Rogue LB-2 bar vs Froning bar
This is a comparison of the Rogue LB-2 Log bar and the 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-2 bar
This is an overview of the Rogue LB-2 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-2 log bar
Price $345
The
LB-2 log bar is the smallest of the three log bars which Rogue has on offer. This makes it a good fit for smaller athletes and junior or anyone who is on rehab from an injury. It makes it also more accessible to a bigger group of people to introduce them to strongman training compared to the massive
LB-3. The
LB-2 weighs 51lb and can be loaded with plates. Take that this bar has smaller sleeves in diameter than a standard barbell. The full specifications are:
- Weight: 51LB
- Length: 70.8"
- Diameter: 8"
- Steel Notes: Laser Cut 0.125” Thick Steel
- Fully welded end & internal plates
- Solid 3/8" round bar protection on openings
- Neutral Grip Handles: 23.5" on center
- Laser-cut Rogue logo!
This is a great beginner log bar or something to get for everyone in your local gym as it is easier to handle.
Pros of the LB-2 log bar
The
LB-2 log bar is the cheapest of the Log bars available from Rogue and also the smallest. If you want your commercial gym to go into strongman training, this is where to start. If you only have massive 240-pound giants at your gym, this might be too small. For this price, you get a well made log bar that will hold up when you beat it into the ground.
Cons of the LB-2 log bar
- Size
- Storage
- Fitting to plates
This log bar is the smallest log bar Rogue has, but is still hard to store compared to a regular barbell. It will not fit onto a regular bar rack. Working with J cups will also be a challenge. So mostly, it will lay on the ground or stand in a corner. If you have a home gym with kids around, definitely store it in the ground. It also does not fit great with standard plate sizes. This is what you get with all log bars, but has to be considered if for the same price you can get a
safety bar from Rogue.
Alternatives to the LB-2 log bar
The Rogue strongman bag is a cheaper option to simulate strongman training. You can get versions ranging from 100lb to 400lb when filled with play sand. They are also easier to store as they can be emptied when not used. It is not the same experience as a log bar, but if you are limited for space and budget, this might be a better start to a strongman class. Also, if you have to buy and store in bulk, this is a more feasible option.
If you are a strongman/strongwoman meaning business, then the
LB-2 is probably not for you. The weights you will face in the competition will have a bigger diameter and will be harder to handle than an
LB-2. Therefore it might be best to go with the LB-3 as this comes closest to the real-life competition.
Home gym enthusiasts who want to strengthen their posterior chain might also want to look into the
Rogue safety bar as an alternative. If your squat is what you are mainly concerned about, this is a better option to get to train your lower back when you have problems from too much barbell training.
Conclusion for the LB-2 log bar
The L
B-2 log bar is a lot more palatable for the masses out there than the
LB-3 or
LB-1. Even though it is the smallest log bar in the line-up, it still provides the challenge of a weight that behaves very differently from a classic barbell. This is therefore the better option, f you only occasionally do strongman training or want to provide an interesting challenge to your clients with a new toy.