Chorome or Cast Iron Dumbells?

Hi,

Just joined the forums. After recently having been almost mugged (saved by the fact thatI had nothing worth taking on me lol) a few days ago, I've decided that I would like to use this as the catalyst for starting to workout. I've not got easy access to a gym, so I'm not sure gym membership would pay off, and I want to start of relatively simple and easy and not go for some fast transformation (ie I'm realistic).
 
Therefore I'm going to just get a few weights to get started and take it from there. I'm just initially going to get some dumbells, now here's my question: in the catalogue I was going to order them from, there was a choice between near identical dumbells, they had the same number and type of weights with them and the size bar and everything else, except one was Cast Iron and the other was Chrome, and there's £10/$20 difference between them with Chrome being the more expensive. 
 
For reference now and for future purposes is there any intrinsic advantage of Chrome, which in my ignorance I always thought was just a finish to a metal rather than something else. Or is it O.K. to go with the cheaper Cast Iron?

The chrome ones wont rust.The cast iron will.As long as you keep the iron ones in a dry place they should do fine.

All you should be concerned about is the weight- a ten pound weight stills weighs ten pounds whether it's chrome, cast iron, or cheddar cheese.
The chrome is just for looks, nothing else- And if you buy your weights for looks in my opinion, you might as well never lift them- As soon as you start throwing those things around, the chrome finish will get messed up anyway.
My advice- Go a step above getting just dumbbells, and get yourself a nice set of olympic weights with a barbell and a couple of dumbbell handles. With just that, you can get in a very effective workout for your back, shoulders, biceps, triceps and abs- For a good chest workout, you'll need a bench, and for a good leg workout, you'll need some sort of squat station- But those can come later. With the full barbell weight set, you won't be as limited as you would be with just a couple of dumbbells.

I also suggest you get some kind of bench.If you you need to know how to do some exercises with dumbbells post in exercises forum.

I went the cheddar cheese option.... then I started wanting to eat the weights... so then I went with Liver weights... Then things were smelly but worked a bit better.

Eat...Lift....Sleep......Repeat

Enjoy the process.. but crave the goal.

chrome

http://uk.youtube.com/user/franco18grant

deadlifts : 510 lbs
bench press :345 lbs
militery press : 235 lbs

bw: 204

Thanks. I think I'll take your advice and get a barbell as well as a couple of dumbells. It seems to me from what's been said, that chrome's sole advantage is it's shiney and pretty, but unless you're a magpie it shouldn't matter? Unless the last poster can suggest a practical advantage of chrome.

id agree, I dont think that is an advantage of having one over the other. they will both have exactly the same effect.
 
as already said, try and get yourself some adjustable dumbbells instead of cast ones, as this will give you greater workout options, and can keep adding weight as you grow stronger.
 
A bar would also be excellent, along with a bench. It doesnt have to be anything really expensive, but its these things that will get you the results you want!

Construct a home gym within 7 days that produces real results at www.basementbodybuilding.com

DMMW84, a weight is a weight. No need to see any further. i myself have cast irons, the paint on the dumbells are getting a bit scratched off, nevertheless, i don't care, it's all for lifting, not for looks.

the cast iron ones well be your best bet.  Ive had chrome dumbells before and after a while the chrome will start to peel off.  And thats always a pain in the ass becasue the chrome pieces get in your into your hands when lifting.  Keep the cast iron ones dry and they will last longer.