Thinking about getting a home multigym? Need advice.

Larry Phillips6 said:How on earth are you going to hit a 265+ lb squat or a heavy deadlift using just dumbbells? How are you supposed to handle Olympic lifts?
Sure, there are alternatives, but they just don't cut it.

Plus, with a barbell, you can load it up however you want—anywhere from 45 lbs to over 1,100 lbs.
Dumbbells just leave you stuck in a corner when it comes to scaling.

And thirdly, what does "a pair of heavy enough" dumbbells even mean? How do you expect one single set of weights to cover every exercise you'll need now and in the future once you've actually gotten stronger?

Alright, so I get it—the big advantage of a long barbell is when you need to move massive weight. That makes sense, but honestly, I’m not lifting those kinds of loads. And I doubt I ever will be, since I'm not some young kid with my whole life ahead of me trying to build raw power from scratch. 😁

Still, the biggest mystery to me is the bench press. Why would anyone who's moderately strong bother pressing 130 lbs on a barbell instead of just grabbing two 65 lb dumbbells?

Daniel Chavez14 said:(Or if anyone knows a decent glute exercise that doesn't require a machine, please let me know.)

Lie there with your butt just under the edge of a bench, hook your feet onto something solid, and lift your whole torso up...

Bryan Johnson said:Tuck your butt under your knees, hook your feet onto something solid, and lift your entire torso...

That makes sense, though I’m not entirely sure what I’d actually hook my feet onto. If I were at the gym, I’d have plenty of equipment to work with, and honestly, they have specialized machines for that anyway. I’m looking for something I could actually use at home.

Daniel Chavez14 said:I'm not exactly some young kid with the whole world ahead of him, just starting to find his footing.

Striving to get stronger is always a smart move, no matter how old you are. 🙂

Daniel Chavez14 said:I don't lift anything that heavy... I'm not exactly a spring chicken anymore.

There are people in their 50s who handle those weights without breaking a sweat. It’s honestly not as intimidating as it looks at first glance.

Daniel Chavez14 said:To me, the biggest mystery is the bench press. Why would someone who’s moderately strong choose to lug around a long barbell with 135 lbs on it instead of just grabbing two 65 lb dumbbells?

You’re pretty much spot on. For the average weekend warrior, those differences aren't even worth stressing over. If you're training hard enough, whether you're using Bubbles or a barbell, you're going to see results.

Look, if we're talking pure strength training where the goal is maxing out power, the barbell wins every time. You get way more stability with a bar than you do with dumbbells, so you aren't wasting energy just trying to keep the weight from wobbling around.

Plus, a barbell is just way more practical. It doesn't matter how much you can lift—trying to get dumbbells into position for a bench press (or trying to set them back down once you're done) is always such a clumsy struggle. With a barbell, you’ve got the rack right there, making it easy to unrack the weight and put it back when you're finished.

From a practical standpoint, using a barbell makes it way easier to dial in the exact weight you need right then and there. You can load up whatever plate you want. If I’m hitting a set with 220 lbs today, I can easily bump it up to 225 lbs next session, and then move to 230 lbs after that.
If you’re training with dumbbells, you’re basically at the mercy of whatever gym you walk into. A lot of places don't carry adjustable dumbbells, so you're stuck jumping by 5-pound increments per hand—that's a 10-pound total jump. Once you start hitting the heavier weights, those jumps can turn into 10 pounds per dumbbell, which is a massive leap if you're actually trying to maintain linear progression.
So, if I pick up the 35 lb dumbbells today, there isn't a 36 lb pair waiting for me next time. The only way up is straight to 40. Dumbbells just aren't built for smooth linear progression.

Once you hit a certain level of strength, Bubbles actually start getting incredibly clunky.
Here’s an extreme example that just popped into my head:

He’s strong enough to crush an envious weight, but he still needs a hand just getting those Bubbles into position for the press.

It’s a bit disheartening when someone tells us they'll be injured by age 35...

