Rogue Monkey Rig vs TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench

This is a comparison of the Rogue Monkey rig and the TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench $464

This is an overview of the TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench 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 supported Adjustable row bench

The TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench is a very specialized piece of equipment to isolate the back and use a barbell for rows. This is a great exercise for anyone who wants to build a big back and deadlift. You will find this exercise among the most successful deadlifters as an accessory workout. The construction is simple and effective. It rests a barbell higher than ground and supports your body by laying on a pad. With this setup you can protect your spine while you load the barbell heavier for massive rows. The specifications of the TITAN chest supported adjustable row are as followed:

- 3 x 2 steel tubing

- 6 different seat height adjustments

- 5 different chest pad angle adjustments

- Heavy gauge steel construction

- Diamond plated footplate for grip.

- Customizable seat height and chest pad angle

- High quality vinyl chest pad.

- Width is adjustable to fit your barbell

- Weight: 128 LB

- Adjustable Seat Height: 30 1/2” to 37 1/4"

- Adjustable Depth: 68 1/2" to 65 1/2”

- Adjustable Width: 55 1/2” to 42”

- Seat Length: 18”

- Seat Width: 9 1/2"

- Seat Thickness: 2 3/4”

- Band Peg Length: 5 1/2”

- Footplate Dimensions (per side): 21 1/2” x 24”

This is a great extra machine in a commercial gym that works with a lot of barbells and his the right clients for it. In a home gym it will be a lot of space to give up to a one trick pony.

Pros of the TITAN supported Adjustable row bench

Pros of the TITAN supported adjustable row bench are:

Price
Focused training
Uses a barbell

As with most pieces of equipment from TITAN the price is excellent for what you are getting. This is an industrial grade exercise station at a consumer price. TITAN's strategy is to undercut the competition at about half the price for the same product. The low prices are achieved by cutting some corners in quality management and customer services.

The chest supported adjustable row bench is great for athletes who develop a massive row and are concerned about their back. With this machine you get the extra support and also do not need to move the barbell from the ground into position. This helps to focus entirely on your back and either go heavy or squeeze out the last few reps on a hypertrophy set.

This machine is also interesting as you can use a barbell instead of plate loading it or having a weight stack. This makes the experience closer to the barbell training youmight be focusing on, depending on your preferences in training.

Cons of the TITAN supported Adjustable row bench

Cons of the TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench are:

One trick pony
Intimidating for most
Space requirements

While this machine is excellent for what it does, it only does this one thing well. Barbell rows can also be done from the floor, or, if they get too heavy, they can also be done from rack pins. You will not have the same chest support, but still get your rows in. You will also mimic the three big lifts even closer with that setup. Based on this the chest supported row bench is not ideal for home gyms or commercial gyms with limited space.

The broad public does not necessarily like to use a barbell as it is perceived to rough on the hands. If you are already getting a dedicated machine for rows, you might want to get one that is a bit more convenient for the user and includes a weight stack.

Alternatives to the TITAN supported adjustable row bench

The Titan T bar row is more palatable for the general public as a chest supported row which uses a barbell. With this you can use more grip variations and it is also easier to get the plates on and off to get started. If you run a commercial gym for the general public, go with the T bar row instead of the chest supported adjustable row if your space does not allow for both.

The TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is the budget option of a functional trainer for home gym users. This is a great addition when you have limited space and want to do all of your accessory movements on one machine or implement a home gym that can be used by the entire family. This version of the TITAN functional trainer saves $1300 compared to the functional trainer which comes with included weight stacks. If you already own a rack and plates, this is probably the better choice.

The TITAN functional trainer comes with two weight stacks included and covers most accessory movements or a full body workout which is lighter compared to heavy barbell free weight training. This is a good option ina home gym or commercial gym where you want to make things save. It is also a good choice when you want to get started right away without having too invest into plates.

Conclusion for the TITAN supported adjustable row bench

This machine is great for an Iron den where people want to use the barbell row in many variations to blow up their backs to lift heavy. If you have this at home, in a college dorm or other private gym and do have the space, I highly recommend getting one of these as the results speak for themselves. If you have a very small home gym or a commercial gym for the general public this is a gimmick and you should focus on other items to build out your gym first like racks with proper safety pins and a seated row machine.

