Why dumbbells are called that, dumb bells


As someone who enjoys exercising, especially with dumbbells, I got to thinking today that the name might be a bit confusing if you don't know the history of the word "dumb", and could knew that originally they were made out of solid metal that looked a little like a bell.


Nowadays, of course, you don't hear anyone referred to as "dumb" who is unable to speak, but back in 1911, when that picture of the group on top of the Phoenix YMCA building was exercising, it was common. In fact, someone who could neither hear nor speak was called "deaf and dumb". We don't say that kind of thing anymore! Personally, I will only use the word dumb when referring to myself, like when I walk into the garage, forget what I went in for, then walk back into the house, and remember. I say, "Gee, I'm dumb!" Of course I say it out loud, so I'm not really dumb, not in the original meaning, if you follow me there.

So dumbbells looked a lot like bells, except that didn't didn't ring. Since they didn't make any noise, they were called "dumb". And that's why they were called dumbbells.

One, and two, and one...

Image at the top of this post: On top of the original YMCA building in the Federal Park, 2nd Avenue and Monroe, Phoenix, Arizona.
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