Back widow vs Twist yo wrist

This is a comparison between the back widow and the twist yo wrist from Ironmind including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the Twist yo wrist

This is an overview of the Ironmind Twist yo wrist including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

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Overview of the Twist yo wrist

Price: $42.95

The twist yo wrist is a take from Ironmind on the classic wrist roller to develop underarm strength. It is compact and portable. With any product from Ironmind, you can be sure that it has been optimized to be serious for grip strength. They cut the fat and nonsense out of every product and focus on what matters. The full specifics of the Twist yo wrist are:

Grip, Wrist & Forearm Training
4" Diameter Roller
4' Climbing-Grade Accessory Cord Climbing-Grade Cord Accessory
Small Snap Clip
Use with or without a loading pin (not included)
Color: Black

A great tool to have when you are on the road.

Pros of the Twist yo wrist

Low price
Compact
Great finish

As with all Ironmind products, you will get quality. This is the optimal underarm trainer for rolling. Small, affordable, and easy to deploy. What more could you ask of an accessory tool for your training?

Cons of the Twist yo wrist

The cons of the twist yo wrist are:

Gimmicky
Limited load
A bit too small

If you are mainly getting a wrist roller to attack your underarms this might not be ideal. As the surface is a little small you will be picking away at it with your fingertips a lot more than with your entire hand. Great if you want to train your fingers for climbing. A bit beside the point if all you want is to grip a barbell harder for deadlifts. It depends on your goals, but this can be a bit gimmicky if you mainly work with a barbell. On the other hand, if you want your fingers to become suction cups, here is your weapon of choice.

Alternatives to the twist yo wrist

Alternatives to the twist yo wrist:

If you want to run less risk of buying something gimmicky, buy some Captain of crush grippers. These are more suited to the general needs of the public, as most people need a better crush grip for their barbell and dumbbell training.

If you are looking to maximize the load for your wrist rolls, the rogue wrist roller is the right option to pick. You can use your entire hand on both sides and even attach it to the rack. The only downside is the price.

Conclusion for the Twist yo wrist

The twist yo wrist is so cheap that you can not go wrong. You probably have bought booze that you could not open that cost more. That being said it is a better tool to run your fingers into mean suckers rather than your underarms into popeye version of themselves. This is based in that the surface is too small to get your full hands on them.

Overview and review of the Back widow

This is an overview of the Back widow including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the back widow

Price: $299

The back widow is a versatile handle that can be used as an attachment for cable pulls and attached to a barbell for landmine rows. This makes it a very versatile tool that can be used in many scenarios to improve grip and back strength. This is an ideal solution for a home gym where the user wants to save space and money for multiple applications. In bigger gym scenarios it might be a better approach to get multiple handles for the price of one back widow. The full specifications are:

Multi-Use Attachment for Back Workouts
15+ Adjustable Positions
Length: 5.5" (Lower Handles) / 4.25" (Upper Handles)
Diameter: 1.25" (Handles)
Weight: 9.25 LBS
Carabiner Slot for Attachments: 9/16” wide x 1” tall
Color: Black

This tool is definitely worth its money when you want to have a landmine handle and an attachment for your lat pull machine at home.

Pros of the back widow

The pros of the back widow are:

Versatility
High-quality build
Weight

This attachment for a pulley and to bars has many different configurations which will help you to build a bigger back and stronger grip. It can also mix up the work with a rowing machine or lat pull so that you can stay motivated and attack all different areas of your back. With its high-quality build, you can throw almost anything at the back widow without breaking it and even use it like a deadlift jack. The weight of this handle attributes for its high-quality design. You can see that professionally wanted to design something helpful for other professionals with the Back widow.

Cons of the Back widow

The cons of the back widow are:

Price
Weight
Only one handle

With a $price tag of $300 the back widow is not cheap. for that amount of money, you can get three stainless lat bars from a low price vendor or a big assortment of smaller handles. The weight itself is also not great when your home gym setup is a bit flimsy. If you combine it with the Spud Inc. pulley or similar self-made contraption, you will have problems with keeping a smooth feed through the rollers. This is best used with a stationary lat pull or rowing machines like the Rogue CT1 or the Rogue Monster Lat pull down. In a commercial gym setting, it is also better to get multiple handles rather than one handle. Most average joes will find the adjustments on the widow annoying rather than helpful for a quick workout and as a commercial gym owner you rather have three different handles for three different towers than one handle for three towers.

Alternatives to the back widow

Alternatives to the back widow are:

Rogue Multi-grip cable attachment is a massive handle that can be attached to cable pulleys. This is a great tool for any strongmen who want to work on their grip and pull work. This attachment simulates better when you do not get the best grip on a big weight because the handles are not in the most advantageous position. With $175 it also leaves room for handles to be bought against the same budget like the back widow. The only downside of this attachment is that it is very heavy.

The Rogue Stainless steel bar is a classic lat pull bar that is straight and curved at the ends for different grip variations. This is the standard option that most gyms go with for their towers. Compared to the Back widow you can almost get two of these for the same price. The only disadvantages are that it can be quite boring and that you might get this cheaper from a different vendor than from Rogue.

The Rogue tricep strap is the better partner for home gym pulley setups that are a little makeshift. Its lower weight makes it easier to maneuver and get a smooth ride in place. It is also quite a bit cheaper than a back widow or any of the other attachments. The disadvantage is that it is not suitable for big heavy pulls where you spread your arms wide.

Conclusion for the back widow

The back widow is a great tool for the home gym owner who has some extra cash to spend, likes high-quality products, and does not want too many handles flying about. Just have a hard look at your training routine if you actually do t bar rows and lat pulls already in your local gym or desperately miss out on them. This attachment is not just a gimmick like many others. For commercial gyms, I do not see the point as it is usually more practical to have a wall or bag full of a lot of attachments where people help themselves. The back widow would need some instructions and also the versatility does not really apply to the commercial scenario. The teenagers or your strongest hulk will probably hug this attachment for two hours. Better to have more handles for others who are waiting.