Rogue branch and beam vs 12 inch globe

This is a comparison between the Rogue branch and beam and Rogue 12 inch globe 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 Rogue 12-inch globe

This is an overview of the 12-inch pull up globe 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 Rogue 12-inch pull-up globe

Price $140 - $154

The Rogue 12-inch pull up globe is exactly what it says on the tin. You get a globe that you can hang from your rack or your rig to do pull-ups with. This is a great finisher to a good session or fun little competition to have in a gym with a good community. The full specifications of the globe are:

12" Diameter Steel Sphere
Rogue Matte Black Powder coating

A great little gimmick to have if you have space and money. If I owned a commercial gym, I would have one of these to challenge my personal training clients so that they keep in mind I am different.

Pros of the 12-inch pull-up globe

Pros of the 12-inch pull-up globe are:

Unusual grip challenge
Well made

The globe provides a grip challenge, that is different from many others. Especially for very big athletes, the globe might be better than a pinch block, due to their body weight. If you weigh 140kg It is easier to hang onto something big, rather than having to pinch a tiny block. It will also better simulate events like the Atlas stone.

Cons of the 12-inch pull-up globe

Size
Price

Fr a home gym that has to take care of space this globe is too big. If your space is already crammed than the last thing you want is a 12-inch globe hanging in your face. For most gym setups it will be more money and space economical to go with the cannonball grips and some pinch blocks, as they cost roughly the same amount as a set, but leave you with more options and less space taken up in your gym.

Alternatives to the 12-inch pull-up globe

Alternatives to the 12-inch pull-up globe are:

All of these items are part of the Rogue grip strength line up that uses a simple carabiner on the rack on which these different attachments can be hooked. The pinch block is the hardest while the grandfather clock grip is the easiest. This makes for quite a bit of variation in your training and I would personally prefer to get a mix of these three rather than the globe for roughly the same budget.

Conclusion for the Rogue 12-inch globe

This is a great tool for big athletes as a better alternative for strength training as the pinch blocks. Still, the globe takes up a lot of space, is not very versatile, and costs more than the most other attachments for grip strength. It is a great eyecatcher in a gym for challenges, but the pragmatic gym owner will probably buy some pinch blocks and cannonballs.

Overview and review of the Rogue branch and beam

This is an overview of the Rogue branch and beam 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 branch and beam

Price: $170

The branch and beam are bars from rogue which have been made extra fat. The branch has a round grip, while the beam has a square grip. These two bars are a great alternative to the traditional 28-29mm bars and a bit closer to the unconventional lifts you can find in strongman competitions. This will also help with your grip strength in general. The specifications of the two bars are:

The Rogue Branch Fat Bar
Round grip
Outside Diameter: 3"
Bar Length: 80.5"
Bar Weight: 39LB

The Rogue Beam Fat Bar
Square grip
Fat Grip is 3x3”
Bar Length: 80.5"
Bar Weight: 41LB

These are great additions to a fully equipped gym that looks for more options to entertain their clients or a strongman home gym who wants to be prepared for anything.

Pros of the branch and beam

The pros of the branch and beam are:

Safe to use
Easy to load
Easy to store

The branch and beam are two options to challenge your grip for heavy lifts with unconventional setups. They can be stored on a regular barbell gun rack, are easy to load, and are safer to use than an actual tree trunk or wooden beam. Compared to other more cumbersome solutions to the problems they solve they are a preferable option.

Cons of the branch and beam

The cons of the branch and beam are:

No knurling
Issues with the finish
Narrow use cases

For bars with very limited use cases, unless you really make a point about using them, they are eating up quite a bit of space to become a gimmick. As these bars also not go through the standard quality tests for all barbells from rogue, some of them lack in quality. Especially during COVID where some extra people were hired.

Alternatives to the branch and beam

Alternatives to the branch and beam are:

Fat gripz are an easy and cheap way to turn a barbell into a branch. These are made of plastic and can be wrapped around the bar to make it thicker.

Pinch blocks can be used to simulate the beam. Combined with straps and a carabiner you can hook up kettlebells, dumbbells, and barbells to your liking.

Log bars are an essential training tool for strongman athletes as no competition goes without a log bar lift. The neutral grip also challenges the regular deadlift setup.

Conclusion for the branch and beam

The branch and beam are great tools for serious strongman athletes or gyms who like to mix things up regularly. With pinch blocks and fat gripz you can simulate similar stress to the body, without eating up as much space in your home gym.