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Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone vs TITAN standing back extension machine

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Jan 7, 2021 5:00:00 PM

Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone vs TITAN standing back extension machine

This is a comparison of the Rogue Monster Lat pull and the TITAN standing back extension machine including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

 
 

Overview and review of the TITAN standing back extension machine $381

This is an overview of the TITAN standing back extension 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 standing back extension machine

 
The TITAN standing back extension machine is a simple and robust design from TITAN. With this machine you can do back raises and side raises to train your core and back. The pad is adjustable in height and can also be tilted in different positions. This is a machine for accessory work that can not be done with a lot of other machines. It is great for what it does if you have the space for it. The full list of specifications is:
 
- Strengthen your posterior chain
- Fully adjustable unit to fit a wide variety of exercises and athletes
- (8) adjustable foot roller and round pad positions in 1-inch increments
- (4) adjustable angle positions for the rounded pad
- High-quality 2 x 2-inch steel frame for a solid and stable design
 
- Footprint: 65-in x 28-in (39.5-in with band pegs)
- Footplate Dimensions: 24-in x 24-in.
- Rounded Pad Height: 28-in – 35-in.
- Foot Roller Diameter: 3.5-in.
- Product Weight: 112 lb.
 
Simple, elegant and effective. This is a machine that is easy to use and can be used in many different ways. Compared to a reverse hyper or GHD it delivers similar results but in a more accessible way for the general public.
 

Pros of the Titan Standing back extension machine

 
The pros of the Standing back extension are:
 
  • Price
  • Easy to use
 
As with almost all TITAN products you get an industrial grade machine for a consumer price. TITAN undercuts their competition by about half and the standing back extension machine is no exception.
 
This is a great machine for a commercial gym to provide options to train g your back and sides. In a home gym you might want to go for a GHD and reverse hyper combo as it offers you more options while it takes up roughly the same footprint.
 

Cons of the TITAN back extension machine

 
The cons of the TITAN back extension machine are:
 
  • Footprint
  • mainly suited for bodyweight exercises
 
For a bodyweight exercise machine the standing back extension takes up quite a bit of foot print. For this big a machine you might want to get something else instead that enables you to add resistance to your exercises via plates.
 

Alternatives to the TITAN standing back extension machine

 
Alternatives to the standing back extension machine are:
 
 
The TITAN H-PND is TITAN’s Monster Reverse hyper. This thing is built like a tank and will have enough padding for even the biggest of athletes. If you want to train your lower back with a reverse hyper than this is the best you can get from TITAN.
 
The TITAN economy H-PND is the little brother of the original H-PND from TITAN. The steel gauges and the padding have been downsized to offer this reverse hyper at a lower price. The economy H-PND also builds the base for the Glute and hamstring combo, which is a great choice to train your posterior chain in a spacious home gym.
 
The Rogue donkey is the gold standard in the market for posterior chain development. Rogue came up with a clever design and executed it perfectly. Especially the lad on this machine is very high quality and supports even the biggest athletes. Good quality also comes at a high price as the Donkey puts you back close to $2000.
 

Conclusion for the TITAN standing back extension machine

 
The standing back extension machine is a great addition to any commercial gym with space. You might even want to get multiple of these and create a back area. In a home gym the glute and hamstring combo might be better use of your space.
 

Overview and review of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down stand alone 

 

Price: 2.950

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 Monster lat pull down will create more bats in your gym. See the details in this article.

 

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Overview of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down

 
The Monster Lat pulldown Standalone is a lat pulldown machine for the expert athlete. As with all Rogue equipment this machine is built like a tank. The lat pulldown machine is a great example of how Rogue takes pride in what they do and takes their customer feedback series. 
 
If you read between the lines you can see that the pulley, the bar, cable, and Steel eye were not up to Rogue's standards in the V1 of this machine. All of these parts have been consequently brought in-house and are not bought from 3rd parties anymore. These things are normal when new production lines are being built, a new market is tested and new processes build around them.
 
At least Rogue took the right learnings from this and perfected their Rhino launch. The prone leg curl and the ISO leg press have not gotten a V2 overhaul yet whereas the Lat pull down has. Be aware of this when you buy from Rogue. I am positive they will accommodate valid feedback, especially on big orders. If you buy for your home gym, maybe wait on the leg press and curl until there is more feedback available or find a gym nearby to test them.
 
The Rogue Lat pulldown weighs 605lb and offers up to 300lb resistance in plates in 10lb increments. It has a footprint of 40'' by 60''. It is 60'' long, 40'' wide and 96'' high. The steel notes are 3x3 11-gauge steel just like the rest of the Rogue Monster series.
 

Pros of the Rogue Monster lat pull down

 
This lat pulldown is also a rowing machine so you get two for the price of one. The difference to many other rowing machines is that Rogue came up with an idea that does not make the bench longer. By positioning a footrest under the seat this lat pulldown machine turns into a rowing machine without adding extra length. 
 
Another big pro is that this machine allows the use of bands with the lat pull. This is very unique and I have not seen many machines like this. Especially when you have experienced athletes you will appreciate that you can work with bands.
 

Cons of the Rogue Monster Lat pull down

 

A lat pulldown is a big machine. It will take up quite a bit of space where a pull-up bar might create a similar effect. Especially in a home gym scenario, you might be better off getting dumbbells and a pull-up bar which takes up less floor space. As with other machines, the pulley system takes maintenance. Oiling this system and keeping it in check might not be for everyone.
 

How many clients do you need for the lat pull down?

 
If you think that the Lat pulldown will bring you 10 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 6.000$ net new revenue against an investment of 2.950$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.
 

Alternatives to the Lat pull down from Rogue

 
Here are some alternatives to the Rogue lat pull down
 
1x Rhino belt Squat Rack @ 2750$
 
The Rhino belt including the half rack will give you a better pulley system and the necessary rack to play around with it. It will not exactly be the same and the workarounds might be not ideal, however, it is possible. I would also be very surprised if Rogue did not capitalize on the opportunity to deliver a system that combines the RM6 and Rhino to a fully built all-purpose gym station. Stay tuned for that one.
 
1x Monster Lite Rig @ 2.495$
 
A monster lite rig will provide you with
 
  • 4 Squat/ Bench Stations
  • 8 Pull up Stations
 
For less than the price for one lat pulldown machine. If you are aiming to open a small CrossFit gym this is the way to go. This also shows you that Rogue still has to work on optimizing their costs on building machines. The upshot is that you will get a machine that is fully made in the US. If you work for the government this might even be a requirement for purchase. 
 

Conclusion

The Rogue Monster lat pull down is a very solid machine for your gym. If you do not want to compromise and attract the biggest and best athletes to your gym, this is the one to go for.