Rogue Monster Rhino Belt Squat vs TITAN plate loadable functional trainer
This is a comparison of the Rogue Monster Rhino belt squat and the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer $749
This is an overview of the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer 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 for the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer
The
TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is a great budget option to get a multi directional
functional trainer into your home. Especially if you have already a
rack and
barbell setup at home and just not to reuse the
plates for this machine.
Functional trainers are great to pack a lot of exercises in one space. With this machine from TITAN you can get in your rows, vertical pulls,
flyes, and even use it for deadlifts and squats. All the needed handles and accessories are included in the shipping. The full list of features includes:
- Comprehensive pulley options including lat, row, and pulldown
- Two 9 1/4” Olympic plate sleeves
- Tough steel design will last for years to come
- Pull-up bar installed at the top
- Sleek black and silver design
- Titan Fitness faceplate included
- Max user load: 390 LB
- Overall Footprint: 61” Width x 53” Depth
- Loadable Sleeve Length: 9 1/4”
- Overall height: 81”
- Side handle length: 5”
- Side handle diameter: 1”
- Row handle length: 14 1/4”
- Row grip length: 5” (each)
- Row handle diameter: 1”
- Lat pulldown handle length: 37 1/2”
- Lat pulldown grip length: 5”
- Lat pulldown handle diameter: 1”
This is a great budget option for a functional trainer for home gym use. In a commercial setting there might be too many moving parts.
Pros of the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer
The best thing about the
TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is the low price.
Functional trainers can cost up to $5000 depending on the make, quality, and mechanics used. With this you can have an entire gym in your basement for $700 assuming you already own
plates. If you do not a set of TITAN
plates can be had for $375. TITAN is already budget orientated as a manufacturer and this is a budget design. If you are strapped for cash, this is a good investment.
The pulley system on this
functional trainer works in many directions. You can pull up, down, and also use the machine for horizontal pulls. You get everything you need to build muscle and build an attractive physique. It goes above and beyond home trainers that only use your body weight as you can use the
plates to continuously get stronger.
If you look at how many exercises you can do in small space, this machine is also great. It takes up the same space as a
leg press machine, but you can do so many more exercises on it. This makes it a good choice for rehab centers, yoga instructors and other lifestyle and health out fits that want to add some gentle strength training to their services.
Cons of the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer
-
Plate loaded
-
Makeshift
-
Many moving parts
The fact that the
plate loaded functional trainer is
plate loaded makes it cheaper, but also means that you have to have
plates and storage for them first. Also handling the
plates can be a pain, as you need to fit them onto the pins and get them off. If you like to "run the rack" in your exercises, this machine is more of a pain than a gain. The many
plates can also be a hindrance when you are working with a client and create a trip hazard.
The hole construction has a bit of a makeshift feel about it. This is often the case when the exercise machine is majorly a combination of pulley which have been connected on a frame. That is the entire idea of this machine, but it doesn't make it something that I want to use on a regular basis. If you are not strapped for cash, you might want to opt for the
functional trainer from TITAN that includes to weight stacks. If your commercial gym wants to convey a slick and hip image to your clients this might also not be the right choice. This model screams iron den.
The many moving parts also make the assembly of the
TITAN plate loaded functional trainer complex. TITA is known for bad manuals and occasional missing out in small parts in the shipping. If you are missing a small part in your shipment it is next to impossible to source it separately from the vendor. You will either end up with more big parts to just get one small part or at your local DIY store.
Alternatives to the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer
The
TITAN functional trainer is the big brother of the
plate loaded functional trainer. It ships with two 200lbs weight stacks. While these can have their own challenges, this is the cleaner and more stable installation once it is set up. If you buy a
functional trainer as an addition to a health/spa or yoga gym, this is the better choice. This is also the better choice in a gym with high footfall as it creates fewer opportunities to break the machine while loading the
plates. The only disadvantage is that you have to fork out about $1300 more to get this version of the
functional trainer.
