#6 History of the Dumbbell

Rob dives deep into the very beginning of dumbbells, their evolution, and then compares them to what we have today.

• (0:14) Shapes of dumbbells
• (0:40) Who invented the dumbbell?
• (1:28) Types of weights during ancient times
• (2:44) The 1700s "dumbbell"
• (4:45) Modern dumbbells
• (5:35) Circus dumbbell lifters
• (7:30) Why did globe dumbbells go away?
• (9:24) Modern dumbbell variations
• (15:38) A few oddities

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Sources

Special thanks to Dr. Jan Todd and The Stark Center!

“2 for 1 York Dumbbells are also Swingbells!” Muscular Development, Volume 5, Number 1, Strength & Health Publishing Company, January 1968

“Dumbbell.” Wikipedia, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbbell

“Havak Quick Triad.” Havak, Havak, https://havak.net/

Jowett, George F. “Dumb-Bell.” Patent US1672944A, Google Patent, 12 June 1928, https://patents.google.com/patent/US1672944A/en

“Mutt Dumbbells.” Rogue, Rogue Fitness, https://www.roguefitness.com/mutt-dumbbells

“Our Story.” PowerBlock, PowerBlock, 2022, https://powerblock.com/about-powerblock/

“Rogue Thompson Fatbells.” Rogue, Rogue Fitness, https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-thompson-fatbells

“The Sandow Ringing Dumbbell.” Barbells and Bios, The H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports, 19 August 2020,

https://starkcenter.org/2020/08/the-sandow-ringing-dumb-bell/

“Solid Iron Dumbbells.” Muscular Development, Volume 5, Number 1, Strength & Health Publishing Company, January 1968

Todd, Jan. “From Milo to Milo: A History of Barbells, Dumbbells, and Indian Clubs.” Iron Game History, Volume 3, Issue 6, The H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports, April 1995, https://starkcenter.org/igh_article/igh0306c/

Todd, Jan. “The Strength Builders: A History of Barbells, Dumbbells, and Indian Clubs.” The International Journal of the History of Sport, March 2003, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249030520_The_Strength_Builders_A_History_of_Barbells_Dumbbells_and_Indian_Clubs

Wood, Robert. "Olympics Weightlifting All Around Dumbbell Contest." Topend Sports Website, July 2010, https://www.topendsports.com/events/discontinued/weights-allround-dumbbell.html

“York Aristocrat Dumbbell Set.” Muscular Development, Volume 5, Number 1, Strength & Health Publishing Company, January 1968