Rogue Monkey Rig vs TITAN plate loaded fly machine
This is a comparison of the Rogue Monkey rig and the TITAN plate loaded fly machine including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the TITAN plate loaded fly machine $474
This is an overview of the TITAN plate loaded fly 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.
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Overview of the TITAN plate loaded fly machine
The
plate loaded fly machine is a classic in bodybuilding and an exercise that is frequently done in gyms all over the world. Flyes will build your back and chest. They are a great accessory to any chest day after you have finished your bench presses. The full list of Features for the
TITAN plate loaded fly machine includes:
- Develops pectoral, chest, shoulder, and back muscles.
- Dual overhead cams offer independent and collaborative conditioning.
- Swiveling handles for exceptional range of motion.
- Thick, comfortable seat and back pads.
- Fully adjustable to accommodate users of all sizes.
- 2-in x 2-in, 12-gauge steel frame.
- Plate Sleeve: 2 Posts that fit Olympic sized plates.
- Dimensions: 65-in x 32-in x 28-in.
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb.
- Assembled Weight: 91 lb.
This is a solid machine for a home gym or a private gym where people k ow what they are doing and want to train flyes.
Pros of the TITAN plate loaded fly machine
-
Price
-
Plate loaded
-
Seat and position
As all TITAN products the
plate loaded fly machine comes in at an excellent price. TITAN usually undercuts the competition by about half and this is no exception. If you want a
fly machine with warranty and a reliable vendor behind it than TITAN is a good address for you.
If you are building a home gym
plate loaded machines are great as they safe you money for paying for the weight you train with multiple times over. If you are all about cutting cost than getting some
plates and a bunch of
plate loaded machines to go with them is a good strategy.
For training it is always great to have a proper machine with a good frame to sit in to target the smaller muscle groups. This
fly machine delivers on that concept.
Cons of the TITAN plate loaded fly machine
The cons of the
plate loaded fly machine are:
-
Plate loaded
-
One trick pony
-
Makeshift
While
plate loaded is great if you are building a gym for yourself and training buddy in your basement it is less than optimal in a commercial setting.
Plate loading machines makes your workouts longer, creates trip hazards and exposes your clients to higher injury risk. If you run a heavily frequented gym that gets crowded in rush hours, than go with a
fly machine that includes a weight stack.
This machine is also a one trick pony whic makes it less attractive for use in a home gym compared to other products from TITAN. If you want to optimize your money and space, steer away from this machine and look into the ones that are more multi functional.
The last point against the
TITAN plate loaded fly machine is that the pulleys are exposed which gives the machine a makeshift feel. It does not feel like you could throw a truck at it and it will hold. It wi do the job, but if you are big and intend on putting a lot of abuse on it, you might want to look elsewhere.
Alternatives to the TITAN plate loaded fly machine
If you have the space you can get a complete training unit with the
cable crossover machine from TITAN. You can also perform flyes with this and many other exercises you might want to do. The only downside is that the frame is very large and you get no seat with the machine. To get a similar experience you would also need to buy a bench from TITAN. In return your setup will be more modular and flexible.
The
Titan plate loaded functional trainer is a good option for a home gym that wants to add a multitude of cable pulley exercises. If you already have a
rack and bench in your home and want for to do more accessory movements to stay fit and support the big weights, than this is a good budget option. It might not be the ideal solution for a commercial gym as it is
plate loaded. In those scenarios a machine with a weight stack is a better option.
The
TITAN functional trainer does basically the same as the
plate loaded with the difference that it comes with two 200 lbs weight stacks in addition to the frame. This makes it easier to load and get a quick workout done. This is the less messy functional trainer from TITAN but comes at the hefty price of $2000.
A set of
TITAN dumbbells can also be used if all that you are interested in are flyes. In combination with a bench you are in the same ballpark as the price for the
fly machine.
Conclusion for the TITAN plate loaded fly machine
The TITAN plate loaded glute machine is a great option for a spacious home gym than can afford your have multiple machines. If you have an Iron den where all of your clients know what they are doing and are few in umbers this can also work. In highly frequented gyms a
fly machine with a weight stack might be the better choice. Home gyms with small space should stay clear from this single purpose machine and optimize your space better.
Overview and Review of the Monster Lite Monkey Rig
This review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue Monkey Lite rig is a gym in its own for advanced athletes. See the details in this article.
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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:
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.