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Rogue monster lite pull up spheres vs cannonball grips

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Sep 24, 2020 4:00:00 PM

Rogue monster lite pull up spheres vs cannonball grips

This is a comparison between the Rogue monster lite pull up spheres and the cannonball grips including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

 

Overview and review of the Rogue cannonball grips

This is an overview of the Rogue Cannonball grips including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the Rogue cannonball grips

Price $47.25 - $67.50 
 
The Rogue cannonball grips are a great tool to develop better grip strength. They are versatile and can be attached to a rack, kettlebell, dumbbell, or barbell. They come with a 3" diameter and in black or tan color. You can opt to get a carabiner and strap set with it or just the balls themselves. The full specifications are:
 
  • 3" diameter spheres with signature Rogue powder coat
  • 1/4” thick steel tab with a hole to mount to a carabiner
  • Length: 12" strap
These are a must for any gym that is serious about strength. Versatile, cheap, and fun to use.
 

Pros of the Rogue cannonball grips

 
The pros of the Rogue cannonball grips are:
 
  • Versatile
  • Cheap
  • Fun
I am personally a huge fan of the cannonball grips as they are good for beginners but can also be used by pros in as many setups as you can come up with. By having less and less of your hand and fingers touch the cannonballs while doing your exercises you can modulate how hard this exercise becomes. Look beyond just gripping the ball in full and you will have a training tool for life for as cheap as a big feast at the fast-food chain of your choice.  
 

 Cons of the Rogue cannonball grips

 
 
  • Set up 
  • Organic weight lift
  • Easy to lose parts
As these need to be set up with straps and a carabiner this is not for everyone. The weights can sometimes hang awkwardly from the balls, depending on how symmetrical the load is. Some people will welcome this as an additional challenge while others will smash in their chins. In addition to that, the parts can be easily lost, especially when people do not take care. If you want to offer grip training without these hassles, the rack attached spheres are a better option.
 

Alternatives to the Rogue cannonball grips

 
Alternatives to the Cannonball grips are:
 
The Rack mounted spheres are a little more expensive and work with the Monster lite and Infinity series of Rogue. These spheres will be stable and also will not get lost. If you want a stationary setup for grip training with spheres, this is the better option, as long as you have something to attach them to.
 
The crown pull up bar is the king attachment for straight pull-ups. If you are all about improving your straight pull-ups with different grips, this attachment for the monster lite or monster rack has it all. It comes in at $225 and is a great piece of equipment for a home gym to cover all the bases. The only downside is that it is not great for kipping pull-ups.
 
If you are into climbing and consider the cannonballs for this purpose you might be better off with the wall climbing cross-member for $85. You get a lot more grip variations than with the cannonballs for just a little more money. The downside is that they can not be attached to other weights. 
 
The pinch blocks and the grandfather clock grip attachments can be seen as separate purchases. The grandfather clock is a little easier while the pinch blocks are a lot harder. I see them as one set. If you consider the cannonballs you want to get a better grip. Then you can get a great system with the pinch block, grandfather clock, and cannonball attachment. Of course, that pushes the price tag to $300 - $500 depending on what combination of loading pins and attachment you get. Worth it. Just pay attention to detail with the straps when your order. 
 

Conclusion for the Rogue cannonball grips

 
The cannonball grips are a must-have for anyone who wants to get a great grip. Home gym owners can start with this for all kind of carries and pull-ups. Commercial gym owners will find that the cannonballs are the most accessible tool for beginners to get into grip strength training. The grandfather clock grips can be too slippy and not everyone likes using chalk. Captains of Crush grippers can be harsh on the hands and too challenging. 
 

Overview and review of the Rogue monster lite pull up spheres

This is an overview of the Rogue Monster pull up spheres including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the Rogue monster lite pull up spheres 

Price: $57.50
 
The rogue monster pull up spheres are compatible with the monster lite and I do its racks and rigs from Rogue. You can combine several spheres on a rig to create a nice climbing Parcours or attach them to your rack to train your grip. The spheres are available in two sizes for progression. The full specifications of the spheres are: 
 
  • Made in America
  • Diameter options: 5"
  • Sold in Pairs
  • 9-gauge Steel Construction with Black Powdercoat
  • Compatible with standard RML-3, RML-4, RML-6 Power Racks and Monster Lite Rigs with XML-70 Beam or 43" Monster Lite crossmembers
  • Thread optimized for 3" depth tubing of a crossmember/upright with 0.625" diameter holes
  • For safety reasons, any rack should be securely fastened to the ground before using Pull-Up Spheres
This is a little extra, especially in a facility with a long rig to switch things around a little. 
 

Pros of the rogue monster lite pull up spheres 

 
The pros of the rogue monster lite pull up spheres are: 
 
  • Cheap 
  • Compact 
  • Nice switch up 
 
The monster lite spheres are relatively cheap for Rogue equipment. At $50 you get a nice pair which will do you or your clients a great service for getting a better grip. They are easy to install and can be lit in different places, especially in a big rig or daisy-chained racks. They are also a nice alternative to a regular pull up bar. 
 

Cons of the rogue monster lite pull up spheres 

 
Cons of the rogue monster lite spheres are: 
 
  • Need to be attached to a rack 
  • Not compatible with monster series 
 
Compared to other grip strength options the spheres only work in conjunction with a rack. That makes their use cases limited compared to the very similar cannonball grips. You can also not use them with the rogue monster series which is currently taking over the Rogue Production lines. 
 

Alternatives to the rogue monster lite pull up spheres 

 
Alternatives to the rogue monster lite pull up spheres are: 
 
 
The crown pull up bar comes in at $225-$255 depending on your type of rack. With this, you get two different sized spheres and all the straight pull up setups you can think of. The only downsides are the price and that it is not great for kipping pull-ups. This is a great option for any home gym owner to make the most of their space. 
 
The cannonball grips are al ist the same idea as the spheres with the bonus that they can also be attached to barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells. If you are more thinking about your grip strength than developing a better pull up, these might be the more versatile option with a very similar outcome. You will also not need to have a rack to attach them to.
 
The rogue climbing crossmember comes in at $85 and can be attached to the monster ted lite or monster series of Rogue. If you wanted to provide climbing options for your existing rig, this is the better option than the spheres. You pay minimally more and get many more grip options. For home gyms this probably the inferior choice as they usually lack the width or height to make the climbing crossmember fun. 
 

Conclusion for the rogue monster lite pull up spheres 

 
The pull up spheres are a nice addition in a corner of a big rig where you do not know what else to do to make it a little more exciting. They are also a good option when you want something a little wider in diameter than the cannonball grips. Otherwise, a crown pull up bar and/ cannonball might be the better investment for a home gym and the climbing crossmember for a commercial gym.