Rogue RM6 rack vs TITAN functional trainer

This is a comparison between the Rogue RM6 rack and the TITAN functional trainer including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN Functional trainer $1.999

This is an overview of the TITAN functional trainer including pros, cons and alternatives. This article with originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.

Overview of the TITAN Functional trainer

The TITAN functional trainer is an all in one training solution for the home. It can also be used in commercial spaces which want to offer a maximum variety of resistance training on a small footprint. The design uses two vertical plate towers which range from 10lbs to 200lbs. The weight is moved by pulleys which can be adjusted in height separately. This makes the TITAN functional trainer a versatile machine, especially when your main training goals are toning and definition. It is not a replacement for free weight training, especially when you are aiming to build big muscles and compete in power lifting and strongman. Here the functional trainer can be a good central space in your gym for most of your accessory movements to train all of the minor muscle groups and areas which are otherwise easily left out. The full specifications of the TITAN functional trainer are:

- Comprehensive pulley options including lat, row, and pulldown

- Comes with tons of accessory options right out of the box

- Tough steel construction will last for years to come

- Sleek black and silver design

- Titan Fitness faceplate included

- Overall Height: 82-in.

- Overall Width: 64-in.

- Overall Depth: 44-in.

- Long Bar Length: 49-in.

- Short Bar Length: 15.5-in.

- Pulley Grip Length: 4.5-in.

- Pulley Ratio: 2:1

- Product Weight: 672 lb.

This is a good option when you and your family are the only ones training on the machine. It is also good when most of your clients are working out for leisure and rehabilitation. In a power gym or other facility where serious athletes who want to win medals train, this will be not the main training station but one where they go to for accessory rehab or work through specific weak points in their physique.

Pros of the TITAN functional trainer

The pros of the TITAN functional trainer are:

Price
Size
Full range of equipment
Versatility

As with all TITAN fitness products the price point of the functional trainer is very competitive. Functional trainers like this come in many forms and shapes ranging from $1000 to $5000. On the higher end you usually find more technological gadgets in the machine itself to track your fitness levels and workouts. The same goes for the mechanics which become more comprehensive the more you pay. I personally used most of them and a simple machine will almost always give you the same results as a complex machine will. Therefore the main reason to buy something in the higher price class is the design which might fit your high end home better than the rough and ready basement look of this machine. At the lower end you will find the machines you can buy via Amazon. Often these are produced in China or are independent companies that run fitness month / week like TESCO or Walmart. While these are cheaper, they usually have less warranty and no customer service when something goes wrong. If you buy a functional trainer like this used, you usually need to touch up the pulley and / or cables. This places the TITAN functional trainer in the middle, ticking all of the boxes at a reasonable price while delivering customer support and warranty.

For a fully functioning gym including multiple directions of work this machine is quite small. If you are a hotel, local sports club or leisure center that wants to offer their clients some extra fitness, this is a great option. If you have a home gym in your two car garage, basement or attic this can also be a good use of your space. There are some designs which are more space efficient, but they often do not address both arms or legs at the same time.

Another great add on is that this machine comes pre-packaged with a range of handles and pulleys. If you buy these separately you can easily end up with another $500 out of your pocket as these range from $20 - $50, sometimes even $100 a piece. It is also practical that these items ship together and you can get started right away after assembly.

A big bonus of this machine is that you can simulate almost any resistance exercise you will find in most fitness books with this. There is nothing you can really not simulate. Whether a pulley is always the best form of resistance for your training goals is another question. For having everything in one place it is versatile and has everything you need.

Cons of the TITAN functional trainer

Plate stacks and pulley
Price
Space requirements
Leg exercises
2:1 ratio

Generally speaking plate stacks and pulley are prone to break. This is not just true for TITAN functional trainer, but for any kind of plate stack machine. One major error area are the holes and the pins. The pins can get easily get lost or broken. The holes can be misaligned on production and not run smooth. The same goes for the pulley mechanics. There is a lot that can break in any pulley mechanic and it need mores attention than simple free weights. As you are buying this item from a vendor who needs to cut corners to stay competitive in price and makes no secret about that low price is their strategy, you are entering a risk area. If you are good at DIY, unscrewing and oiling things, this is not a big issue. But if you are not a handyman some breakage in the machine usually means that it will not be revived or at least not used for months on end. You will not run into this problem with kettlebells, dumbbells and barbells.

While the price is great value for money for a fully functioning gym with all the bells and whistles, $2000 is still a lot of money if you compare it to a yoga mat and some little free weights. If you do not want to define and shape yourself to the highest standards and only lose weight, a yoga mat, a good pair of runners and kettlebells will often do. This can be had for $500 and you will get some of the best shoes, kettlebells and yoga mats within this budget.

The TITAN functional trainer is a great use of your space if you compare it to a full gym with 10 - 20 different machines. You might need be able to go as high in weight on each single exercise compared to a dedicated, but this is more than made up for the space you save. Compared to a pair of kettlebells and shoes, which can be stored under a bed or in a closet, you will need a dedicated corner somewhere in your house, where this rack lives.

Functional trainers biggest weakness is the amount of resistance you can put on your legs and the TITAN functional trainer is no exception. Even though it is advertised to be used for front squats and lunges, the setup with the pulleys is usually terrible. Heavy squats, deadlifts and bench presses can not be simulated on a machine like this. The same goes for heavy dumbbells work. If you want to become the next superstar lineman or rugby player this machine will not be enough for your home gym.

