yanrefitness-blog

[yanrefitness-blog]

How To Buy Dumbbell : The Definite Guide in 2020

You might think that the humble dumbbell is the most basic piece of strength training equipment in the gym – and that they’re all the same.

The truth is very different.

The basic shape of dumbbells is the same – a handle with weights on the end. But beyond that, there are many differences in terms of construction material and ergonomic design.

Over our many years of fitness industry experience in China, Yanre Fitness has developed a great deal of insight into the key knowledge that gym equipment buyers need to know. In this fitness equipment purchase guide series, we will provide you with the tips and advice you need to buy with complete confidence.

Contents:

1. Dumbbell Industry Region in China

2. The Types of Dumbbells

3. Dumbbell Manufacturing Process

4. Industry Insider Information

5. Best Buying Tips

1. Dumbbell Industry Region in China2. The Types of Dumbbells

China has become a popular source for high quality competitively priced dumbbells. The following regions represent the location of the major dumbbell manufacturers in China:

Nantong city in Jiangsu province

Hebei Province (cast iron) 

Qingdao City in Shandong Province

The quality of the finished product in Nantong City varies between companies, while that in Hebei is generally low, though the prices are very competitive.

2. The Types of Dumbbells

Painted Dumbbell​

Chrome Dumbbell​

Rubber Dumbbell​

Vinyl Dumbbell

PU Dumbbell

Type #1: Painted Dumbbell

Painted dumbbells are usually made of cast iron. The paint provides an anti-rust covering. The paint on these dumbbells can easily peel off, especially with the wear and tear that dumbbells encounter.

Cast iron painted dumbbells are popular in industrial-style gyms. However, most commercial gyms will not consider painted dumbbells because of its easy-to-peel paint, noise and the damage caused to the floor.

Type #2: Chrome Dumbbell

The chrome dumbbell has a gleaming appearance and looks very high-end. This kind of dumbbell usually weighs between 1-10kg, making it more suitable for beginners and women. It is typically electroplated by light chrome, making it more durable than a painted surface. However, after long-term use, there will inevitably be some scratches to the surface. It is recommended that chrome dumbbells be used with gym floor mats.

The head and handle of chrome dumbbells are made of steel, and connected by inserting a screw-pattern handle into the dumbbell head. However, the handle and the dumbbell head may be separated after long-term or improper use.

Type #3: Rubber Dumbbell

Rubber dumbbells are one of the most popular types of the dumbbell. Unlike painted dumbbells, which can do damage to floors and make a lot of noise, rubber dumbbells provide extra protection and a comfort grip feeling. Rubber is durable and abrasion-resistant, but it will age over time, especially when exposed to sunlight, which can speed up the aging process.

The rubber that is applied comes in three varieties:

recycled rubber

styrene-butadiene rubber (synthetic)

natural rubber

Structure of Rubber DumbbellShape of Rubber Dumbbell

The quality of the rubber depends on the mixing ratio. Calcium powder (calcium carbonate) and recycled rubber take up a large proportion of the mixture. The ratio of these materials will affect the elasticity and fluidity of the rubber. As a result, the rubber ratio is a secret that is kept by each manufacturer. Only the most highly skilled workers are involved in this process.

You may hear that a certain manufacturer claims to use 100 percent original rubber. That is certainly not the case. Every factory will add a certain amount of styrene-butadiene rubber and recycled rubber.

There are distinctions between different recycled rubbers. The most common types of recycled rubber are tire rubber and sole rubber. Tire rubber is far superior to sole rubber.

It is important to realize that all rubber will inevitably produce an odor. The greater the smell, the lower the quality of rubber that has been used.

Rubber dumbbells are non-integrally formed. The head is cast iron while the handle is usually steel. The two materials are quite different, which makes it difficult to weld them together. The strength of the weld will obviously affect the durability of the dumbbell.

Generally speaking, when the dumbbell weight is more than 10kg, the handle will be welded with some raised points, and then pressed into the dumbbell head with a hydraulic press.

In terms of shape, rubber dumbbell is quite versatile. It includes round, hexagonal, and 12-sided. The classic shape is the round dumbbell. However, round dumbbells easily roll around on the ground and cannot adapt to diverse training requirements, such as push-ups with dumbbells. As a result, it is not as popular as the hex dumbbell. When doing push-ups with dumbbells, the user should select a heavy dumbbell to prevent loss of balance.

