Rogue LB-1 Log bar vs Ohio froning bar
This is a comparison of the Rogue LB-1 Log bar and the Ohio froning bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue specialty bar to get. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review Rogue Ohio Bar Froning Edition
This overview of the Froning bar was originally published in my comprehensive guide on which Rogue barbell to buy. If you are currently considering to buy a Rogue barbell it is worth a read to get input on the latest models. I update the guide on a yearly basis depending on Rogue's new releases.
Price 375$
Overview of Rogue Ohio bar Froning edition
The
Rogue Ohio bar Froning edition pays tribute to all-time Crossfit legend Rich Froning.
Rich Froning managed to claim the title of "Fittest man on earth" four times. This makes him the most successful CrossFit athlete to date. The
Froning bar carries his logo. The logo is silver while the rest of
bar has been kept black.
Rogue uses its Cerakote finish combined with the base of the
Ohio bar to create another design dedicated to a
Rogue athlete.
The
Froning bar comes at 20kg and a diameter of 28.5mm. The sleeves are connected via bushing to the shaft. It can withstand 190K PSI Tensile strength with a good whip. The knurling is standard. This multi-purpose
bar has a loadable sleeve length of 16.40.
The Froning bar is a great option if you like the
colour
back and want to connect to one of your
favourite
CrossFit athletes. Other options you might want to consider are the
Fraser bar and
Matt Chan bar which is also multi-purpose bars with
Rogue athlete branding. This is a great
bar for any fitness enthusiast who wants to combine or contrast black with other
colours
in their home gym.
Pros of the Froning bar
The
Froning bar is a single
colour
bar in black which makes it less popping than the other athlete designs from
Rogue. If you like simple designs which do not make bold statements this is a good
bar to get. The
Ohio bar builds the base and delivers a solid base for multi-purpose barbell training. Connecting to the legend Rich Froning might also give your athletes a psychological boost while training. The low key design also makes it a more feasible option for gym outfits.
Cons of the Froning bar
As with the other Ohio bars with
cerakote finish make sure that it is mainly used with bumper plates instead of steel plates. Otherwise, wait until these bars become available with chrome sleeves. It should only be a matter of time until
Rogue makes this available. A black shaft can be more prone to show scratches of the underlying material. If you go heavy duty and don't care for the design you might want to go for the
Ohio bar,
Castro bar or
Operator bar instead.
Conclusion
The Rogue Froning bar will set your mind to the greatest of all times in the realm of CrossFit. If you are building a new CrossFit box with class get a set of the Rogue name branded barbells. Your customers will notice that extra bit of attention to detail.
Overview and review of the LB-1 Log bar
This is an overview of Rogue LB-1 log bar including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which rogue specialty bar to get. Follow the links for more details.
Overview of the LB-1 bar
Price:$465
The
LB-1 log bar is the original log bar from Rogue and comes in at a weight of 72lb. This is the mid-range log bar which will cover most needs. The sleeves of this bar are smaller in diameter than a regular barbell, so make sure to get an
axle collar to go with this log to secure your plates. The full specifications of this bar are:
- Weight: 72LB
- 10" diameter laser cut steel tube 1/8" thick
- Fully welded end & internal plates
- Solid 0.375" round bar protection on openings
- Handle Spacing: 26" on center
- 1.66" diameter neutral grip handles
- 14" Loadable Sleeve Length
- Laser-cut Rogue logo!
This is a good tool to get for a man cave as an additional challenge to spice up the barbell routine.
Pros of the LB-1 bar
Pros of the LB-1 log bar are:
- Mid-range price
- Robust craftsmanship
- Neutral grip
This is a great tool to add to your arsenal, if you like strongman training and to lift awkward objects. For presses and rows, it also offers a neutral grip which is easier on the wrists than a straight barbell. Compared to the other log bar models from Rogue the
LB-1 is bang in the middle from a price and size perspective. As with most Rogie products, the craftsmanship is great and this will hold up forever.
Cons of the LB-1 bar
- Too heavy to appeal to everyone in a commercial gym
- Other alternatives for neutral grip training available
- Not strongman competition dimension
With 72lb empty weight the log bar weighs roughly the same as a trap bar, but your leverage to move it is a lot worse. This might make it not the best choice for a commercial gym that wants to add a little fun. The LB-2 might the better option here as it starts at 51lbs and can still be loaded with plates to make it heavier. If a neutral grip is what you are after for rows and presses, you can also consider the different
Multi-grip bars from Rogue as an alternative. These are a lot easier to store on the rack than the log bar. Lastly, most logs in strongman competitions are bigger than the
LB-1. If you are a big guy, get the proper simulation of the real world and go for the
LB-3 instead.
Alternatives to the LB-1 bar
Alternatives to the
LB-1 are:
The
LB-2 and
LB-3 log bar are the big and small brother of the
LB-1. Rogue started with the
LB-1 and quickly realized that log bars of different sizes might be a good idea. The result was the LB-2 and
LB-3. While the
LB-3 is aimed at the biggest of us, the LB-2 is the entry log bar. If you are buying for a commercial gym go with the smaller one to appeal to more people. If you are a monster, go for the
LB-3.
The
multi-grip rogue bars are another option to consider if you are looking for bar with a neutral grip, but also do not want to make it too complex to work in a rack. The log bars can be quite awkward if you do not lift them from the ground with a pad. If the neutral grip is your main concern you might be better off with getting one of the
Rogue-Multi grip bars.
If you are looking into the Rogue log bar to pick up a weight and lift it to the shoulder, then the Rogue strongman bags might be a better option for you. They take up less space, cost less, and get a very similar training result. Of course, they are just a mere simulation of real strongman events, but for mixing up your training they are great.
Conclusion for the LB-1
The
LB-1 log bar is the right log bar for anyone who has a home gym with enough space and is dedicated too mixing up their training. It is not too small or too big, so if you know your way around lifting, this is the right one to get. If you are considering a log bar for your commercial gym, I personally think you are better off by getting the LB-2. This will appeal to more people as it is easier to handle and still something different and novice. If you are huge and gorilla stong, meaning you already can over head press 100kg, then leave the toys and go directly to the
LB-3.