Not 25lbs each.

When ordering this item I thought I was going to recieve two 25lbs dumbells. What I recieved was two 12.5LB dumbells - so this was a disappointment.

However I do really like them and they are very easy to use. More detail ...

Still on the fence about this powerbell...

I purchased this through [...] for about [...] less AND no shipping. With site-to-store there is no shipping you just have to go and pick it up.



That being said I am still on the fence about the shape of this kettlebell (which is why I gave it only 3-stars it could go either way). While the adjustable weight plates seem like a great feature the shape of the bell is questionable. It is not rounded like a russian kettlebell and after the second workout my forearms were swollen and slightly bruised. I have read on other sites that there are forearm guards that can help ease the soreness but first I am going to try just cutting the tops of my husband's crew socks and using those as wristbands. I will update in a week or two.



As for kettlebells in general they are amazingly effective and a great way to start your day and get you going. It is just simple old school training of large muscle groups and tons of sweat.



****UPDATE 8/25/09****

As promised I am updating my review...

I ended up returning the powerbell because of the shape. Even with wristbands I found it to be uncomfortable. As soon as I went to old-school kettlebells the bruises on my wrist/forearms went away.

So the theory behind the adjustable weights was clever it just didn't deliver for me.More detail ...

You get what you pay for

The good: Machine can do a lot of different exercises. It's priced pretty well.



No big deal: Assembly took me almost 4 hours by myself but all the parts were there and bolts were well organized. After exercising a few times changing the cable hookups become very cumbersome. It makes super-sets impractical unless the exercises use the same cable hookups.



The Bad: After 2 weeks of use I snapped the 40lb resistance bar like a twig.



The Ugly: I would like to get this resistance bar replaced. When I try calling the only 2 phone numbers that I have for Weider (customer service number & sales number) I get a "number not available" message.More detail ...

Good value for a good power tower

The Weider 200 is available through Amazon but for $149.00 delivered Bayou Fitness offers a better deal. The 200 is rugged solid and is rated for persons weighing up to 300 lbs compared to 200-250 lbs. for similarly priced units.



I already own a Weider Max (i.e. Crossbow) which I'm happy with but I wanted something that would allow me to do pull-ups and the captain's chair exercise. I hate doing crunches and a study by the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University ranked the captain's chair as the most effective exercise for working the obliques and second most effective for working the rectus abdominus. The 200 works well for these and related exercises. I don't use it for pushups but the awkwardly placed lower crossbar could be a problem.



Time from order to deliver by Fed. Ex. Ground was about 10 days. The instructions are straightforward and assembly took about an hour. As with the Max the instructions state a rubber mallet and two people are required for assembly. The mallet is unnecessary and never again mentioned in the instructions and I had no difficulty assembling it by myself. You will require two wrenches and a screwdriver however.



Another reviewer commented that it doesn't take up a lot of space. I suppose the concept of "a lot of space" is relative but the 200 isn't something that like the Max can be folded up and stored against the wall or in a corner. It's pretty big and moving it to a different room will require partial disassembly so plan on assembling it where you intend to use it.More detail ...