Rogue branch and beam vs Twist yo wrist

This is a comparison between the Rogue branch and beam and the 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.

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 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.