Better Weights for a Better Me with BetterMe

I’m becoming more and more convinced that, as I get older, I need some strength training to go along with my running.

I don’t necessarily want or need to be lifting huge weights. But as I grow in age, I know there are plenty of benefits to having some strength and muscle as part of the whole longevity equation. Running is still my primary thing, but I’m trying to be a little smarter about making sure the rest of my body is keeping up.

My husband already has some adjustable weights, along with a bench and barbell in the garage. The problem is that his setup is pretty much geared toward heavier work. I love him for that, but honestly, the whole thing can be a little overbearing and intimidating.

I know he doesn’t mind me using his weights. It’s not like adjusting them is some huge ordeal, either. But when I saw that BetterMe makes an adjustable weight set that was a little more approachable, I thought it would be nice to have something that was actually mine.

And, perhaps most importantly, something that hasn’t been sweat on by an extremely sweaty man. An extremely sweaty man that I love, to be clear.

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BetterMe is an interesting company. They have a variety of fitness options, including clothing, pilates boards, and workout equipment.

Some of their stuff – specifically their apparel – is probably a little more geared toward a different audience than me. The full-length catsuits look great on their models, but I’m not about to work out — or go running — in one of those anytime soon.

The weights, however, are right up my alley.

The set comes in a light grey colorway, and I actually like the way they look. There’s some geometric shaping that gives them a little personality without making them look like something that belongs in a toy aisle. And compared with the very serious-looking metal weights already living in my garage, these are definitely a little more approachable.

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The BetterMe Adjustable Home Weight Set is essentially designed to give you a bunch of different pieces of equipment without requiring a garage full of equipment. The weights adjust from 0 to 44 pounds, with incremental adjustments along the way. That upper limit is probably more than I need for most of the exercises I’m doing right now, but I like having some room to grow.

The plates use an iron sand and PVC construction rather than the heavier-duty metal construction of the weights my husband has. For what I’m doing, that’s perfectly fine.

I’m not dropping these from overhead or swinging them around at maximum velocity. If you’re planning on doing that kind of lifting, I’d probably be a little more cautious about how this construction would hold up over the long term. But for controlled strength workouts at home, I haven’t had an issue with them.

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The biggest advantage for me is simply the flexibility. I don’t need a massive collection of weights sitting around the garage. I want something that lets me start relatively light and gradually increase the resistance as I get stronger.

While the dumbbell setup is probably what I’ll use most, the fact that the weights can be combined to create a barbell is pretty cool. That gives me another option for things like squats without having to figure out how to rack a traditional barbell or load up a bunch of individual plates.

There’s also a kettlebell configuration, which opens up another whole category of exercises without needing another piece of equipment. That’s really the appeal of this set for me: it gives me options without taking over my (already super full) garage.

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I think there’s something to be said for having equipment that makes you actually want to use it.

My husband’s setup is great. It’s also a little intimidating when you’re standing there looking at a barbell and a pile of metal plates when all you really want to do is get some strength work in. This set feels more approachable. I can grab the weights, adjust them to what I need, do my workout and put everything away. I don’t have to feel like I’m walking into a home version of a powerlifting gym.

And having my own set means I can leave the weights at the lighter setting I’m currently using rather than constantly changing his setup. Again, he absolutely does not care if I change his weights -this more about making things easier for me.

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The Bottom Line

I’m not looking for a set of adjustable weights that will let me deadlift the weight of a small car. I’m a female runner who is trying to get better about strength training as I get older. I want something that lets me work different muscle groups, gradually increase the weight and build some strength without requiring an entire home gym.

I’ll still let my husband have his giant metal weights. I just want mine to be a little less intimidating — and a lot less sweaty.