Rogue Y2 vs Y1 Yoke

This is a comparison of the Rogue Y2 Yoke and the Rogue Y1 Yoke including pros, cons, and alternatives. This was originally posted in Which sled to get from Rogue.

Overview and review of the Rogue Y1 Yoke

This is an overview of the Rogue Y1 Yoke including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview of the Rogue Y1

Price: $495

The Rogue Y1 is the smallest Yoke in the Rogue Line up and comes in at $495. The Yokes from Rogue are often overlooked for home gym purchases or commercial facilities. For not a lot of money for Rogue items, you get a sled, squat stand, and Yoke in one go. This combination covers most training needs without taking up too much space or money. The full specifications of the Y1 are:

Made in the USA
Height: 72"
Total Weight Capacity: 750+LB (two side and four corner-post plate storage options)
Applications: Pushing, Pulling, Carrying, Zercher, Squat, Press, etc.
(2) Uprights: 2 x 3" 11-Gauge steel
Crossbar: 3" OD
(2) Bases and (4) Skid Feet with Plate Storage Posts
(2) J-Cups

This is a solid option for a reasonable price, that can transform your home gym or professional facility.

Pros of the Rogue Y1

The pros of the Rogue Y1 are:

Good value for money
Multiple applications
Space efficient

Compared to get a rack, sled, and yoke, the Y1 is very space and price-efficient. You can do a whole list of exercises with this one piece of equipment. Especially if you know how to train without safeties, this is a good pick for you.

Cons of the Rogue Y1

The cons of the Rogue Y1:

Limited safety
Limited space for attachments
Bigger than a half rack

If you want to save space or if you can not get the full use of the Yoke is your making space, then a half-rack might be the better option. A half rack will give you more security as you can use safety pins or straps and also more cross-member real estate to attach bands or any other kind of extra devices. If you want an all-in-one ready station for raw strength, this is it. If you are looking for something a little more modular, go for the squat stands.

Alternatives to the Rogue Y1

Alternatives to the Rogue Y1 are:

If you are looking for a bigger yoke for more balance, or because you want to toss things over the Crossbar, than you can opt for the Rogue Y2 or Rogue Y3. It is the same structure as the Y1, just with higher uprights. This way the height increases and you have a few more options for your training.

The Rogue SM1 is an alternative if you just want a squat stand and start a home gym based on the Rogue Monster series. The monster series provides bigger beams which make for a more stable structure. It is also the product line that Rogue invests most of its time in to develop further. If you only see these first cross members as the start of a bigger gym in the future based on the Monster series, than the SM1 is a good place to start.

If you are looking for a sled for your home gym, but do not want to move your rack setup in and out of the garage each time you want to put a session in, then the XPO trainer 2 is great for you. The XPO is the only sled with wheels that works with a flywheel resistance. The harder you push, the harder it gets. This is a great solution if you do not want to wreck our lawn or driveway, while still going hard at it.

Conclusion for the Rogue Y1

The Rogue Y1 is possibly the cheapest all in one gym that you can get from Rogue. if you have space and now how to train in these various ways, then the Rogue Yoke 1 is the right choice for you. If you want to keep your different training stations separate, go for a squat stand instead or upgrade to a full rack.

Overview and review of the Rogue Y2 Yoke

This is an overview of the Rogue Y2 Yoke including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview of the Rogue Y2

Price $535

The Rogue Y2 is the next step up from a squat stand from Rogue. The additional plate storage and the adjustable cross-member on the stand make it a great all in one gym option. You can use it as a sled, rack, and yoke at the same time. For $535 you will find yourself a good deal, as long as you have the footprint to fit it into your commercial gym or home space. The full specifications are:

Made in the USA
Height: 92" with base
Total Weight Capacity: 750+LB (two side storage and four corner-post weight storage options)
Applications: Strongman Yoke Training, Pushing, Pulling, Carrying, Zercher, Squat, Press, etc.
(2) Uprights: 2 x 3" 11-Gauge Steel
(2) Bases and (4) Skid/Storage Feet
Adjustable Crossbar: 3" OD
(2) J-Cups

If you are looking into a budget rack option from Rogue this is probably one of the best you can get, as long as you do not want to work with a lot of attachments in the future.

Pros of the Rogue Y2

The pros of the Rogue Y2 Yoke are:

Great value for money
Multiple-use cases
Adjustable height

You will be hard-pressed to find more options in one rack for this price from Rogue. If you want to be space and budget efficient, this is the way to go. You will get the use cases of equipment that can cost up to $5000 in this one rack. Especially if you are a single user and do not have to worry about waiting times, this is great.

The cons of the Rogue Y2

The cons of the Rogue Y2 Yoke are:

Limited safety
Clunky for sled work
Big footprint

While the Y2 saves a lot of space as it combines a lot of functionality, it still has a larger footprint than a half rack, squat stand, RM3 rack. Compared to the purpose-built sleds it is also clunkier to move. While bench pressing and squatting are possible, you will need spotter arms to be safe. Spotter arms just have the habit of being missed or making the whole structure fall over when you drop the weight. Safety üins and straps in a power rack are easier to handle and more secure.

Alternatives to the Rogue Y2

Alternatives to the Rogue Y2 are:

The Rogue Y1 is a smaller version of the Rogue Y2. If you do not have very tall athletes or do not need to practice any sandbag throwing, the smaller version will do and save you a little bit of money.

The SM2 squat stand is an alternative that saves some space compared to the Yoke and only focuses on functioning as a squat stand rather than a yoke and sled. With the SM2 you also get the bigger steel tubes from the Monster series and can upgrade at a later stage to the big racks that Rogue is currently focusing on.

The volcano costs about 4 times what the yoke costs but has its applications especially for very mature strongman. If you want to flip or carry very big weights the Volcano is probably the better option than the Rogue Y2.

Conclusion for the Rogue Y2

The Rogue Y2 is an often overlooked option for home gym owners that does it all. It is relatively low priced and you can get a lot of mileage out of it. If you are not considering a folding rack for your home gym, definitely look at this instead of bolted down power racks. Professional gyms with space can cover a lot of needs with just one or two yokes. Think of what you can get out of these two yokes for your clients instead of being one more treadmill.