Rogue Monster Lite Rig 2.0 vs TITAN belt squat machine
This is a comparison between the Rogue Monster Lite rig and the TITAN belt squat machine including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the TITAN belt squat machine $599
This is an overview of the TITAN belt squat 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.
Overview of the TITAN Belt squat machine
The TITAN belt squat machine is simple in its design and effective. You will get a metal frame that you can hook plates and a belt up to to squat away. No fuss, just simple execution. Belt squat machines are a great option for anyone who wants to build strong legs without risking a lower back or shoulder injury. High workloads on heavy barbell squats can lead to pain in the shoulders and lower back as you have to carry the weight. With a belt squat machine you do not have this problem and can train the glutes to failure before your lower back or shoulders fail you. All of this is delivered at a great price compared to other machines in the market which do the same. The full list of features includes:
- Build lower body explosion without stress on your shoulders, spine, and lower back
- (3) weight stopper positions to adjust how deep you squat
- (4) additional weight posts for storage and to counterbalance increasing stability for heavy lifts
- Diamond plated aluminum footplate for superb grip and sleek look
- Heavy-duty steel construction to handle anything you can throw at it
- Includes a weight belt for further back support
- Floor Space Required: 7 FT 6-in Wide x 5 FT Deep
- Overall Width: 83-in.
- Overall Depth: 52-in.
- Overall Height: 38.5-in.
- Footplate Dimensions: 49-in x 24-in.
- Weight Post Length: 16.5-in.
- Storage Weight Post Length: 9.75-in.
- Weight Post Diameter: 1.9-in.
- Inside Lifting Width: 42-in.
- Weight Capacity: 1,000 lb.
- Product Weight: 232 lb.
Pros of the TITAN Belt squat machine
Pros of the TITAN belt squat machine are:
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Price
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Simple design
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High load capacity
As with all TITAN products the price of the TITAN belt squat is very attractive compared to the competition. Comparable products are usually closer to $1000 or even beyond.
The simple design with a metal stop that is adjustable in height makes this a sturdy machine that anyone can use. No complex pulleys or climbing on a high platform. Load the plates, click in the belt and put it on and off you go. Big legs in no time.
This machine scales up to 1.000 pounds which is more than enough for most athletes to get to where they want to go.
Cons of the TITAN Belt squat machine
The cons of the belt squat machine are:
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Space requirements
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Weight placement
The TITAN belt squat is quite wide and also adds on with the plate storage in the back. You can not fit this machine into a rack and save some space. It needs a dedicated space and therefore might not be a great option for home gyms.
With this model the weight is around you rather than beneath or in front of you. This creates an effect similar to a trap bar which is not simulating the real world of a barbell squat or sumo deadlift to the same extent. This can be fixed by adding extra weight but has a different feel about it than the rhino from Rogue.
Alternatives to the TITAN belt squat machine
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Rogue Leg press machine
The TITAN belt squat machine is not the first item you should get for your home gym. It is an accessory and tread it as such. If you do not have a rack and barbell yet, start there and build your gym around this center piece. With the X3 range you can start around $200 to $300 for a rack and add a barbell and some small plates to your shopping cart.
Another alternative is the TITAN hack squat and leg press machine. This machine provides a two in and one and can be loaded with a considerable amount of weight. Generally speaking I would recommend the belt squat more to powerlifters and weightlifters, while the leg press might be a better option for bodybuilders. Of course, all of the above is always the best option for building the perfect physique, but you might not have the money or space to pull that off.
The TITAN smith machine can be a good option if you desperately want to do lunges in a machine. I personally think that smith machines are a waste of space, money and time but most commercial gyms have one so yu might want to get one just to compete.
The Rogue Rhino is the current gold standard in the industry for belt squats. This machine can be fitted into the space of a rack and works with one of the best pulley systems in the business. If you intend to do a lot of belt squats and only want to offer the best experience, this is the one to get. The main differecne to the TITAN model is that the load is not positioned around you, but in front of you. This minimizes the support the metal frame gives you for the lift and simulates barbell work closer than the TITAN belt squat. Both will blow up your legs without wrecking your lower back as much as a barbell though. The gold standard also comes at a gold price of $1.750.
The last machine you might want to consider when you are looking at a belt squat is the Rogue leg press machine. This is probably the biggest machine I have seen in a gym and it costs around $4000. In return you get the mechanics to operate your legs separately and one of the smoothest finishes I have seen on a leg press.
Conclusion for the TITAN belt squat machine
The TITAN belt squat machine is not sophisticated, but gets the job done. If you want a belt squat for your home gym and have the space, get one. I think this is especially a better idea than a deadlift platform. With a bit of practive you can do your deadlifts on your rack. Wherever you would have placed your deadlift platform you can put the belt squat instead.
Overview and review of the Rogue Monster Lite Rig 2.0
Price: 1.795$ - 5.095$
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 lite rig is a good start to your home gym or commercial gym targeted at the general public. See the details in this article.
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Overview of the Rogue Monster lite rig
The Monster Lite Rig is the little brother of the Monster Rig. The main difference is that the bolts and holes which are used to attach equipment are smaller. Monster lite uses the same 4'-6'-4' pattern as the Monster series. You will get 3x3'' 11-Gauge steel uprights for a solid base to built your gym around.