Overview and Review of the Monster Lite Monkey Rig

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 Monkey Lite rig is a gym in its own for advanced athletes. See the details in this article.

Overview of the Monkey Rig

The Rogue Monster Lite Monkey Rig is an impressive piece of hardware which will catch the eye of anyone who will cast an eye on it. The main addition to the normal Rogue setups are the Monkey bars at various heights. If you want to prepare your athletes for CrossFit competitions or to compete in the Ninja warrior series, this is the way to go.

The monkey rig is constructed by 3x3 11- Gauge steel with 0.625 holes and Westside spacing. Its length is 24', width 6' and height 9'. This makes for a total footprint of 24'-3'' x 6'-8''. On this space, you will create 6 squat/bench stations and more than 10 pull up stations. It comes in black and ships in 6-8 weeks.

Be aware that it does not ship with barbells or plates when you purchase it. These are additions to your budget. You can read up on my blog if you are not sure yet which rogue barbell to buy. to get an overview of the portfolio.

Pros of the Monkey Rig

The Monster lite Monkey Rig makes a big statement. If you want to differentiate yourself from other CrossFit boxes in an area where you have a lot of fit people around it makes sense. If your clients are also collectively moving into a direction where they want to compete in CrossFit team sports, this is a good bet. It will also open your gym up to clients who are more interested in climbing.

In addition to the Monkey bars, you will also get a fully functioning 24' Monster Lite Pull-up rig. This is already a full gym. It is ideally suited to training which incorporates a lot of kipping pull-ups and muscle ups. The middle also creates a corridor which can be used for sprints and other aerobic ideas like bear crawls.

Cons of the Monkey rig

This thing is massive! Most gyms will not have enough space. If I was to open a gym I would think of the Monster lite Monkey Rig as something to aspire to rather than a first purchase. Most of your clients will not be able to do pull-ups, muscle-ups or climb the entire Rig. This is something that the fitness community you will build has to grow into. The 5.000$ might be invested more wisely in other equipment in a first purchase unless you have unlimited sources, space and want to build the most impressive gym in the entire city (which is also a valid business strategy, if you have good financial backing).

It is a pity that you can not get the monkey rig in individual colors and that there is no conversion kit available at the moment for already existing 24' rigs. Also be aware that the Monster Lite series is not compatible with all of the Rogue accessory. Think about what additional equipment you want to get before you hit the purchase button. In my opinion, it also does not make sense to have beams at the lower end of this setup. Therefore you will not be able to use band pegs for the squat/bench stations. You will also have to store the weight plates away from the rig. To protect your clients from injury you want to take special care that this setup is not cluttered with plates.

How many clients should this rig bring you?

If you think the Monkey Rig can attract 17 new clients which you can sign up for 50$ a month on a 1-year retainer, make the purchase. This equals net new revenue of 10.200$ against 5.000$ in the first year. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Alternatives to the monkey rig

Depending on which clients you serve and how much floor space you have here some alternatives from Rogue based on a 5K budget excluding barbells and plates:

1x Monster Lite rig 24' @ 3595$
1x Metal Jerk Blocks @ 1.150$

This configuration will give you more opportunities to generate revenue from beginning weightlifters and gives you some color options.

2x RM6 @ 2095 each
2x Monster Single Post Shelf @ 95$ each
2x Monster Single Post Kettlebell Shelf

This configuration will give you more options in terms of training styles, especially when most of your clients cannot do pull-ups yet. This configuration leans more towards a powerlifting gym or an upgrade of the free weight section of a commercial gym. The Single Post shelves are often overlooked when buying the 6er series of Rogue. If your clients are used to half racks you can leave the back free. More often than not new additions to the Rogue portfolio are made exclusively or earlier available to the Monster range and not to the Monster lite range. Keep that in mind when making your investment.

Conclusion

The monkey rig is a great piece of equipment if you have space and money to afford it. It is the right addition to your gym, if you have advanced athletes who are looking for a bigger challenge. If your gym mainly has recreational weekend warriors on the roster this beast of steel and bars might be a little too intimidating.