Rogue branch and beam vs anvil grip

This is a comparison between the Rogue branch and beam and the anvil grip 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 anvil grip

This is an overview of the Rogue anvil grip 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 Anvil grip

The rogue anvil grip simulates a time old feat of strength. Many attempted to lift an anvil by the horn. The cone shape of the anvil grip simulates this. To increase the weight you can attach it to a loading which Rogue sells separately. The specifications of the anvil grip are:

Made in the USA
Machined from a Solid Piece of Steel
Weight (Unloaded): 12.33 LBS
Length: 11” (Anvil itself), 13.5” (Anvil + Eye Bolt)
Tapered Cone-Shape design: 3” dia. at the base, 0.75” dia. at top
Eye Bolt at the base for attaching weight via loading pin (pin sold separately)
Engraved Rogue branding
Finish Options: Bare Steel or Black Oxide

This is a solid piece of steel to varying your deadlift and grip strength.

Pros of the anvil grip

The pros of the anvil grip are:

Good quality

Simple design

Challenge for the grip

This is a great tool for working on your grip strength. The cone shape gives you a different challenge than the usual bar grippers most people use. A great addition for someone who almost has everything but wants to challenge his or her grip even further.

Cons of the anvil grip

The cons of the anvil grip are:

Needs plates and pin to function
Very specialized equipment
High likelihood to gather dust

While these are a good addition to an existing for someone who is serious about grip strength, for some others this might just be a fun little purchase that is ultimately money down a hole. Be sure you have the plates and you are also investing in a loading pin. Once you are of this mindset you will probably also get the dinnie rings and other grip attachments from Rogue. For someone who is very busy or not dedicated to grip strength this can be a purchase that will lie around in your gym more than you use it.

Alternatives of the anvil grip

Alternatives to the anvil grip are:

For the average Joe, a set of pinch grip and cannonball grip handles are probably the better choices. They are easier to handle with kettlebells or to hang from your rack. Therefore they do not necessarily need a loading pin to function. This gives you more versatility for a little more spend then for the anvil grip.

The dinnie rings are the ultimate hardcore grip strength test from Rogue. If you want to train in the highest levels you will probably get the anvil grip and the dinnie rings. If I had to choose between the two, which I wouldn’t as I am a sucker for complete training sets, I would go for the dinnie rings instead of the anvil grip as it is the cooler record to chase.

Conclusion for the anvil grip

The anvil grip is a must-have for any serious strongman or strength athlete who is serious about their grip. It is cheaper to co nine the anvil grip with a loading pin than to get anvils of different weights. If you want to save money and start out with grip strength training I would recommend going with a combination of pinch blocks and cannonballs first and then graduate to dinnie rings and the anvil at a later point when those get to easy / you have reached your goals on those.

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.