With the 2.0 upgrade, you are now able to choose different colors for your rig. Rogue also worked on the overall stability of their rigs compared to earlier models including different beams. The double pull up bars have been swapped for single pull up bars to make muscle ups easier to perform. The main ideas of the rigs are that you customize them in many different ways to your personal needs. You will get to choose from three different editions which are:
- Base 2.0 Edition
- Standard 2.0 Edition
- Racked 2.0 edition
which are increasing in price as more material is used in each of these versions.
The base 2.0 edition comes with double pull up bars at the top for stability and to do pull-ups. This version is the most cost-efficient and leaves the most room around the beams to allow free movement. If you are on a budget and do a lot of cardio drills which are mixed with weightlifting and pull-ups. This is great for a gym with members who do are not much interested in powerlifting and whose fitness levels are not very high. The downsides of the base edition are less stability compared to other versions and obstructions when you want to do muscle ups. You also have fewer options to upgrade in the feature as the top beams do not provide holes to attach additional equipment too.
The standard edition mainly changes the top part of your rig. The double pull-up bars are swapped for beams. This frees up space for muscle ups along the rig, gives it more stability and options to attach extra equipment at the top of the rig. Examples can be climbing ropes and the Rogue climbing boards. You still keep the option to move freely around at the bottom. This is the right choice for gyms that have a bit more budget, want more upgrade possibilities while still being able to move around freely. If your members are gradually getting fitter you also might consider changing a base model to standard model.
The racked edition gives you the most amount of metal for the Monster Lite rig. You will create half racks at the back of each squat/bench station. This also provides more options for storage and more stability to the entire rig. If you have a lot of big football players around who move heavy weight and do little to no pull-ups or running around in the gym, this is the configuration to get. The downside of the racked edition is that any kind of running inside the rig for circuit training is not possible. You will also have a harder time to maximize the number of people doing pull-ups in parallel.
The Rig is available in 10', 14', 20', and 24' from Rogue. It can be prolonged to whichever length you want based on your available space. The combination of the edition and length will determine the price. The longer the Rig and the more material is used, the higher the price tag will be. With these various lengths you can create the following stations for your gym:
- 10'
- 2 Squat/Bench stations
- 5 pull up stations
- 14'
- 4 Squat/Bench stations
- 6 Pull up stations
- 20'
- 4 Squat/Bench stations
- 9 Pull up stations
- 24'
- 6 Squat/Bench stations
- 10 pull up stations
Take some time to think about what you are planning in advance.
- How many clients should the Monster lite Rig bring you
If you think that the Monster lite Rig will bring you 6 -17 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 3590$ - 10.190$ net new revenue against an investment of 1.795 - 5095$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.
Pros of the Rogue Monster Lite Rig
The monster lite rig gives you the freedom to play with many different configurations. It also comes in at a lower price than the Monster series Rig which can help if you want to save costs. Most of the accessories for rigs also cost slightly less in the Monster Lite version than the monster version. It will be easier to transport and disassemble than the Monster rig if you have to that often.
Cons of the Rogue Monster lite Rig
The Monster Lite rig is not compatible with all Rogue equipment. As Rogue is pushing into the machines space now expect that most of the heavy machinery will be only or firstly available for the more stable monster construction. Also, some of the accessories you can get for the Monster series might not be available. If you exactly know what your gym should look like and you will have no needs for future upgrades, go for Monster Lite to optimize your price. If you are unsure how your gym and client base will develop, go with Monster to leave you with more options.
Alternatives to the Monster lite series
- 1x Monster Rig low end @ 1845$
- Base edition
- Rig length of 10'
You get the same rig, just a bit more sturdy and with more upgrade options for the future. I am always a fan of overengineering when possible. Especially when you do not buy a long rig this upgrade makes sense as you only spend about 100$ more. The longer the rig gets, the more it hurts your purse to go for Monster.
- 1x Monster Rig High End @ 6.095$
This is the maximum you can go to on the Monster Rig. As you can see the difference in price between the maximum config for Monster Lite and Monster is 1.000$. Pay special attention to these economies of scale when you are outfitting a very big gym. You also might want to consider buying separate RM6 racks instead of a Rig, when you already see a need for so many heavy duty squat/bench stations. That leaves you with more options to utilize your space as you are probably not going to run around a lot in this config anyway.
- 1x RM6 @ 2.000$
The rogue RM 6 might be an alternative for home gym owner. Think about how likely it will actually be that all of the family will train at the same time in the garage or basement gym. It is probably a lot less than you think. In this case, it might be a better alternative to get an RM6 instead of a 14' Rig to accommodate the needs of your family. If you run your personal trainer business from home ask your self how many clients will you have at the same time and what are their needs. You can get up to three people on an RM6 to train in parallel and save some depth in your basement.
Conclusion
The Rogue Monster lite Rig is still a very sturdy build, even though it has a bigger brother with the Monster Series. When you want to build a very long rig this might be the better option than the Monster series. This is the go to option for mere mortals who do not weigh 140kg and deadlift 900 pounds.