After many years of running, I've been spending a lot of time doing strength training in 2025, which not only made me stronger but also more satisfied with how my body looks. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against cardio, but resistance training certainly gives you a different type of satisfaction.
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The Bowflex SelectTech 552i remain one of the most versatile adjustable dumbbells money can buy, and using them for months has only reinforced that.
The weight range is spot-on for home training, starting light enough for warm-ups and accessory work and climbing high enough to challenge you on presses, rows and even leg moves like goblet squats. The incremental jumps at the lower end make progression feel smooth, and the twist-dial mechanism still feels satisfyingly slick every time you change the load.
What makes them genuinely useful day to day is how quickly you can move through a session. You don’t need multiple dumbbells scattered around the room or long pauses to reset weights; you just twist, lift and keep going. That rhythm makes strength training far more enjoyable, especially if you’re doing supersets or circuits.
Despite being adjustable, they feel reassuringly secure in hand, with a comfortable grip and no rattling plates. The only minor trade-off is their length, which stays the same no matter the weight you select, but you adapt quickly, and it rarely impacts most exercises.
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