For more info, pls visit:

https://www.yanrefitness.com/best-gym-dumbbell-buying-guide/

https://www.yanrefitness.com/.

[yanrefitness-blog]

How To Buy Wall Ball : The Definite Guide in 2020

In this second in our buying guide series on commercial gym equipment, we will focus on the wall ball.

The wall ball is a relatively new piece of gym equipment that has become an essential item for any well-equipped fitness facility.

With more than 10 year’s fitness procurement experience in China, I’ve got the experience and the insider knowledge to guide gym owners and commercial equipment buyers with practical buying advice that you won’t find elsewhere. 

Contents:

Wall Ball Materials

Quality Judgment Methods

Manufacturing Process

Wall Balls VS General Fitness Balls

1. Wall Ball MaterialsShape-Retaining Filler:

A wall ball is a consumable product with limited durability. A quality wall ball will cost over 50 and even $100. For the greatest durability, you should choose a wall ball that is made from the right material.

Material #1: Fillings

The filler material inside a wall ball usually consists of two parts:

shape-retaining filler

weight filler

Shape-Retaining Filler:

Wall balls can be stuffed with several fillers including rags, polypropylene cotton and rubber. Rag has a poor elasticity, which makes the filling uneven and easily deformed. Cotton wool is slightly better than rags, but it also tends to deform after a period of use.

Polypropylene cotton is the most popular wall ball filler material on the market. The pure white polypropylene cotton provides better elasticity, plumpness and durability.

This type of material is known to transfer moisture instead of absorbing it, which makes it less susceptible to damp and augments its ability to withstand deformity. Interestingly, these qualities also make polypropylene a preferred material as the first layer of the filter element in water purifiers.

Yanre Fitness insists on applying polypropylene cotton to ensure the quality of their wall balls.

There are two kinds of polypropylene cotton; pure white polypropylene cotton and colored polypropylene cotton. Pure white polypropylene cotton is more durable, and more fluffy but it is also more expensive. Because of this, higher priced, better quality wall balls will be filled with pure white polypropylene cotton.

The elasticity grade of wall balls is another crucial factor. The higher the grade of polypropylene cotton, the better the elasticity. A good wall ball will use a range between 7D and 15D polypropylene cotton to ensure elasticity.

Weight Filler:

To increase the weight of a wall ball, it is usually necessary to add extra filler material. Options include rubber particles, iron sand, yellow sand, and mineral sand. Yellow sand is the cheapest material, with inexpensive wall balls having an increased proportion of sand to reduce costs. 

Yanre Fitness will never use any yellow sand to fill its wall balls.

Some countries will not allow the importation of wall balls filled with yellow sand. This is to prevent parasites from entering into their country. Check the regulations in your country before ordering!

Most wall balls over 9kg will be filled with iron sand, while wall balls below 9kg will be filled with rubber particles. In order to reduce the cost, in addition to iron sand and rubber particles, some manufacturers will mix some yellow sand and mineral sand with them.

The weight filler is usually packed inside a bag to prevent the material from scattering inside the ball. Cheaper wall balls will use a plastic bag. Better quality balls will use a stronger material such as an Oxford bag.

Material #2: Cover

It is important to keep in mind that wall balls are designed to be thrown against the wall repeatedly, which means they need to be sturdy. The most popular cover materials are synthetic leather (PU & PVC), vinyl, and kevlar.

Yanre Fitness send each batch of fabric to a third-party testing institution to ensure the strength of the raw material.

Synthetic Leather

Synthetic leather is very durable, can withstand repeated impact, and provides excellent grip. The synthetic leather used in wall balls is either PU or PVC:

PU looks closer to natural leather, providing you with a better touch and feel. However, it is not very wear-resistant, with an anti-beat ability of less than 500 times. As a result, you will probably experience some surface damage within a year of purchase. A PU surface will also get quite slippery as your hands get sweaty.

PVC synthetic leather is more wear-resistant, with a service life of 2-3 years. There are three grades of PVC used: 1000D, 600D, and 500D. 1000D has the best wear resistance and anti-slip performance.

