drawbacks, but the idea that it's absurd to have weights that are compact and function as both dumbells and a barbell is...absurd.

Sorry didn't think of going to their homepage. Googled powerblock barbell and saw nothing.

I think compact weights that function with bar and dumbbells is a great idea. A lot of the stuff on the market just leaves a lot to be desired.

You go for standard sets, you switch out the bar for Ivanko to get good weight capacity, get some 50 lb plates. For a power rack they have a 7' 28mm $300 bar. You have the option of 14" or 16" dumbbell handles, commonly available. Might find sherm's custom length handles too. Ivanko's prices for standards are actually competitive considering their level of quality.

With olympics the choices look worse for a home user. You have a 7' bar by default, must find a 5/6' bar with good weight capacity. Then get extra 10 lb plates for dumbbells. Then the dumbbells are 20" long and you'll have a very hard time finding anything shorter for cheap.

But with olympics you get spinning sleeves which are a joy on many important lifts. You get variety of choices with plates and bars, you can get bumpers.

I think a weight set that addressed the shortcomings of current oly starter sets would save fancy dumbbell buyers a lot of trouble. Flat, compact 10 lb plates that fit well on a short sleeve. Plate set of 2x45 4x25, 8x10 or 4x10, 4x5, 4x2.5. With 4x25 and 4x10 you have a good set for dumbbells. Have an option of 200 lb set without 45 lb plates for total beginners. Add a short bar and short dumbbell handles and people will choose oly over standard sets, with a clear upgrade path to commercial level equipment.

I think powerblocks, bowflex select tech and other quick weight change systems make very bad tradeoffs for your fitness needs in the long run. They seem new and shiny and have great marketing but once you buy into their over engineered quicker exercise psychological gimmicks it's hard to leave. And hard to advance common fitness goals with 300 lb limits.

[PaulRivers]

Yeah, I hear some of what you're saying - if someone made a weight set specifically designed for a shorter bar and with compactness in mind, that might be the best solution. Especially with the dumbell handles. I think a lot of people would be happy "only" being able to squat twice their bodyweight with these systems - but for a 200lb guy that's still 400lbs.

It's definitely the case that no one makes a perfect system right now.