Type 2 Diabetes and Exercise – Are Adjustable Dumbbells Worth the Cost?

Strength training has become a powerful diabetes prevention strategy in recent years. As people age, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases in part due to loss of muscle mass. Muscle is the body’s main clearing house for blood sugar, accounting for approximately 75% of sugar clearance. Strength training is the most effective type of exercise for building muscle.

A body strengthening regimen can be achieved with two one-hour sessions each week. You could train in a gym or at home. If you’re someone who loves to work out at home, one thing you might be considering buying is adjustable dumbbells. Adjustable dumbbells are dumbbells that allow you to change the weight without having to change dumbbells. They can be great space savers and would seem to make a lot of sense for that home workout.

However, are they the best option? Here are some things you should know…

1. Adjustable dumbbells can malfunction. The first thing to keep in mind is that these dumbbells tend to malfunction more often, so they may need more upkeep and maintenance. With a regular dumbbell, it is quite difficult for them to break. After all, they are made of solid steel or, in some cases, lined with rubber. There are no parts to fail, so they’ll last as long as you need them.

The same cannot always be said for adjustable dumbbells.

2. They can be bulky to use. Another point to keep in mind is that adjustable dumbbells can also be a bit bulky to use. At first, they may feel fine, but as you progress with your workout, you may find that they are not as comfortable. Specific exercises will feel exceptionally uncomfortable given the size of these dumbbells.

You might even find yourself buying regular dumbbells for some moves, as they’re just too hard to do with the adjustable settings.

3. Adjustable dumbbells are not necessarily more profitable. Finally, keep in mind that these dumbbells are not necessarily more profitable. They usually cost around $500 more, and you can buy some regular weight dumbbell sets for a couple of hundred dollars.

If you don’t have a sizable force distribution or are much stronger on specific exercises than others, you may not need such a degree of variation. As such, an ordinary set of dumbbells is a better bet.

So don’t rush to buy a set of adjustable dumbbells. While they have their benefits, they’re often not the best option for everyone.