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TITAN leg press hack squat machine vs TITAN plate loaded chest press

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Dec 22, 2020 5:00:00 PM

TITAN leg press hack squat machine vs TITAN plate loaded chest press

This is a comparison between the TITAN leg press hack squat machine and the TITAN plate loaded chest press including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

 

Overview and review of the TITAN plate loaded chest press $464

This is an overview of the TITAN plate loaded chest press including pros, cons and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.

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Overview of the TITAN plate loaded chest press machine

 
The TITAN plate loaded chest press machine is a chest press machine with a foldable bench which makes it unique. Again TITAN designs a machine with the spacious home gym in mind that saves money and space. The plate loadable chest press can be used with regular Olympic plates. The bench is adjustable for incline presses and has multiple grip variations. The full specifications of this TITAN machine are:
 
- Fits Olympic plates and features (2) 9.5-inch loadable weight posts
- Fully adjustable bench for the incline or flat reps
- (13) Bench depth positions to easily adjust to any size athlete and to accommodate hand placement for presses
- (5) Lifting arm positions to easily adjust the angle of your lift
- Bench easily stores on top of the frame when not in use to
 
- Minimum Footprint: 64-in. W x 63-in. L
- Maximum Footprint: 64-in. W-in. x 23-in.
- Seat Pad Dimensions: 11 - 8-in. x 12.5-in.
- Lifting Arm Length: 34-in.
- Vertical Handle Spread: 26.5-in.
- Weight Post Length: 9.5-in.
- Weight Capacity: 1,000 lb.
- Weight: 155 lb.
 
This is a great machine for bench presses and replacing a dumbbell rack, if you have the space for it.
 

Pros of the TITAN plate loaded chest press machine

 
 
  • Multiple grip variations
  • Foldable bench
  • Plate loaded
  • Price
 
Compared to a barbell, rack and bench setup this machine provides you more grip variations. This could also be done with dumbbells and a rack, but then you have to factor in the storage space for multiple dumbbells and that they are awkward to work with by yourself once it gets heavy.
 
The foldable bench saves some space when you want to free up the center of your gym for stretching exercises, runs or other stout ones which need space. The footprint gets smaller, but you still have the metal frame to consider.
 
Plate loaded machines are great for home gyms as you can use one set of plates for all the machines you own. This saves cost in getting your little park of machines together as you not pay the weight stack for each and every machine.
 
As with all TITAN products you will have a hard time to find something that is priced better. Especially as this machine already includes an adjustable bench which already can easily cost $500 or more by themselves.
 

Cons of the TITAN plate loaded chest press machine

 
The cons of the TITAN plate loaded chest press are:
 
  • Plate loaded
  • Space requirements
  • Bench is attached
 
While plate loaded designs can be great in smaller gyms it can turn into a trip hazard and bottlenecks in high frequency commercial gyms. If you have a lot of footfall with a varying level of experience combined with little supervision, than go for a chest press machine with an included weigh my stack.
 
If your home gym is very crammed you might not have the space to get another machine in like the Titan plate loaded chest press. In this scenario you might want to get three pairs of dumbbells (light, middle, heavy) and spotter arms for dumbbells for your rack. This makes the setup more modular.
 
A further disadvantage of the TITAN plate loaded chest press is that the be cj is attached. This means that you can not move things around in your and might even need to get a second bench for that purpose. Just keep that in mind based on the plans you have for your gym and the exercises you want to do.
 

Alternatives to the TITAN plate loaded chest press machine

 
Alternatives to the TITAN plate loaded chest press are:
 
 
The Titan functional and plate loaded functional trainer can also be used as bench press stations as long as you get an additional bench. With the different grips you can have more variety than with a barbell. These two machines have $1300 between them. In a home gym scenario you might want to use the plate loaded version to save considerably.
 
Conclusion for the TITAN plate loaded chest press machine
 
The TITAN plate loaded chest press machine is a serious consideration to get instead of a full rack of dumbbells. If you have the space for a full rack of dumbbells you can most likely also fit this machine. You can do all of the dumbbell exercises you need with this machine and load it with plates instead. For a home gym this is a definite alternative. In a commercial setting you can not replace a dumbbell rack with this machine as you have to cover more people at the same time. It can however be used to make the bench press more accessible toi wider community of your clients.
 
 
 

Overview and review of the TITAN Leg press Hack Squat machine $1055

This is an overview of the TITAN Leg press hack squat machine including pros, cons and alternatives. This article was originally posted in Which gym machine to get from TITAN. Follow the links for additional information.

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Overview of the TITAN Leg press machine

 
A leg press machine is a classic in gyms all over the world. In any bodybuilding movie montage you will find someone sitting in a hack squat machine pushing the equivalent of a small truck around. It has also become quite popular to get all of your friends to hop on one and post the video on Instagram. If you want to get instafamous you might still be able to afford the bikini models to hop onto the machine when you buy the TITAN leg press.  A great additional design is that this machine also doubles up as a hack squat. This makes it a two for one machine which saves space in a commercial or home gym setting to train your legs hard. The full feature list includes:
 
- 2-in-1 Machine features leg press and hack squat positions
- High quality steel construction for a solid, stable design
- Safety hand rails for complete control and easy bailout no matter what position you're in
- Fits Olympic weight plates and features two loadable weight posts and two additional posts for weight storage
- Comfortable and adjustable for any size athlete
 
- Footprint Dimensions: 40-in W x 7 FT L
- Overall Height: 53-in.
- Leg Press Footplate Dimensions: 21-in W x 15-in L
- Leg Press Back Pad Dimensions: 10.5-in W x 31-in L
- Hack Squat Footplate Dimensions: 26-in W x 22-in L
- Hack Squat Footplate Positions: 4
- Hack Squat Shoulder Pad Spread: 7.5-in W
- Hack Squat Shoulder Pad Dimensions: 4.5-in W x 8-in L
- Hack Squat Back Pad Dimensions: 20-in W x 15-in L
- Weight Post Length: 11.25" per side
- Storage Weight Post Length: 11.75-in per side
- Weight Post Diameter: 1.95-in.
- Weight Capacity: 875 lb.
- Weight: 325 lb.
 
