The Origins of The Quick Lock Dumbbells
From the pioneering Quick-Change design to the game-changing Quick-Lock system, Matt shared how a family legacy evolved into a modern fitness staple – and even outshone a competitor along the way.
Matt kicked off with the original Quick-Change Dumbbells. “The weight plates had a horseshoe-like slot,” he explained. “They’d drop onto a handle backing plate, and a fully threaded, one-inch diameter locking screw tightened them against each other.” It was a straightforward, all-metal design – simple yet effective, earning a U.S. patent. Ironmaster sold these for years, but before Matt took the helm, his father struck a deal with Hoist Fitness in California. “Hoist loved the concept,” Matt said. “They saw an adjustable dumbbell line as a way to tap into the home market.” Under a licensing agreement, Hoist began producing the Quick-Change Dumbbells, paying royalties while Ironmaster kept selling them too.
Things shifted in the early 2000s. “Hoist brokered a deal to buy out the design and patent for exclusive rights,” Matt recounted. “So, the Quick-Change Dumbbells became theirs.” When Matt stepped away from Ironmaster for a decade to raise his family, the business was at a crossroads. Returning later, he found the dumbbells gone – but saw an opportunity. “I had this idea to improve on the adjustable concept,” he said. “Make them quicker to change, better balanced, still all iron and steel – no nonsense, durable enough for a lifetime warranty.” That vision sparked the Quick-Lock Dumbbells we know today.
Tinkering with prototypes, Matt refined the new design. “It was about 2003 when I started developing the Quick-Lock system,” he noted. Perfecting it took time – nailing the details, securing a new patent, and lining up overseas manufacturers. By 2005, the Quick-Lock Dumbbells hit the market. I asked when they overtook Hoist’s Quick-Change line. “I’d say within a year of launching,” Matt replied. “Hoist’s version quietly faded out around then.” The competition caught them off guard. “They didn’t expect us to come back with an improvement,” he said. “I think that’s why they let it go – we’d upped the game.”
Hoist, still a solid company with great products, couldn’t sustain the Quick-Change line’s momentum against Ironmaster’s reinvention. “They didn’t foresee this direct challenge,” Matt added. The Quick-Lock’s speed, balance, and rugged simplicity won out, cementing Ironmaster’s place in the adjustable dumbbell space.
In short, the Quick-Lock Dumbbells didn’t just replace their predecessor – they redefined it. Born from a legacy design, Matt’s vision turned a setback into a triumph. My thanks to him for the backstory – it’s a tale of innovation proving tougher than imitation.
