Anyone use offset weight selections with Bowflex SelectTech weights?

Kellyro77

Cathlete
I've been working my way through the 90-Day Undulating Xtrain rotation (5 weeks in - woohoo). I know the goal is to ultimately keep increasing your weight as you feel ready, but sometimes the jump from one weight to the next is a little intimidating.

Fortunately, I have a pair of the 552 (5lbs - 52.5lbs) SelectTech weights, so overall, there's usually a less scary jump between weight increments, versus what you find in typical dumbbell sets. For example, with typical dumbbells, if you want to increase your weight past 15lbs you're stuck with 20lbs as your next option. Whereas with SelectTechs you get 17.5lbs as a next increment before 20lbs.

However, sometimes even a couple pounds might be a bit much. SelectTech weights offer the option of offset weight selections because you set the weight on each side of a dumbbell. So, while on one side you can make the selection for what would be a 5lb dumbbell, you can then make the selection for what would be a 7.5lb dumbbell on the other side of said dumbbell (hope that makes sense for those of you not familiar at all with SelectTechs). The example I used would then result in a dumbbell that's actually 6.25lbs.

The drawback to doing this is that one side of the dumbbell will be heavier than the other.

I'm curious if anyone here has used offset weight selections with SelectTechs with any success or is it just way too awkward? The SelectTech manual says this kind of training can be useful for stuff like improving forearm supination and pronation (wrist rotation) with bicep curls as an example, but it doesn't really say much for any other exercise, like rows, chest press, shoulder press, etc. Is the overall effect something you feel in your forearms and that's it? Do you feel it sacrifices your form using offset weight?

I know about weighted gloves, so that is a possible option. However, it would be nice to utilize what I have instead of investing in more equipment.

Appreciate any experience around this. Thanks!
 
I have similar adjustable dumbbells, not the BowFlex brand. Mine recommend that you don't offset the weights as it could cause the weight plates to drop off the dumbbell. Maybe it uses a different mechanism for holding the weights than the BowFlex system, I'm not sure. I would also be worried about my form, especially as the weight got heavier. I use 1 and 2lb wrist weights to increase the increment. I don't have to put them on my wrists. I hold them so that the flat side is against my palm and the bulky weighted side is on the back of my hand. That way I can also hold a dumbbell and it makes it easy to slip them on and off.
 
I use Pace Weights (1.25 # each), & often offset when I add one or three weight(s) to my dumbbell. I can notice the lopsided-ness, but I figure in life, things are not often perfectly balanced when you lift them, so I'm not concerned and it's only 1.25#. I do tend to switch the weight around for each set.

I hope you're enjoying the undulating Xtrain rotation. .. I really like it and get good results with it!
 

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