Rogue stainless lat bar vs Pinch blocks
This is a comparison between the Rogue stainless lat bar and the pinch blocks 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 pinch blocks
This is an overview of the Rogue pinch blocks including pros, cons, and alternatives. It was published first under which grip strength tool to get from Rogue. Follow the links for more details.
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Overview of the Rogue pinch blocks
Price: $49-$62.50
The
Rogue Pinch blocks are simple but effective. They come in three different sizes, 3x3,2x3, and 1.5x4. The thinner the block, the harder it is to hold onto. This is a simple tool that will improve your grip for a long time to come and has many applications. You can hold weights or hand from a
rack as long as possible. As with all rogue products the finish is great and they hold chalk well.
Pros of the Rogue pinch blocks
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Cheap
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versatile
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Hardcore
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Easy on the hands
The
pinch blocks are relatively cheap and have a big impact on your grip strength. They are easy to use, as long as you know your way around a carabiner and a strap. Compared to other hardcore training tools for your grip, they are easier on the hands and less likely to rip your calluses and skin on the fingers.
Cons of the Rogue Pinch blocks
Pinch grip blocks are challenging and therefore not for beginners. If you consider buying without any prior experience in grip training, be prepared to get frustrated fast. In this case, you might be better off to get a set of low-level
Captain of Crush grippers or the
grandfather clock grips. The setup with a carabiner and strap is also not for everyone as it can be fiddly.
Alternatives to the Rogue pinch blocks
The
cannonball and
grandfather grip have roughly the same price. Both of them are easier for beginners than the
Pinch blocks if you want to progress slowly. I personally see them as a set to be bought together to keep things interesting, but not everyone wants to invest that much money from the start for something they are not sure about.
If you prefer to work with a bar rather than an attachment to a random weight than the
branch and beam are for you. The
branch and beam are bars that have been made fat to be better for grip strength training. They are a good option to train lifts in strongman competitions like lifting wagon wheels or car axles.
Conclusion for the Rogue pinch blocks
The
pinch blocks are a must for anyone serious about strength training. They are a good purchase together with the
cannonball and
grandfather grips. Be aware, that these are the more advanced options and that you will start humbled. With time, your hands will turn into beasts.
Overview and review of the Rogue stainless lat bar
This is an overview of the Rogue stainless lat bar 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 Stainless lat bar
Price: $165
The
Rogue stainless lat bar is made from
stainless steel by the professionals at Rogue who know how to work metal. This lat bar comes standard with the Rogue Monster Lat pulldown machine. If you are buying from Rogues you will most likely already have this bar. The specifications of the
stainless lat bar are:
This is a solid lat bar either as a replacement when some of your existing equipment breaks, or you want to upgrade a bargain you got from the internet on a lat pull machine. As it comes standard with the Rogue machines that it attaches to, it is not often seen by itself in the wild.
Pros of the Rogue Stainless lat bar
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Stainless
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Made in USA
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Good craftmanship
The team at Rogue knows how to work metal and the brand is carried by the reputation that everything they make is overbuilt. The
stainless lat bar is no exception and is an upgrade to most lat bars out there. If you bought a cheap weight stack tower, at least give some proper love to your hands and get a good lat bar.
Cons of the Rogue Stainless lat bar
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Heavy
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Aggressive knurling
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Price
As this is an overbuilt bar some might say that makes it overpriced. I would not belong to that group, as I love overbuilt things, but f you do not care about that you can get a bar like this for a third of the price. As it is
stainless steel this lat bar is also heavier than most other lat bars and has more aggressive knurling. This might not appeal to the general public as well, as one of the mass-produced Chinese lat bars.
Alternatives to the Rogue Stainless lat bar
The
Rogue Multi-grip cable attachment is a massive lat pull that gives you multiple grip variations at a different angle to a straight lat bar. This is especially interesting for big athletes and those training for strongman competitions. It is only $10 more than the
stainless lat bar and worth looking into if you want to buy a second attachment.
The
back widow is a great option if you can afford the $299 and want a very versatile attachment for your lat pull that triples up as a
T-Bar row and deadlift jack. This is a great option for a home gym that wants to save space and still have many options. For a commercial gym, this might not be the best bet, as you can get 5 Rogue Monster grip triangles, or a mix of attachments, for the same price for multiple users.
The
Rogue Monster grip triangle is a good option if you want a little variation and you are happy with your current lat bar. It only costs $60 and is therefore something easy to throw into bigger orders to make it to an even amount. It is also not as massive as the
Multi-grip or pricey as the
back widow.
Conclusion for the Rogue stainless steel lat bar
The
Rogue stainless steel lat bar is a great upgrade for a lat pull that has not been bought from Rogue. If you did not want to spend the $3000 on an original Rogue Lat pull-down, then at least you can get the lat bar for $165. If you are looking to purchase a second attachment for your lat pull, the
stainless bar is rather pointless, as you already have one at home. Try to vary things then.