TITAN Leverage Squat machine vs TITAN T bar row machine

This is a comparison between the TITAN H-PND and the TITAN T bar row machine including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN T bar row machine $489

This is an overview of the TITAN T bar row 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.

Overview of the TITAN T bar row machine

The TITAN T bar row machine is their take on a classic in every gym. Most movie montages with bodybuilders will include some type of the t bar row and with good reason. The T bar row is a staple in building bigger backs and putting on mass. With a dedicated station for T bar rows you save time for the setup and can go heavier. This station takes up considerable space and therefore might be not the best option for a home gym. In my opinion a commercial gym that wants to provide strength to their clients absolutely needs one of these. The full specifications of the TITAN T bar row machine are:

- Dual diamond plated footplates for grip

- Vertical and horizontal grip handles with a durable rubber grip

- Adjustable handle height

- Includes holes for bolting the machine to the floor

- Olympic sized weight plate holders

- Tough, solid steel construction is long-lasting and dependable

- Powder-coated paint job prevents rust and early scuffing

- Overall Height: 22.5-in.

- Overall Length: 39.5-in.

- Overall Width: 85-in.

- Footplate Dimensions: 15.75-in x 8.65-in.

- Grip Handle Diameter: 25 mm.

- Weight Sleeve Length: 12.7-in.

- Knurling: Medium Diamond Texture

- Finish: Powder-Coated Black

- Material: 2-in x 2-in 11-GA Steel

- Weight Capacity: 440 lb.

- Product Weight: 150 lb.

This is a great addition to any commercial gym that has the space.

Pros of the TITAN T bar row machine

The pros of the TITAN T bar row machine are:

Price
Well built frame
Easy use on heavy rows
Weight moves inside rather than outside your frame

One of the main advantages of buying from TITAN fitness is that they undercut their competition on most of their products by half. The T bar row is no exception in this. As a T bar row station is no rocket science to build, you should try to save some money on it. Where I would lean towards spending a little more are belt squat machines, barbells, and functional trainers. These take a little more care and engineering to build well.

The frame of the T Bar row is heavy and can take big weights and athletes. If you have people rowing multiple plates on a regular basis,this is the machine to get.

A big advantage of T bar rows is that you can load them very heavy fairly easy. With a barbell you always need to load on both ends, while with a T bar row you can just keep adding at the front. With the station it also means that the pin rests in a place where you can immediately add plates without the need to jack up a barbell.

Compared to barbell rows t bar rows also behave a little differently as the weight moves inside the athlete's frame rather than outside of it. It is a minor thing, but it can be nice to break the routine and row on a t bar, rather than with a barbell.

Cons of the TITAN T bar row machine

Cons of the TITAN T bar row machine:

Space requirements
Price

The main point against a T-Bar row machine is that it eats up a lot of space to only do one thing. Barbell rows can pretty much do the same thing and also leave more room for variations. This makes the T Bar row a bad choice for home gyms that need to save space. Here a landmine combined with a barbell handle for t bar rows comes in handy.

The price of a T bar row machine is hard to justify, if you already have plates and a barbell. With this equipment you can build your back and row the heck out of your body to get bigger already.

Alternatives for the TITAN T bar row machine

TITAN Chest supported adjustable row bench
TITAN Adjustable prone row machine
TITAN Plate loaded seated row
Rogue T bar row machine
Landmine attachment and barbell handle

The TITAN chest supported adjustable row bench is a very specific machine that minimizes the activation of the entire body in the row to focus on the back only. This is popular with powerlifters and strongmen, but not necesserily the best machine to get for the average commercial gym. It also puts your body at a 45 degree angle to make the exercise more stable and challenging.

The TITAN Adjustable prone row machine is a variation on the barbell row which allows full extension of the arms when rowing while lying flat. This is also a good exercise for building your back which is popular among powerlifters and bodybuilders. Therefore this machine is more geared towards the "hardcore" gyms rather than the more mainstream ones. In a home gym setting you might give up too much space for a machine that can only do one thing.

The plate loaded seated row is a classic you find in many gyms up and down the country. If you have a spacious home gym this is an option as it takes up little space compared to other machines. For a commercial setting i think one of these is a must. In very frequented commercial gyms you might want to consider a version with its own weight stack rather than a plate loaded one to save time for your customers.

The Rogue T bar machine is the direct competitor of the TITAN T bar row. The price difference between the TITAN and Rogue version is $200. If you only want to do T bar rows, get the TITAN version and save yourself $200. The main difference in design is that the Rogue version also allows for band pegs to be used so you can do banded rows. If you are big into the west side method in your gym, get the Rogue one instead, as attaching bands to the TITAN version is awkward at best. Remember to add the band pegs to your order with Rogue as there are none included on the T bar row order (on rack orders this happens automatically).

If you want to T bar row in your home gym, try to get the cheapest landmine attachment for your rack and a handle for your barbell. Also keep the handle relatively small so that it is easy to store. Otherwise it will just be in the way most of the times. For a homegym that only fits a rack, this is the best option to do T bar rows. In a home gym you also do not have to worry that you will wreck the equipment for setting it up for the T bar row.

