Is it just me that absolutely loves the fact the two objects can stick to each other by the effect of magnetism? It’s truly an interesting phenomenon that seems out of this world. And magnets have tons of different uses, they make tight seals on the door of refrigerators and freezers to protect your food, they power speakers, and they’re used to store data on computers and phones and you wouldn’t have been reading this blog post if it weren’t for them. One question that I get asked a lot is whether or not dumbbells are magnetic.
Iron dumbbells can attract magnets, but the ones that are made from other materials such as rubber or neoprene aren’t magnetic.
In this article, we’ll talk more in-depth about if dumbbells are magnetic, and what types can attract magnets.
Table of Contents
What Do We Mean by Magnetic Dumbbells?
Before getting into the main point of this article, we first need to understand what we mean exactly by dumbbells that are magnetics because there could a lot of confusion around this subject.
When I say a dumbbell is magnetic, it pretty much means that a magnet can stick to it. This is what we call “magnetically receptive”. It doesn’t mean the dumbbell itself acts as a source of magnetism. If you put a metal object near it, it won’t stick to it, but if you put a magnet, it will.
Understanding this simple concept will make the answer clear.
What Types of Dumbbells are Magnetic?
In the world of bodybuilding and weight-lifting in general, we can distinguish between three main types of dumbbells based on the material that they’re made of: Iron, rubber, neoprene, and plastic dumbbells. Each one of these materials has its own magnetic properties.
Are Iron Dumbbells Magentic?
As we all know, any object that’s made out of metal is magnetic, meaning that it can attract magnets, and that’s no exception for iron dumbbells. If you take any magnet and put it near them, it’ll stick with ease.
Nowadays, iron or metal dumbbells are a thing of the past and they haven’t been as popular as they used to be. In fact, the only place where you’re gonna find them are old school gyms which are becoming rare, or if you buy them second-hand. Most new dumbbells are made out of rubber, neoprene, or some other kind of material.
Are Rubber Dumbbells Magnetic?
To answer this question, we need to know whether or not rubber is magnetic. The short answer is no, rubber does not attract or get attracted by magnets which makes it a non-magnetic material. If you take a magnet and place it near an object that’s made out of rubber, nothing will happen.
This means that rubber dumbbells aren’t magnetic. However, there are some types of dumbbells that are made out of iron but coated with a rubber layer to make them easier to handle and to avoid any damage that can be caused by them. In this case, the dumbbell will be magnetic, meaning that the magnet will stick to them but not as strong as if it was directly sticking to iron ones.
Are Neoprene Dumbbells Magnetic?
If we compare the properties of both rubber and neoprene, they’re pretty much the same. The only difference between them is that rubber is more flexible, resistant, and strong, and neoprene can resist flames, oil, oxygen, and so on. In fact, neoprene comes from a group of synthetic rubber.
All of this means that neoprene dumbbells will share the same magnetic characteristics as rubber ones, meaning that they also won’t attract or be attracted by magnets. And just like I mentioned earlier, there are also some types of iron dumbbells that are coated with a neoprene layer to make them less dangerous and more resistant, in this case, they’ll be magnetic but to a small degree.
Are Plastic Dumbbells Magnetic?
Plastic is one of the most commonly used materials on this plastic, and dumbbells are no exception. Plastic dumbbells are a great alternative for your home gym and can provide a solid workout. In terms of magnetism, plastic dumbbells are like all other types of plastic objects, they don’t attract or get attracted by magnets. If you place a magnet near them, it won’t stick at all.
Here is an illustration that sums up everything:
Conclusion:
As you may have noticed, out of all types of material that are used to make dumbbells, iron and its alternative are the only ones that are magnetic. This also includes the dumbbells that are made out of iron but are coated using rubber or some other material.
As a side note and speaking of magnets, new technologies have surfaced in this area in particular and we’re seeing the development of “O2 Magnetic Dumbbells” which are dumbbells embedded with electromagnets that can provide resistance just like any typical dumbbells but it’s way more efficient since it can instantly be adjusted to make it range between 3kg and 24kg.
