Rogue ISO Leg Press vs TITAN belt squat machine
This is a comparison of the Rogue Iso leg press and the TITAN belt squat machine including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the TITAN belt squat machine $599
This is an overview of the TITAN belt squat machine including pros, cons and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.
Overview of the TITAN Belt squat machine
The
TITAN belt squat machine is simple in its design and effective. You will get a metal frame that you can hook
plates and a belt up to to squat away. No fuss, just simple execution.
Belt squat machines are a great option for anyone who wants to build strong legs without risking a lower back or shoulder injury. High workloads on heavy
barbell squats can lead to pain in the shoulders and lower back as you have to carry the weight. With a
belt squat machine you do not have this problem and can train the glutes to failure before your lower back or shoulders fail you. All of this is delivered at a great price compared to other machines in the market which do the same. The full list of features includes:
- Build lower body explosion without stress on your shoulders, spine, and lower back
- (3) weight stopper positions to adjust how deep you squat
- (4) additional weight posts for storage and to counterbalance increasing stability for heavy lifts
- Diamond plated aluminum footplate for superb grip and sleek look
- Heavy-duty steel construction to handle anything you can throw at it
- Includes a weight belt for further back support
- Floor Space Required: 7 FT 6-in Wide x 5 FT Deep
- Overall Width: 83-in.
- Overall Depth: 52-in.
- Overall Height: 38.5-in.
- Footplate Dimensions: 49-in x 24-in.
- Weight Post Length: 16.5-in.
- Storage Weight Post Length: 9.75-in.
- Weight Post Diameter: 1.9-in.
- Inside Lifting Width: 42-in.
- Weight Capacity: 1,000 lb.
- Product Weight: 232 lb.
Pros of the TITAN Belt squat machine
-
Price
-
Simple design
-
High load capacity
As with all TITAN products the price of the
TITAN belt squat is very attractive compared to the competition. Comparable products are usually closer to $1000 or even beyond.
The simple design with a metal stop that is adjustable in height makes this a sturdy machine that anyone can use. No complex pulleys or climbing on a high platform. Load the
plates, click in the belt and put it on and off you go. Big legs in no time.
This machine scales up to 1.000 pounds which is more than enough for most athletes to get to where they want to go.
Cons of the TITAN Belt squat machine
-
Space requirements
-
Weight placement
The
TITAN belt squat is quite wide and also adds on with the
plate storage in the back. You can not fit this machine into a
rack and save some space. It needs a dedicated space and therefore might not be a great option for home gyms.
With this model the weight is around you rather than beneath or in front of you. This creates an effect similar to a trap
bar which is not simulating the real world of a
barbell squat or sumo deadlift to the same extent. This can be fixed by adding extra weight but has a different feel about it than the
rhino from Rogue.
Alternatives to the TITAN belt squat machine
The
TITAN belt squat machine is not the first item you should get for your home gym. It is an accessory and tread it as such. If you do not have a
rack and
barbell yet, start there and build your gym around this center piece. With the X3 range you can start around $200 to $300 for a
rack and add a
barbell and some small
plates to your shopping cart.
Another alternative is the
TITAN hack squat and leg press machine. This machine provides a two in and one and can be loaded with a considerable amount of weight. Generally speaking I would recommend the
belt squat more to powerlifters and weightlifters, while the
leg press might be a better option for bodybuilders. Of course, all of the above is always the best option for building the perfect physique, but you might not have the money or space to pull that off.
The
TITAN smith machine can be a good option if you desperately want to do lunges in a machine. I personally think that
smith machines are a waste of space, money and time but most commercial gyms have one so yu might want to get one just to compete.
The
Rogue Rhino is the current gold standard in the industry for belt squats. This machine can be fitted into the space of a
rack and works with one of the best pulley systems in the business. If you intend to do a lot of belt squats and only want to offer the best experience, this is the one to get. The main differecne to the TITAN model is that the load is not positioned around you, but in front of you. This minimizes the support the metal frame gives you for the lift and simulates
barbell work closer than the
TITAN belt squat. Both will blow up your legs without wrecking your lower back as much as a
barbell though. The gold standard also comes at a gold price of $1.750.
The last machine you might want to consider when you are looking at a belt squat is the Rogue leg press machine. This is probably the biggest machine I have seen in a gym and it costs around $4000. In return you get the mechanics to operate your legs separately and one of the smoothest finishes I have seen on a leg press.