This is a great machine for a home gym as it does two things for the price of one. In a commercial gym you might want to provide two stations instead of one so that more people can train at the same time.
 

Pros of the TITAN Hack squat leg press machine

 
Pros of the TITAN Hack squat Leg press machine are:
 
  • Price
  • Space efficient
  • Big storage capacity
 
As usual the price is almost unmatched in the market for a product that would deliver the same or similar specs. Especially if you take free shipping and customer service into account. TITAN manages to provide the same material at roughly half the cost of their competition. If you want to build a massive gym, especially in your own home where you dont mind minor quality issues, TITAN makes your money stretch further.
 
As this is a two in one machine it will save you floor space. If you want to equip a small commercial gym or a home gym with a leg press and hack squat, this is the ideal solution sothat you can keep some floor space for other machines or strechtes.
 
This leg press machine can also be the centerpiece of an entire weight room, as you can store a lot of plates on this machine.  If possible i would place it close to the middle of any arrangement so that you can save on some plate trees. Making plates readily available in your gym can cut waiting time considerably and create a better experience for your customers. In your home it is nice to not have to haul your own plates too far and just able to throw them on the machine at the end of your workout.
 

Cons of the TITAN Hack squat Leg press machine

 
The cons of the TITAN hack squat leg press are:
 
  • 2 in 1 design
  • Structure
  • TITAN instructions and shipping
 
While 2 in 1 designs are always great when there is a single user, it can become problematic for multiple users. Not everyone will understand and use the machine in the way that it is intended. Especially in a commercial setup this bears a higher risk of this machine breaking or becoming a health hazard. While 2 in 1 is great for a single users who knows what the functions are, you need proper instructions when you use such a design in a more public space.
 
While the TITAN hack squat leg press is definitely sturdy it is a small leg press. You are giving up space for placing your feet and shoulders based on the two in one design. Also it would not feel comfortable using this leg press fur multiple tons of weight as it is flimsy for a leg press. It is great for the average joe, but if you do 4 - 6 plates easily for reps on a leg press, you might want to get a dedicated machine for that purpose.  
 
As with all complex assemblies from TITAN I put a caveat out that manuals and little bits are one of TITAN's major shortfalls in quality. When you offer your products for such a low price you have to cut corners in the creation of manuals and employee training. You just hear more often about tough assemblies or missing parts with TITAN than from comparable brands like Eleiko or Rogue fitness.
 

Alternatives to the TITAN Hack squat Leg press machine

 
Alternatives to the TITAN hack squat leg press machine are:
 
 
If you want to do lunges and do not want to do them with a barbell or kettlebells, a smith machine can also be a good choice. The TITAN smith machine is also closer to free weight training than a leg press or hack squat. I am personally not a huge fan of smith machines as they eat up a lot of space and are not that versatile. Still, most commercial gyms have one, so you might have to bite the bullet to provide the same as the guy next door. For any home gym I personally think that a smith machine is a waste of space and money.
 
The TITAN belt squat machine is another option to train your legs hard and still keep the exercise closer to free weight training. A belt squat machine is a great tool for weightlifters and power lifters as it takes pressure of the spine for volume work on the squat, while still not restricting your body as much as a leg press. Usually leg presses are a little more prominent with bodybuilders, so it depends on your training style for your home gym or what kind of clients you have in a commercial gym, if a belt squat is the better fit for your place than a hack squat leg press.
 
The Rogue Rhino is the current gold standard in the industry when it comes to belt squat machines. Rogue has combined their recent push into the world of machines with their tryouts for pulley systems and created a belt squat that is safe, easy to use and has almost a 1:1 ration for weight to exercise. The only downside to this machine is that it comes in at $1.750 which considerably sets it apart to the higher end compared to other machines.
 
The Rogue leg press is the beefiest and biggest machine of its kind I have personally seen. An added feature is that this massive leg press can also be used to train each leg separately or in a type of bicycle motion. Everything about this machine is massive; the seat, the plate to put your feet on, and the plate storage included. So is the price. This leg press will put you back about $4000 so you could get 4 TITAN Hack squat leg presses for the price of one Rogue leg press. The Rogue leg press is the right machine for anyone who train athletes at top levels who do not have to worry about budget. If you are massive, this is the leg press for you. 
 

Conclusion for the TITAN Hack squat Leg press machine

 
The TITAN hack squat leg press machine is great for a spacious home gym for the average joe. The price is great for what you are getting. In professional environments a dedicated leg press and a hack squat machine are probably the better choice to serve more customers in a shorter amount of time. Professional bodybuilders, powerlifters, and huge athletes might steer away from this machine due to the space constraints on the metal plates and the fact that for a leg press, it is a very light and small machine.
 
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