QuickDraw Add-On Weights Can Make Your Dumbbells Heavier, However They Scare Me

Buying a full set of particular person dumbbell pairs between 5 and 60 kilos can value effectively over $1,500, to not point out how a lot area you’d need to dedicate to storing them. That is why I am an enormous fan of adjustable dumbbells just like the REP QuickDraws or Nüobells, which I reviewed right here and right here, respectively.

If you understand you need to have the ability to as much as 60 kilos at five-pound increments, successfully combining 30 weights into one compact set, then adjustables just like the REP QuickDraws are how one can save vital cash and area in your house fitness center tools setup.

However for example your energy progresses past your adjustable dumbbells’ capability. To start with: Good work. Secondly: What do you do now?

I’ve seen customers on Reddit instantly asking “what’s stopping me from including extra plates to maintain going heavier?” Including further weight plates looks like a logical answer, versus spending all that cash on a completely new set for only a few kilos past the beneficial capability.

So, let’s check out what is stopping you—and what’s not. Here is what you need to find out about utilizing add-on weights to your adjustable dumbbells, from what’s formally thought-about unsafe to why it will get impractical even except for that.

add weight to your adjustable dumbbells

First off, not all adjustable dumbbells permit for this kind of modification. Selector pin methods (like PowerBlocks) usually do not permit for unofficial weight additions on account of their enclosed design. Dial methods (like my favourite, the Nüobells) have safety features particularly stopping modifications exterior the cradle. Then you’ve spin-lock dumbbells, just like the QuickDraws, which permit for personalization and extra weight exterior the cradle. For that reason, I will be chatting with the REP QuickDraws particularly, versus Nüobells or Powerblocks.

Nonetheless, including weight past the producer’s specs will nearly actually void your guarantee. REP Health designed these dumbbells for particular weight ranges and can’t assure security past these limits. I spoke with a REP consultant (REP-resentative?) who knowledgeable me, “inside testing was not performed past the 60 pound most, so REP can not assure the security of extra weight past that.”

Outdoors of your guarantee, there are security considerations. The handles, locking mechanisms, and supplies are engineered for particular most masses. Exceeding these limits dangers tools failure and potential damage. Even when the dumbbells can technically deal with the extra plates, the end result may be cumbersome and awkward, affecting your kind and growing damage threat.

All that being mentioned, it nonetheless is totally possible to bend the foundations and take your 60-pound dumbbells as much as 70 kilos. Assuming you play it protected and solely add a number of plates to every aspect, here is what you need to know:

1. Solely add suitable plates: The QuickDraw system makes use of customary plate dimensions that may be supplemented with extra suitable plates.

2. Guide addition required: You may want so as to add these plates manually exterior the cradle system, as the choice mechanism solely works throughout the marketed weight vary. This beautiful a lot negates the entire “fast draw” enchantment.

3. Safe them correctly: Guarantee the extra plates are secured with the locking mechanism to forestall harmful slippage throughout workouts.

4. Guide monitoring required: The dial indicator turns into inaccurate when you exceed the designed vary. You may have to manually calculate and monitor the added weight.

Can you (and must you) add extra weight to REP QuickDraw Dumbbells?

The quick reply: Sure, technically you may add extra weight plates to REP QuickDraw dumbbells past their marketed most.

The lengthy reply: Simply because one thing is feasible does not imply you need to make a behavior of it. Positive, it is absolutely above-board to order add-on weights in five-pound increments (which, side-note, I like a lot greater than a 10-pound bounce). Nonetheless, going past 60 kilos is not sanctioned by REP.

For that reason, I naturally had my boyfriend take a look at my DIY super-QuickDraws creation. Within the picture under, you may see how I manually added weights exterior of the cradle. With the spin-locks, you may preserve including weights exterior the cradle with none resistance. Simply slide the weights on and flip the lock change.

I snapped an image of it in its lopsided kind, so you may see simply how far exterior the cradle the five-pound add-ons will go—and the way precarious it begins to look proper off the bat.

Behold, my DIY super-QuickDraws creation.
Credit score: Meredith Dietz

As we steadily elevated the load from 65, to 70, to 85 kilos, he famous rising considerations with how a lot the dumbbells may deal with whereas nonetheless feeling protected. The all-steel design provides these guys a premium really feel throughout customary use. However while you transcend the sanctioned weight capability, there is a sense that the dumbbells would not bend or snag, however merely snap.

And once more, you will have to manually preserve monitor of how a lot weight you are including, because the particular person plates should not labeled, and also you’re exceeding the labels of the cradle. That psychological math may not be a deterrent for you, nevertheless it’s one thing to notice.

The underside line

Typically, the trouble and security considerations outweigh the advantages. The first benefit of the QuickDraws—fast, handy weight adjustments—is completely undermined when manually including plates.

Investing in a higher-capacity adjustable dumbbell set (like 80- to 90-pound fashions) or supplementing with particular heavier fastened dumbbells for sure workouts may be safer and extra sensible. For severe lifters approaching the higher limits of their adjustable dumbbells, I would advocate supplementing with particular person heavier dumbbells.