The last challenge with pulleys is that the weight you put on it usually does not translate 1 to 1 to resistance. In this case it is a 2:1 ration so if you go full stack on this machine you will be effectively training with 100lbs per rep on each pulley. Currently the gold standard for 1 to 1 weight transition has been set by the Rogue Rhino, if the reviews are to be believed.

Alternatives to the TITAN functional trainer

The TITAN plate loaded functional trainer only costs around $700 and saves you $1300 to effectively offer a very similar training experience. If you are building a gym for yourself and also get a rack, barbell and weights, this is a strong option to consider. Especially if you are young and fit and do not mind to o an occasional repair on the pulleys. If you already have plates or consider to outfit an entire garage I would save the money and go for the plate loaded option. I would not recommend the plate loaded version for a commercial setting or in a home where multiple generations will use the functional trainer.

If you are buying for your home gym and you do not have the space for a functional trainer and a rack you might want to consider getting a rack instead. For $2000 it is possible to source a rack, barbell, and plates from TITAN. You will also be able to get the better variations on the items . If you train mainly heavy in the gym and have to decide between a rack or a functional trainer, you might want to build a metal den instead.

If your main interest is to look pretty and get toned, you might consider the outdoor power tower. You do not need to give up any space in your home and will still get results. It is amazing what you can achieve with calisthenics and the Titan Outdoor power tower delivers all the basics for this form of training at about $400.

Conclusion for the TITAN functional trainer

The TITAN functional trainer is a great option for the home, if you train regularly with resistance to support your main sport. This sport might be track and field, martial arts or soccer. If you are mainly into bodybuilding, powerlifting or heavy impact sports like football & rugby you will need some free weights in addition to complete your training schedule in your home. If you run a spa, hotel or retirement home, this can also be a good option. If you need a high polished design to match the rest of your interior to impress your affluent you might want to invest around $4.000 to $5.000 in a similar machine which comes with an in built instructor, screen and looks better. Might even save you on staff cost. If you own a gym full of Jarheads who lift heavy, grunt and like to throw stuff, you need a sturdier machine like the Rogue lat pull machine. I personally managed to break two of these functional trainers in gyms and I am not even that big.

Overview and review of the Rogue RM6 rack

The video above summarises my personal opinion for purchasing a RM6 for a home gym. If you want to just lean back and get information, watch it and then dig into the details below. In the following paragraphs you will find details on dimensions and alternative choices. I invite you to leave a comment on Youtube if you have direct questions.

Price: 2.000 - 2.640

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 RM6 rack will either be the pride and joy of your home gym or the impressive addition to your gym for the most ambitious lifters. See the details in this article.

What else to consider from Rogue

Overview of the Rogue RM6

The RM6 is the flagship rack of Rogue. If you buy a 24' Monster Rig in the racked configuration you basically buy multiple RM6 with pull up bars in between them. This is the rack for serious home warriors or small gyms who do not want to compromise.

The RM6 has a length of 76'' and width of 49''. You can get the rack in three different heights ranging from 90'' through 100'' to 108''. The Footprint comes in at 80'' x 53''. The new keyhole design also makes it easier for you to fit smaller attachments into the Monster series. You can choose from the following colors for the RM6:

Bright blue
Bright Green
Burnt Orange
Dark Blue
Dark Red
Gun Metal
Light Gray
Rogue Red
White
Satin Clear
Satin Black (Standard)

All of these options come in a medium gloss powder coat. Above this, you have many options to customize the top crossmembers, safeties and J Cups. The better the options you pick the higher the price. If you go for all the finest it drives the price to 2.640$. Then you have the fanciest pull-up bars, flip down safeties and J cups that money can buy from Rogue.

How many clients should the RM6 bring you?

If you think that the RM6 will bring you 7 -9 new clients who pay you 50$ on a 1-year retainer it is worth the investment. This will yield 4.000$ - 5.400$ net new revenue against an investment of 2.000$ - 2.600$. Adjust the numbers for your own gym accordingly.

Pros of the Rogue RM6

This rack gives you a full and a half rack in one go. With this, you can train more athletes at the same time. If you do not want to train multiple athletes on the same rack, you can use the half rack for storage. Another option is to install a Rhino belt squat Drop in at the back of this rack. This can be a very powerful configuration to attract powerlifters to your gym.

Cons of the Rogue RM6

A lot of people will argue that this rack is completely overbuilt. The little sisters of the Rogue line, Echo, Infinity and Monster lite bear this reputation. You can definitely save a lot of money by going with other options. It depends on your needs. For myself, I only want the best to be the best. No one in the market argues that Rogue products are built to last, only price is a concern.

Alternatives to the Rogue RM6

Based on this budget here are some alternatives you might want to consider to the RM6:

1x RM4 1.300$ to 2.000$

If you do not know exactly how you are going to use the half rack at the back of the RM6 you are better of going with an RM4. Ask yourself whether your gym already has enough storage options for plates and whether your clients will use a half rack. Often the answer is that you already have enough storage and clients do not like to use half racks. Same goes for basement and garage gyms. You can use the saved space for something else. The only disadvantage of this option is that you can not install a Rhino belt squat in the back of the rack. You can remedy this by buying a racked Rhino version at a later stage.

1. RML-690C 1.750$ - 2.350$

The RML is the Monster Lite version of the RM6. It gives you the same space and storage options with less sturdy beams. This is more than enough for most applications. If you want to save money and still have a very sturdy rack, this is the option with extra storage and a half rack at the back.

Conclusion

The RM6 is one of the most overbuilt and yet impressive racks you can get in the market. When you get this you know that you did yourself and your clients proud. Even the biggest athletes will not be able to make this rack rattle.