While adjustable dumbbells aren’t nearly as new and exciting as they once were, there’s a relative newcomer to the market that’s experienced a recent surge in popularity: the adjustable kettlebell. Like all of Bowflex’s SelectTech products, the SelectTech 840 Kettlebell provides maximum functionality in the smallest possible space to allow fitness enthusiasts of all levels to enjoy at-home workouts regardless of their living situation. Plus, with a price tag of $150, the SelectTech 840 Kettlebell offers an excellent value, especially in comparison to its high priced adjustable siblings, the 552 Dumbbells and the 2080 Curl Bar. However, sifting through mountains of unqualified fitness advice and technological jargon to decide whether or not investing in an adjustable kettlebell is a good decision can be a difficult task.
The Bowflex SelectTech 840 Kettlebell has a weight range of 8-40 lbs. Adjusting the weight is as simple as turning the dial, and users have six different weights to choose from: 8, 12, 20, 25, 35 and 40 lbs. Because of how quickly they can be adjusted, the SelectTech dumbbells combine the versatility of six kettlebells into a compact, user-friendly system. While the weight range on the SelectTech 840 is plenty for the average user, it is important to remember that the kettlebell is often a two-handed piece of equipment, and people may want to lift heavier because of that. Nonetheless, like all kettlebells, the SelectTech 840 can be used to train nearly all of your muscle groups, large and small.
In addition to my hands-on experience with the SelectTech 840 at my gym, I interviewed my sister, who’s a bonafide gym rat and certified personal trainer with a MS-Nutrition/MPH dual degree from the Tufts University School of Medicine. She’s owned the SelectTech 840 for two years, and regularly uses it in her own workouts as well as the ones she designs for her clients. I also took product reviews on Bowflex and Amazon into account to ensure I didn’t overlook any pros or cons.
The adjustment mechanism is incredibly easy to use, and allows the user to get as little rest as possible if they’re completing supersets or workout circuits. Also, having moved from Boston to New York, two cities that aren’t known for being spacious, I appreciate how compact and easy to transport the SelectTech 840 is.
My sister, the personal trainer, noted that the SelectTech 840 Kettlebell stands out from the adjustable weight crowd because it allows users to perform a variety of isometric and isotonic exercises. In layman's terms this essentially means that you can use it for dynamic, full-body movement exercises, such as squats, as well as isolation exercises, such as bicep curls. The versatility of the SelectTech alone makes it an ideal piece of at-home workout equipment, for personal training professionals and newbies alike.
A: Kettlebells are one of the most versatile pieces of free weight equipment, and they’re suitable for all fitness levels. My sister said that she incorporates kettlebells into her clients routines as much as possible because they’re easy to control during dynamic exercises and they encourage smooth, natural body movements during advanced exercises, such as Turkish get ups, due to their design.
A: Kettlebells are great because you can work out all your major muscle groups, and you can tailor your exercises to specific goals, such as increased size or strength. I incorporate kettlebells into my circuits because it gives my clients the chance to elevate their heart rates while weight training, instead of using traditional exercise machines, such as treadmills. One of my favorite circuits is 3-4 rounds of the following six exercises with 30-45 seconds of rest between each set of 20 reps: