TITAN functional trainer vs TITAN lying prone leg curl

This is a comparison between the TITAN functional trainer and the TITAN lying prone leg curl including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN Lying prone leg curl $499

This is an overview of the TITAN lying prone leg curl including pros, cons and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.

Overview of the TITAN lying prone leg curl

The TITAN lying prone leg curl is a 2 in 1 machine for leg extensions and lying prone leg curls. These exercises target and isolate the muscles in your upper leg for more growth. This is a great machine for accessory work on your legs after you finished a big set of barbell squats or leg presses. The machine is plate loaded and therefore a good option in a gym that prefers to use free weights compared to weight stacks. The plate loaded design makes it a little more suited to private gyms or home gyms . In commercial gyms it can be a little cumber some to have a plate loaded design, as too many people might using up plates if all of your machines are configured this way. Your clients won't appreciate if they haveto constantly load machines themselves and wait for plates to make it happen. The full specifications of this machine are:

- (4) Handle Grips

- (1) Weight Sleeve

- (4) Adjustable foot rollers

- (4) bolt-down holes for anchoring

- Builds size and strength in the hamstrings

- Also works the glutes and calves

- Leather padding for comfort

- Perform leg curls and leg extensions from the same seated position.

- High quality steel construction for a solid, long lasting design.

- Foot Print: 30-in. x 60-in.

- Dimensions: 34-in. H x 36-in. W x 60-in. L.

- Leg/Foot Roller Diameter: 5-in.

- Leg/Foot Roller Width: 18-in.

- Sleeve Diameter: 2-in.

- Sleeve Length: 10-in.

- Loadable Weight Capacity: 300 lb.

- Frame: 2-in. x 2-in. 11-ga steel tubing.

- Material: Leather.

- Finish: Welded. Powder Coated.

- User Weight Capacity: 300 lb.

This is a great machine to take care of accessory work in a home gym or private gym.

Pros of the TITAN lying prone leg curl

The pros of the TITAN lying prone leg curl are:

2 in 1 design
Plate loaded
Price

The 2 in 1 design makes this a great machine to be placed in a home gym. You will save space if you like leg extension and prone curl to build your legs even further. It will also save you the cost and space of getting two machines for the purposes of building bigger upper legs after covering the basics with the barbell squat or leg press.

A plate loaded solution is great whenever there is only one or a few users for the gym. This means you are not paying double or triple for weight stacks in machines that are not in use when you are not on them. If you want to be economic about building your own home gym, plate loaded machines are the way to go.

For what you are getting the price is very low. This machine comes from a vendor that ships from the US and has customer service included. Even though the shipping and service might not be the best in the business (for that you probably have to run to Rogue or Eleiko), it is still better than getting a similar machine shipped for a lower price from a random Chinese or Inidian vendor via amazon.

Cons of the TITAN lying prone leg curl

Cons of the TITAN lying prone leg curl are:

Plate loaded
Price
Build

While a plate loaded machine is great in an environment with low footfall it can turn into problem in a highly frequented commercial gym. If you buy for a busy gym, make sure that you get machines with the weights included. Plate loaded machines eat up the time of your customers and create tripping hazards. They also create more of a mess that staff needs to clean up, in case there are enough plates to go around for everyone.

At $500 the TITAN lying prone curl has a great price for what it is, the question is what else you can get for that budget. If you stretch yourself a little you can get a rack and a barbell and rack from TITAN in that budget range ($600 should do the trick). If i am building a home gym or expanding an existing gym that is definitely the better investment.

While the TITAN lying prone curl is a great machine it might be little small for massive athletes. If you have to provide a facility for very big athletes or customers which have problems with their balance due to rehab, you might ant to get something a little beefier like the Rogue Prone curl.

Alternatives to TITAN the lying prone leg curl

Alternatives to the TITAN lying prone curl are:

TITAN seated leg curl machine

The TITAN seated leg curl machine is a cheaper version of the leg curl from TITAN. It will take up less space in the gym and you will perform the same exercises as with the lying prone curl in a seated position. If you do not have the space in your gym to be stretching out fully this might be the better option for leg curls to save money and space.

Conclusion for the TITAN lying prone curl

The TITAN lying prone curl is a great machine for anyone who want to do all kings of leg curl variations in their home gym. You will have a 2 in 1 design for your machine and it will not take $1000 out of your pocket. For a commercial setting you would have to think hard about whether plate loaded is really the way you want to go. If you expect very high traffic of average fit citizens in your gym, a prone leg curl with an integrated weight stack might be the better idea.

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.