Vinyl Coating

The vinyl coating of PVC must be strong enough to withstand repeated pounding against a wall. It also needs to be scratch and moisture resistant so that neither the ball nor the wall will be marked after use. In addition, the coating must be tough enough to ensure that the ball will not crack or break after repeated use.

Kevlar

Kevlar is a new kind of organic fiber composite developed by Dupont. It is an ideal choice for wall balls. That is due to its low density, high strength and good tenacity. It is five times stronger than steel yet only has one fifth the density of steel, which is widely used in tanks, armored vehicles, bulletproof vests and other military equipment. Top-of-the-line materials endow the wall ball with the best quality and the highest cost. You should be aware that Kevlar is a proprietary material; there are a lot of fakes out there, so beware of imitators.

2. Quality Judgment Methods

#1 Materials Applied

If possible, we recommend that you open the ball, from the inside out, to check the materials used and determine whether the filling is tight and plump.

#2 Sewing Technique

Because wall balls need to be hit against the wall repeatedly, it is vital that the stitches be delicate and compact, rather than easy to tear and damage.

Double or even triple reinforcement stitches are ideal. This makes the wall ball safer and more durable than single stitches. It will also be more suitable for high-speed and intensive training.

In addition to double or triple reinforcement stitches, some manufacturers use a special stitching method; after sewing once, they fold to sew a second time. This significantly enhances the firmness of the ball. Double-stitched wall balls will have protruding stitches on the surface.

#3 Warranty Period

Be sure to check both the warranty period and the falling test results for the wall ball you have in mind. The longer the warranty period and the higher the number of acceptable falls, the better the wear resistance and quality will be. When checking the fall test figure, make sure to inquire about the number of falls used in the test, and the test height. You should expect about 2000 repetitions from a fall height of 4 meters.

#4 Try it yourself

It is recommended that you should trial the wall ball in person, especially looking for the following:

Grip/Feel

Wall balls are meant to be thrown and caught repeatedly. Balls can also get quite heavy, so good grip is essential. Look for a relatively soft and flexible material, such as synthetic leather or vinyl, as these are easier to grip and throw.

Impact Absorption

Another critical thing to note is the ability of the wall ball to absorb impact. In the course of use, the ball may be missed, and if so, it may hit the face or body and cause injury. Having a ball with high impact absorption will lessen that injury risk.

Balance

You need a well-balanced wall ball, which means its internal fillings are evenly distributed so they will not move during or after use. An evenly balanced wall ball will bounce the same way each time, always flying straight without any turning.

You can test out how well balanced a ball is by rolling it about 3m on the ground and seeing if it moves in a straight line. You should also throw the wall ball against the wall to assess its bounciness and ability to get back to the throwing point. If it does not, the weight distribution is uneven, or the center of gravity is not ideal.

3. Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process refers to the steps through which raw materials are transformed into a final product. Familiarity with this process will put you in a stronger position as you negotiate with the rep when inspecting the factory. The more expertise you have, the greater your ability to buy the best products at the best price in this industry.

4. Wall Balls VS General Fitness Balls

Finally, let’s talk about the differences between a wall ball, medicine ball, and slam ball. While they all look pretty much the same, they vary significantly in size, material, grip, and fitness purposes.

Wall Ball

A wall ball is designed to be thrown against a wall and to absorb shock upon impact with hard surfaces. They are usually filled with something soft to absorb the impact. This is because the soft wall ball is designed to hit the wall and bounce back at you. Wall balls tends to be larger than hard medicine balls and slam balls.

Medicine Ball

Medicine balls were initially designed to improve strength and neuromuscular coordination in medical settings. These balls are generally quite hard and can withstand a lot of impact. They are heavy, durable, and not very bouncy.

Slam Ball

Compared to wall balls and medicine balls, the slam ball is harder, heavier, and more durable. They are usually small, with a diameter no more than 10 or 11 inches. Slam balls are generally filled with gel or sand. As with the medicine ball, the slam ball doesn’t bounce very much because it is designed to be dropped again and again. They are made with a fairly hard rubber or vinyl shell, which can withstand constant impact.

5. Conclusion

I hope this wall ball buying guide will prove helpful when picking out the ideal wall ball.

Now I’d like to hear from you. What’s the next piece of fitness equipment you’d like to know about? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

For more info, pls visit https://www.yanrefitness.com/.