I am so high on my fifty pound Pro PowerBlock dumbbells that I bought a set for my son. In reviews on the internet, the one negative comment says PowerBlocks are not shaped and balanced like "real" dumbbells. That critique assumes something we do not usually experience--that the first developers of something got it exactly right the first time. Think about it: Henry Fords Model T was marvelous, but no later developer assumed that later cars had to match its shape. My point. PowerBlocks are shaped in a way that engages more stabilizer muscles than the traditional dumbbells. That just might be better!