The
TITAN lat tower is a great addition to any home gym that means business. Usually you will already have a couple of
kettlebells,
dumbbells, and a
rack with
plates and a
barbell before considering this. As a second purchase to add a sizable machine to your home gym the
lat tower is a better choice than the
plate load able functional trainer. The quality of the pulleys is better, you can load it with up to 300lbs, and it will provide a weight stack to your for a different form of training for you.
The
TITAN hack squat leg press is also slightly more expensive, but provides a good focus on your legs. If you have the space and prefer dedicated machines over multi functional machines in your training, than you can consider the hack squat
leg press machine as a 2 in 1 for your home gym. For commercial gyms this is not necessarily the best option as 2 for 1 always means you need more instructions for the machine or higher injury risk due to using it incorrectly.
Conclusion for the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer
The
TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is a great solution for a dorm basement where everyone chips in. Especially if there are already some
plates available. If you are building a garage gym in your home and you have the spare change I would lean more towards the
TITAN functional trainer or the
lat tower as an addition to your already existing
rack or as a training station for the entire family.
Overview and review of the Rogue Monster Rhino Belt Squat
Price: 2.750
his review was originally posted in the longer article "Which strength equipment to buy from rogue" in which you can read about 25 products of Rogue which cost more than 1.000$. The Rogue Monster Rhino Squat belt will create big quads in your gym and keep older athletes healthier. See the details in this article.
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the Rhino belt Squat
The
Rhino Belt squat machine is one of the latest additions to the big machine line up of Rogue. The version including a
rack delivers a
half rack including the
Rhino setup to your home. It comes in Rogue black with a length of 51.5'', width of 49'' and height of 100.375''. The unloaded trolley weight is 27.5lb.
Squat belt machines are popular to get more leg work in while putting less stress on the lower back. Especially older athletes tend to get upper body injuries or ailments in the lower back. To take away a bit of the strain created by the
barbell back squat or front squat you can supplement with
Belt squats.
The
Rhino includes the newest pulley system designed by Rogue,
which seem to be living up to the hype. You will get a very versatile machine for this price. This configuration also includes
J cups to be ready to go for squatting inside or outside this
half rack.
Pros of the Rhino belt Squat
This is a
well-built machine which will give you the best pulley system of Rogue to date. If you want to build a home gym that does not take up a lot of space and also allows to train without a
barbell, the
Rhino Belt Squat hits the spot. You get 2 weight posts with 15.75'' loading capacity on each side. The belt can also be used for dips and other exercises.
Cons of the Rhino Belt Squat
This is a
machine that is mainly targeted at clients and athletes who want to lift heavy and can not use a
barbell to do this. Especially powerlifters will like this machine. If your clients are not powerlifters, injured often or just simply do not move heavy weights you might be better off investing your money in
equipment that covers their needs better.
How many clients should the Rhino belt squat bring you?
If you think that the
Rhino Belt with Rack 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 2.750$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.
Alternatives to the Rhino belt Squat
There are a couple of alternatives to the
Rhino Belt squat from the Rogue Portfolio. These are:
This version saves you a bit of money and even more important than that, floor space. If you already own one or multiple
RM6 racks you should seriously consider this upgrade for your gym. Especially when almost no one is using the
half racks at the back. This is also a great option for home gym owners who are a bit older or get injured often who want to have a backup plan to
barbell squats, without losing too much footprint.
The
squat Standalone version is the right option if you already own one or more racks and have plenty of floor space to fill. This saves you about 1.000$
which you can invest in other
equipment like
barbells and
plates.
This would be the most cost-efficient and versatile option. The jerk blocks can be set up for a belt squat so that the athlete stands on the blocks. You can use the dip belt to attach the weight. This setup usually requires a second person to help out. Otherwise, you have to climb the boxes with the weight attached or do some other wild acrobatics. The pros of this package are that the blocks can also be used for deadlift block pulls, jerk training and even as storage.
Conclusion
The Rhino Belt squat is especially a good investment if your gym is very powerlifting or rehabilitation focused. With this machine you can still train heavy while giving big athlete's lower backs a rest. In case of injuries the belt squat machine can be used to securely progress back to barbell work while not compromising intensity of the workouts.