Overview and review Squat Max MD

The Squat Max MD comes in at $950 and is a great addition to your existing rack to widen the possible exercises you can do. This article was originally published in "which accessory equipment to get for your rogue rack".

What else to consider from Rogue

Most popular Rogue accessory in 2020

This is an overview of the most popular Rogue accessory on Marathon-Crossfit.com in 2020 based on views of the reviews and click throughs to the Rogue fitness shop for purchases. If want to know more about the details on how this data was collected you can read what were the most popular rogue products in 2020.

These were the most popular accessories from Rogue on Marathon-CrossFit.com. The ranking is as followed:

The LT1 50 cal lever arm had a huge surge in interest this year. It can be used to turn your rack into multiple different gym machines by attaching arms to it. The secret sauce is a pop and lock system to adjust the height which has been inspired by the 50 cal machine gun. These are a little pricey as you can get a full rack for the same price, but they are worth it if you compare it to getting all of the separate machines instead. If you are considering these, you are probably a Rogue fanboy/girl anyway and the price won’t be what matters most to you. You can read the full review of the Rogue LT1 50 cal lever arm by following this link.

The Rhino belt squat could also be classified as a rack or gym machine. For this popularity contest, I chose to enter it in accessories as it also can be bought as a drop in unit to an RM6 rack. I am surprised that it wasn’t more popular on Marathon-CrossFit.com as it is a great machine, especially for anyone who wants to build massive legs without wrecking their backs. You can read the full review of the Rogue Rhino belt squat via this link.

The flip-down safeties are an accessory you can get for the Rogue Monster racks instead of safety pins. The big pros of the flip-down safeties are that they are way easier to set up than pins and also have holes in them for attachments. If you are in a cramped space or hate to fiddle safety pins in the right holes in the rack then these are for you. Combined with a Rogue utility seat they can provide a lot of variation to your training. You can read the full review of the flip-down safeties via this link.

The squat max MD surprised me in its popularity. Probably there are fewer reviews out there compared to the Rhino belt squat and therefore Marathon-CrossFit.com got a bigger cut of the overall search volume. The Squat Max MD is cheaper than the Rhino and also closer to free weight training as it does not work with a pulley. This makes it a better option for strongman competitors while also leaving more money in the bank. The only downside is the higher platform that you have to step into. You can read the full review of the Squat Max MD by following this link.

The last accessory on the list is the Rogue Monster slinger which I personally would not recommend. Rogue put this out to monetize on people who already have a Rogue rack and have no space for a lat pull. The monster slinger is basically the pulley system that is being used on the newer lat pull towers from Rogue. While this is sound commercial thinking, Rogue did not pay enough attention to detail on how someone would actually use this pulley she attached to the rack. It’s a nice toy to get but for the money, I think you are better off getting a couple of strongman sandbags or a pair of loadable dumbbells from Rogue. They are fun and you will get some tricep activation out of them too. You can follow this link to read the full review of the Rogue Monster slinger.

Overview of the Squat Max MD

The squat max MD is a Hip belt squat setup which can be attached to your rack. The main benefits of hip belt squats are rehab and simulation of certain exercises. If you have athletes with shoulder injuries which keep them from barbell squatting this is an alternative. It also helps with decompressing the lower back when athletes are challenged with lower back problems.

The specs of the squat max MD are:

Made in the USA
Black
160LB
Length 44.75”
Width 29”
Platform height 18” - 24”
Rogue multi belt
Narrow stance plate

Compared to other pulley systems this is free weight and therefore has a more direct transition of the weight to the athlete.

Pros of the Squat Max MD

The Squat Max MD has a lower cost than most other comparable machines with pulleys or a platform. It is also a safer setup than Boxes combined with a dip belt. I personally also see a good application for Strongman athletes as the Squat max closer simulates Strongman events than a pulley solution. The narrow stance plate is a nice addition to vary your training.

Cons of the Squat Max MD

An elevated platform means trip hazards and higher injury risk. You have to get on and off the platform and in case of a malfunction you fall off the platform. Compared to the Rhino Belt machine I can also imagine that the Squat max MD is more prone to break if you bang it around too much.

Alternatives to the Squat Max MD

Alternatives to the squat Max MD are

Rhino belt squat
Boxes and a hip belt

In my opinion, the Rhino belt squat is currently the best option in the market for any kind of hip belt work. It is secure, allows for many setups and is easy to get in and out off. The only downside is that the weight will not be central below the lifter which for some training scenarios might be preferred. Still, I think that is rather the exception than the rule. The downside of the Rhino is the price tag. If you are mucky and already own an RM6 rack you can go for the Drop-In option which is roughly $500 more than the Squat max. If you need to get the standalone version we are taking twice the price of the Squat max.

If you already have boxes, a hip belt, and plates you can build your own hip belt squat. Stack the boxes to the desired height. Attach the plates to yourself with a hip belt. Work away. While most gyms have the necessary equipment this setup has two major disadvantages. It is almost impossible to do this reasonable by yourself so you need a coach to help you in and out of the setup. The setup is as makeshift as they come. The good news is that you have to invest exactly zero additional dollars if you already have the equipment. The bad news is that you are creating a health and safety hazard that probably won’t hold in a court case, but check with your insurance and lawyers.

Summary for the Squat Max MD

The squat max MD is a low budget option for a safe hip belt squat. Especially when you already have a Rogue rack.

Overview and review of the Squat MAX MD