Here's what Australia's premier Kettlebell Instructor, Phil Kourbatski, has to say about the old school dumbbells:

If increasing forearm strength and gripping power, muscle size and strength is your goal there is nothing else out there that can deliver so many benefits as the old school barbells and dumbbells without specifically training for it.

It gave me never experienced before growth –inducing stimulus from just doing simple movements like curls, rows, clean & presses, dumbbell swings.

My forearms felt ready to explode and my grip strength noticeably improved in just few sessions.

I am hooked. Training with the old school barbells and dumbbells is huge fun, extremely effective and makes you feel like you are training with strong people of the past, which has always fascinated me.

Some of the other advantages of the old school barbells and dumbell

• <!--[if !supportLists]--> Due to the fact that the are shot loaded, you can use smaller increments in weights, which is huge advantage by itself, especially when it comes to maximal weights where 2.5 pounds increment can be too much (as in a case of conventional barbells)
• Because of the larger surface area, these bars are very comfortable, even for those with joint problems.
  
• The tension generation from working with these bars is unprecedented. You work your forearms, fingers and wrists to a far greater degree than with conventional bar.