Squat MAX MD vs the difference striking pad
This is a comparison between the Squat Max MD and Rogue difference striking pad including pros, cons, and alternatives. The Original was published in which accessory equipment to get for your rogue rack. Follow the links for details
Overview and review of the difference striking pad
The difference striking pad comes in at $950 and helps especially when you specialize in football training. This article was originally published in "which accessory equipment to get for your rogue rack".
What else to consider from Rogue
Overview of the difference striking pad
The
difference striking pad is a training tool specialized for the needs of footballers. It will enforce correct hand placement for striking in a football match with various levels of resistance. The specs of the
striking pad are:
The
difference striking pad comes with four different springs which enable you to adjust the resistance. The options are:
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Green Spring (Lil Rookie = 15LB – 35LB) – Great for young athletes, introducing technique, rehab, punching.
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White Spring (Rookie = 35LB – 70LB) Great for Junior High and High School Athletes.
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Gray Spring (Challenger = 70LB – 105LB) Great for High School, College, and Professional Athletes.
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Black Spring(Champion = 105LB – 150LB) Great for College and Professional Athletes.
With this, you are sorted for an entire team and different age groups to get them to train their striking skills. You might even attach one of their least favorite persons image to the difference strike pad, but that is just a personal tip from my end.
Pros of the difference striking pad
This is a specific movement which needs to be trained for football players either on the field or in the gym. Preferably this is trained in real-world circumstances, but if you have especially strong or weak players you might want to have them train on
the striking pad. The extremely strong players might wreck your team otherwise while the weak ones just need the extra hours to catch up to the rest of the team. Of course, it is also a good toy to have for the eager beavers to let off some steam after the training session or particularly shoddy away match.
Cons of the difference striking pad
If you are not a footballer, bouncer or coach you have little use for this and are probably better getting a good boxing bag. $950 can even add another rack to your gym.
Alternatives to the difference striking pad
The
LT1 is the better attachment than
the striking pad and I would take it over
the striking pad any day unless I was an institution or NFL Star who do not have to care about cost. I wouldn’t recommend simulating strikes against the
LT1 but you can definitely simulate some of the tackle or a scrum movement and so much more.
If you want to punch something on a regular basis why not do it with your fist. Now I would not recommend doing this with your boss, client or other people. That is what punching bags are for and Rogue has the right attachment for your rack. The
speed bag also only costs $265 and is a bargain compared to the
striking pad.
If you don’t like punching things and belong to the group of gentle giants you might want to squat heavy without a barbell. The
Squat Max MD is for you and it costs only slightly more than the
striking pad.
Th
fortis RM4 is the vest rack from Rogue which you can get for under $1000. This is a solid addition to your gym and if you are a college that is not flush with cash I probably would prefer to add another rack to my gym than the
striking pad.
Summary of the difference striking pad
The
difference striking pad is great for what it was designed for. The application is very niche and probably only suitable for elite athletes or facilities which want to create elite athletes in football. I think the price is fair as you get four metal sponges with it to adjust for different needs. As I am not into football I would spend almost $1000 bucks on something different for my gym. But if you are Tom Brady you probably spend $1000 like i spend $10. It just doesn’t matter and the
striking pad is cool.
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.
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
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.