Rogue Rhino Belt Squat vs Squat MAX MD

This is a comparison between the Rogue Rhino belt squat and Squat Max MD including pros, cons, and alternatives. The Original was published in which accessory equipment to get for your rogue rack. Follow the links for details

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Overview and review Squat Max MD

The Squat Max MD comes in at $950 and is a great addition to your existing rack to widen the possible exercises you can do. This article was originally published in "which accessory equipment to get for your rogue rack".

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Squat Max MD

The squat max MD is a Hip belt squat setup which can be attached to your rack. The main benefits of hip belt squats are rehab and simulation of certain exercises. If you have athletes with shoulder injuries which keep them from barbell squatting this is an alternative. It also helps with decompressing the lower back when athletes are challenged with lower back problems.

The specs of the squat max MD are:

Made in the USA
Black
160LB
Length 44.75”
Width 29”
Platform height 18” - 24”
Rogue multi belt
Narrow stance plate

Compared to other pulley systems this is free weight and therefore has a more direct transition of the weight to the athlete.

Pros of the Squat Max MD

The Squat Max MD has a lower cost than most other comparable machines with pulleys or a platform. It is also a safer setup than Boxes combined with a dip belt. I personally also see a good application for Strongman athletes as the Squat max closer simulates Strongman events than a pulley solution. The narrow stance plate is a nice addition to vary your training.

Cons of the Squat Max MD

An elevated platform means trip hazards and higher injury risk. You have to get on and off the platform and in case of a malfunction you fall off the platform. Compared to the Rhino Belt machine I can also imagine that the Squat max MD is more prone to break if you bang it around too much.

Alternatives to the Squat Max MD

Alternatives to the squat Max MD are

Rhino belt squat
Boxes and a hip belt

In my opinion, the Rhino belt squat is currently the best option in the market for any kind of hip belt work. It is secure, allows for many setups and is easy to get in and out off. The only downside is that the weight will not be central below the lifter which for some training scenarios might be preferred. Still, I think that is rather the exception than the rule. The downside of the Rhino is the price tag. If you are mucky and already own an RM6 rack you can go for the Drop-In option which is roughly $500 more than the Squat max. If you need to get the standalone version we are taking twice the price of the Squat max.

If you already have boxes, a hip belt, and plates you can build your own hip belt squat. Stack the boxes to the desired height. Attach the plates to yourself with a hip belt. Work away. While most gyms have the necessary equipment this setup has two major disadvantages. It is almost impossible to do this reasonable by yourself so you need a coach to help you in and out of the setup. The setup is as makeshift as they come. The good news is that you have to invest exactly zero additional dollars if you already have the equipment. The bad news is that you are creating a health and safety hazard that probably won’t hold in a court case, but check with your insurance and lawyers.

Summary for the Squat Max MD

The squat max MD is a low budget option for a safe hip belt squat. Especially when you already have a Rogue rack.

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:

1x Rogue Monster Rhino Belt Drop-in @ 1595USD

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.

1x Rhino Belt squat Stand alone @ 1.750$

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.

1x Rogue wood Jerk Block 48 Set @ 1045.10$
1x Rogue Multi belt @90 USD

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.