Daniel Chavez14 said:So, I see—the main edge of using a barbell is handling heavier loads. That makes sense, though I don't personally train with massive weights. Honestly, I doubt I ever will—I’m not exactly some twenty-year-old athlete looking to maximize his peak strength potential. 😁

In that light, the bench press remains a bit of a mystery to me. Why would someone who isn't chasing elite powerlifting numbers choose to bench 135 lbs on a barbell instead of just grabbing two 65 lb Bubbles?

Because you get much more stability following a single path with a barbell compared to managing weight in each hand separately.

Larry Phillips6 said:Striving to get stronger is always a smart move, no matter how old you are. 🙂

Sure, but if you try to push past what your body is actually ready for, you’re basically asking for an injury. Every time I try to jump up the weight on my lifts, I end up dealing with minor ligament or muscle strains. Luckily, I’m smart enough to know when to call it quits before things get serious.

Larry Phillips6 said:You’ve got people in their fifties who handle those weights like it's nothing. Honestly, it’s not nearly as daunting as it looks at first glance.

They exist, sure, but those athletes probably started grinding through intense training regimens at a very young age. Plus, let's be real—some people are just born with a natural knack for certain sports.

Larry Phillips6 said:You’re spot on. For the average weekend warrior, the differences aren't really worth overthinking. If you're pushing yourself hard enough, whether you're working with Bubbles or a barbell, you're going to see results.

As someone who just plays for fun, I find that Bubbles work much better for me. They give me better control over my wrist positioning, which helps minimize the strain on my ligaments. I’ve always had sensitive joints, and I’ve dealt with my fair share of ligament injuries in other sports I've played recreationally.

Larry Phillips6 said:Look, if we’re talking strictly about strength training where the goal is maximum force production, the barbell wins every single time. You get much more stability with a bar compared to dumbbells, which means you aren't wasting precious energy just trying to balance the weight.

Plus, a barbell is just way more practical. It doesn’t matter how much strength you have; trying to maneuver dumbbells into position for a bench press—and then getting them back down safely once you're finished—is always such a clumsy, awkward mess. With a barbell, you’ve got the rack, which makes it incredibly easy to unrack the weight and slide it right back into place when you're done.

When it comes to pure practicality, nothing beats a barbell for precise loading. You can stack whatever weight you want on there. If I’m hitting a set with 100 pounds today, I can easily bump it up to 102.5 next session, and then move to 105 the time after that. It just makes incremental progress so much easier.
If you rely on dumbbells for your training, you’re basically at the mercy of whatever gym you happen to be in. A lot of local gyms don't carry adjustable dumbbells, which means you're stuck jumping by 5-pound increments per hand—that's a 10-pound total leap. Once you start hitting the heavier weights, those jumps can get even more ridiculous, sometimes leaping by 10 pounds per dumbbell. If you're trying to follow a strict linear progression, that kind of jump is just brutal.
For instance, if I max out today with 75-pound dumbbells, there isn't a 77.5-pound option waiting for me next week. My only choice is to jump straight to 85. Dumbbells just aren't built for steady, incremental progress.

Plus, once you actually build up enough strength to handle the heavy stuff, those things become incredibly clunky and awkward to manage.
I just thought of an extreme example that illustrates this perfectly:

The guy is strong enough to press a massive amount of weight, but he still struggles just to get those bulky dumbbells into the starting position for the press.

What you're saying makes sense, and it definitely clears things up for me. Honestly, though, I'm not looking to move those kinds of weights. It's not a lack of willpower; it's just that for my specific goals, the risk outweighs the reward. That level of lifting isn't for everyone.

Bryan Johnson said:Now that he’s out here claiming he’s 35 and looking for trouble...

I'm 49, though people tell me I pass for 35. 😁
Standing 5'11", weighing 167 lbs, in case anyone was wondering.
Keep the shady offers to my DMs only. 🤣