Conclusion for the TITAN T bar row machine

The TITAN T bar row machine is a great option for any commercial gym to save cost and still provide a proper t bar row to their clients, I personally think a T bar row machine is a requirement for a commercial gym that has the necessary floor space. Get rid of one of the many bench stations most of the big gyms have and install a T bar row instead. The general gym rat population should do more rows anyway. In a home gym scenario the T bar row is a massive one trick pony that eats into your space. Attach a landmine to your rack instead and get a handle while minimizing cost on thise. If you are not careful you might shell out up to $500 on these two items in total so try to keep it cheap, unless money is not an issue for you.

Overview and review of the TITAN Leverage Squat machine $549

This is an overview of the TITAN Leverage 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.

Overview of the TITAN Leverage Squat machine

The TITAN Leverage squat machine is a good approach to squats for anyone who lacks the ankle mobility for low squats. The bottom plate is angled so that it is easier to go deep in the squat with less strain on the hips and feet. The full list of specifications includes:

- Add more intensity to your squats by loading up on Olympic weight plates

- Store extra plates on the base pegs to help organize your gym area & add stability

- Use the angled footplate to get leverage with your squats and calf raises

- Powder-coated steel is durable, lasts for years, and is scratch / rust resistant

- Spotter handle allows easy exit and re-entry after use

- 1,000 lbs. weight capacity

- Overall height: 62”

- Footprint: 58” x 44”

- Top sleeve length: 13 1/2”

- Bottom peg length: 8”

- Shoulder pad gap: 8”

- Weight: 200 lbs.

This is a machine for a spacious gym that has all of the other angles covered. If you want to ease people into squatting low this can be a good machine to use.

Pros of the TITAN leverage squat machine

The pros of the TITAN leverage squat machine are:

Angled foot plate
Price

The main reason to get this machine is to squat against an angled plate. This can be especially helpful for rehab or anyone lacking ankle and hip mobility to still squat deep.

As with all TITAN products the price you pay for a full machine as quite low. If you want to build a big arsenal of different fitness machines TITAN is one of the best places to go as your money will stretch further.

Cons of the TITAN leverage squat machine

The cons of the TITAN leverage squat machine are:

Limited use cases
Space requirements

The main disadvantage of the leverage squat machine is that it has not a lot o use cases. This is a common challenge with isolated machines that try to make things easier on the user. If you are strapped for cash and space the leverage squat machine is not a smart choice. If you want to buy something to train your legs you probably wantto go for a rack, squat belt machine, or hack squat instead depending on your budget and preferences.

In addition to the limited use cases the TITAN leverage squat machine also takes up considerable footprint in your gym. It will eat up the same amount of space as a squat rack would. So if you only have space for a rack or a leverage squat machine it is pretty clear what you need to do.

Alternatives to the TITAN leverage squat machine

Alternatives to the TITAN leverage squat machine are:

The TITAN hack squat leg press is the better option for a home gym owner looking into a squat machine from TITAN. While it costs a little more it doubles up as 2 machines in the frame of one. You will be able to do reasonably heavy leg presses and hack squats which provides more bang for your space and buck compared to the leverage squat machine. Especially if you buy a squat machine as an addition to a home gym with an already existing rack. For a commercial gym the TITAN hack squat leg press might not be the right choice, as a 2:1 solution for a broader audience usually means to higher cost of instructing people how to use it or higher injury risk and insurance liabilities.

The TITAN belt squat machine is another alternative to the leverage squat machine. It is also closer in price to the Leverage squat machine than the TITAN hack squat leg press. The TITAN belt squat is a great option for powerlifters and weightlifters who want to get more squat volume in. The belt squat will take off some load from your lower back and shoulders so that you can focus on blowing up your quads and glutes without risking injury. Belt squats are very popular with seasoned lifters who go through a lot of volume to give themselves a break. In a commercial setting a belt squat makes sense when your clients are more into heavy lifting and the iron game. If your clients are more into machines, the leverage squat machine is the better choice.

The TITAN smith machine is another alternative to the Leverage squat machine. If you are getting the leverage squat machine to appeal to beginners than the TITAN smith machine might be the better choice. A smith machine also makes squatting easier and less scary for those who are not proficient in the movement pattern. In addition the smith machine can also be used as plate storage and for other exercises than squatting. I am personally not a huge fan of smith machines due to the cumbersome raking system they provide, but I do think they are still a better option for most gyms than a leverage squat machine.

The Rogue Rhino is the gold standard in belt squat machines currently available on the market. Compared to the TITAN belt squat there was more thought put in to the engineering as it works with a pulley system. This makes the lifting experience closer to the actual barbell workload as the weight is not on a frame which wraps around you. Compared to the TITAN leverage squat machine it makes squatting easier, but provides this result in very different way.

The Rogue leg press machine is the current gold standard for leg press machines in the market. If you need to provide facilities for a bunch of NFL linemen and you worried about that they might shred any other equipment you could buy from TITAN, than the Rogue Leg press machine will get the job done. Apart from being build like a tank you can also move the platform for each leg separately. All exciting things come also at an exciting price and the Rogue Leg press is no exception. It retails for around $4000 and is therefore not suitable for most home gym environments.

Conclusion for the TITAN leverage squat machine

The TITAN leverage squat machine is an addition to the arsenal of professional gym that already has all of the other major machines in their arsenal. These include a rack, leg press, prone curl and lat tower. Get those machines first before even thinking about a leverage squat machine in my opinion. In a home gym this machine will be just be a waste of space unless you live in a mega mansion. Some bodybuilders like the idea of being able to attack their muscles from every angle that is humanly possible. Apart from this I do not so a lot of use cases for this machine.