Conclusion for the TITAN belt squat machine
The
TITAN belt squat machine is not sophisticated, but gets the job done. If you want a
belt squat for your home gym and have the space, get one. I think this is especially a better idea than a deadlift platform. With a bit of practive you can do your deadlifts on your
rack. Wherever you would have placed your deadlift platform you can put the
belt squat instead.
Overview and review of the Rogue ISO Leg Press
Price: 4.750
This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue ISO leg press is a machine for the advanced athlete to perform the leg press. See the details in this article.
Related articles
Overview of the Rogue ISO Leg press
The
Rogue Iso Leg press is one of the products of Rogue
which have recently appeared in the portfolio. In my opinion, you can clearly see that Rogue wants to use the
Lat pulldown machine,
Prone Leg Curl and
ISO Leg press to gain market share in the commercial gym sector to diversify their business beyond CrossFit gyms. While Rogue has already mastered the mass production of
barbells and
rigs, the production of big machines is done more manual. You might get a cheaper, more refined machine from somewhere else who has specialized in these for decades. Still, this will be most likely not American made and definitely not fit the rest of your Rogue gym setup.
The future looks promising as the
Rhino Belt Squat has been a great release with a positive reception in the market. I am sure rogue will take the new technological developments from the
50 cals (locking system) and the
Rhino (Pulley System) to create more refined machines in the future
which will take over the market.
The
Rogue ISO press can load up to 2475lb and has four load pegs. Rogue claims a 60% true weight ratio for the
leg press. Machines are often criticized that too much of the load gets lost and does not have an effect on the lifter. This is why you see some people on Youtube leg pressing a bunch of
plates and four Chinese girls on a
leg press machine. They have better leverage than in a
barbell squat.
The
Rogue ISO leg press weighs 708lbs with a footprint of 64'' x 98''. It is 98'' long, 64'' wide and 47'' high.
Pros of the Rogue ISO Leg Press
Rogue has paid attention to the feedback from other machines by working on the true weight ratio. The four loadable pegs will go down well with your stronger clients who like big machines and also cannot find sufficient machinery in other gyms.
The fact that each leg can be addressed individually will be interesting to rehab clients and professional athletes alike. Not many
leg press machines bear this feature.
You will also get a
machine that has been made by American hands in Columbus. There is quite some work to be done to finish this beast and you will always know that this has been done by an American.
Cons of the Rogue ISO Leg Press
The
leg press machine is a single purpose machine with a relatively big footprint. This does not make it a suitable option for most gyms with a small footprint. You will also be buying outside of Rogues core business with less volume. Expect that customer services have fewer options to help you out with parts/replacements/repairs as the order volume on these is lower. There is less storage to draw from and all parts are welded together for the
ISO (
which means if you want to return it, they probably have to weld another from scratch or move someone else's order).
For this price, especially if you buy multiple, maybe ask Rogue whether you can inspect the machines on site before delivery. Bring your biggest and smallest athlete/client&relative, Based on the test ask whether small alterations can be made before the machines are finished (coated etc) and shipped.
How many clients should this leg press bring you?
If you think that the
ISO leg press will bring you 16 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 9.600$ net new revenue against an investment of 4.750$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.
Alternatives to the ISO leg press
Here are some alternatives to the
Rogue Iso leg press which come in at roughly the same budget.
The
Rogue Wingspan Rig only costs about 250 USD more but is an all in one gym for that price. You have a
pull-up station,
rack, lots of storage room, a
crown pull up bar for various grip variations and space to store up to five
barbells. While the
ISO leg press is on one end of the spectrum as a leg training giant, this is one of the most versatile options from Rogue in the same price range.
This would be an alternative for a weightlifting gym that has no need for
pull up bars and has a lot of space. You have to teach your clients how to drop a
bar safely when there is enough room. The
Rhino belt squat can be used by athletes with shoulder injuries or for heavy squats/volume work. It still loads enough weights for mere mortals.
The belt squat is the poor man's version of the
leg press. It does more for balance and natural movement patterns and can not be loaded as heavy as the
Rhino Belt Squat or
Leg press machine. If you already have
jerk blocks or pylo jump boxes this is probably the most cost-efficient version to get close to a
leg press. Be aware that the setup is tedious and the injury risk is high if you do not assist your clients in setting this up.
Conclusion
With the Rogue Iso Leg press you will get a fully welded, American made leg press machine. The specialty of this leg press machine is that you can work one leg at a time or both optionally. With some extra space to add plates to the leg press and special attention to a maximum carry over of the weight to the lifter this leg press is for serious gyms that do not want to compromise.