TITAN plate loadable functional trainer vs TITAN Economy H-PND

This is a comparison between the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer and the TITAN Economy H-PND including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the TITAN Economy H-PND $399

This is an overview of the TITAN Economy H-PND 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 for the TITAN Economy H-PND

The Economy H-PND is a budget version of the H-PND that TITAN build first. This is a reverse hyper that takes up less space in your gym than the bigger version and also takes less money out of your pocket. If you are an average sized person the padding on this is more than enough for doing your exercises. If you are a huge athlete you might want to look into the H-PND option instead. A reverse hyper can be used to train the lower back to get more stability on heavy squats and deadlifts. These areas are usually hard to train with conventional machines and free weights. This is why Louie Simmons, creator of the Westside training method, made extensive use of reverse hypers more popular.The full specifications of the Economy H-PND are:

- 2-in x 2-in steel tubing makes for a sturdy and firm frame

- 6-inch handles swiftly adjust to eight positions in 2-inch increment to cater to every athlete looking to strengthen their posterior chain and lower body

- Includes (2) spring collars and strap

- Rubber feet on each corner prevent floor scuffing

- Overall Height: 44.5-in.

- Footprint: 55-in x 39-in.

- Sleeve Diameter: 1.95-in.

- Loadable Sleeve Length: 10-in.

- Step Dimensions: 2-in x 2-in Tubing, 8-in Long

- User Weight Capacity: 300 lb.

- Loadable Weight Capacity: 700 lb.

- Product Weight: 147 lb.

This is a good machine for a spacious home gym, or a commercial gym where people get a lot of attention from personal trainers. It is not the best machine to get for a gym where clients are mainly left to their own devices as it is not completely self explanatory and fits a training style that is not often followed by the general public.

Pros of the TITAN Economy H-PND

The pros of the TITAN Economy H-PND are:

Price

The main advantage of this machine is that it is a reverse hyper for the possibly lowest price you can get it for in the market. If you go to other vendors you will usually pay more for this very specialized piece of equipment. To get to this price point TITAN had to cut a few corners and strip some material out of the padding and the metal itself.

Cons of the TITAN Economy H-PND

The cons of the Economy H-PND are:

One trick Pony
Space requirements
Less sturdy built

While the Economy H-PND delivers on price it falls short on comfort. This is not the right machine if you are very heavy yourself or you go very heavy on your reverse hypers. For the best kind of comfort and security for the big guns go with the original H-PND rather than the economy.

If you are strapped for space this is also not the best machine to get. If you are serious about training your posterior chain you probably want to do reverse hypers and glute ham raises. For this the GHD combo from TITAN is the better choice as it only cists a little more, but than you do not have to buy two machines.

Alternatives to the TITAN Economy H-PND

Alternatives to the TITAN Economy H-PND are:

The TITAN H-PND is the original H-PND that is massive. The padding is big and this whole machine is build like a tank. If you can afford it and do not want a combo for your reverse hyper, buy this instead.

The TITAN Glute and Hamstring developer takes up roughly the same space as the Economy H-PND but mainly focuses on your glutes. If you mainly work with bodyweight exercises or have the space to get the GHD and the Economy H-PND this might be an additional option or alternative.

The TITAN Glute and Hamstring combo is in my opinion the best option you can get from TITAN if you buy into the benfits of training the posterior chain with this kind of machine in your home gym. It covers all the exercises which are hard to do for that area with freeweights and conventional machines while saving space in a 2 for 1 design.

Conclusion for the TITAN Economy H-PND

The TITAN Economy H-PND is a good reverse hyper for average sized athletes that have the space in their gym to have it. Commercial gyms might want to invest their money elsewhere as this is a machine with a very unique client set. Ultimately, for what it does, I would buy the Glute and hamstring combo instead for myself.

Overview and review of the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer $749

This is an overview of the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer 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 for the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer

The TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is a great budget option to get a multi directional functional trainer into your home. Especially if you have already a rack and barbell setup at home and just not to reuse the plates for this machine. Functional trainers are great to pack a lot of exercises in one space. With this machine from TITAN you can get in your rows, vertical pulls, flyes, and even use it for deadlifts and squats. All the needed handles and accessories are included in the shipping. The full list of features includes:

- Comprehensive pulley options including lat, row, and pulldown

- Two 9 1/4” Olympic plate sleeves

- Tough steel design will last for years to come

- Pull-up bar installed at the top

- Sleek black and silver design

- Titan Fitness faceplate included

- Max user load: 390 LB

- Overall Footprint: 61” Width x 53” Depth

- Loadable Sleeve Length: 9 1/4”

- Overall height: 81”

- Side handle length: 5”

- Side handle diameter: 1”

- Row handle length: 14 1/4”

- Row grip length: 5” (each)

- Row handle diameter: 1”

- Lat pulldown handle length: 37 1/2”

- Lat pulldown grip length: 5”

- Lat pulldown handle diameter: 1”

This is a great budget option for a functional trainer for home gym use. In a commercial setting there might be too many moving parts.

Pros of the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer

Pros of the TITAN plate loaded functional trainer are:

Price
Multi purpose training
Exercises per square foot

The best thing about the TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is the low price. Functional trainers can cost up to $5000 depending on the make, quality, and mechanics used. With this you can have an entire gym in your basement for $700 assuming you already own plates. If you do not a set of TITAN plates can be had for $375. TITAN is already budget orientated as a manufacturer and this is a budget design. If you are strapped for cash, this is a good investment.

The pulley system on this functional trainer works in many directions. You can pull up, down, and also use the machine for horizontal pulls. You get everything you need to build muscle and build an attractive physique. It goes above and beyond home trainers that only use your body weight as you can use the plates to continuously get stronger.

If you look at how many exercises you can do in small space, this machine is also great. It takes up the same space as a leg press machine, but you can do so many more exercises on it. This makes it a good choice for rehab centers, yoga instructors and other lifestyle and health out fits that want to add some gentle strength training to their services.

Cons of the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer

The cons of the TITAN plate loaded functional trainer are:

Plate loaded
Makeshift
Many moving parts

The fact that the plate loaded functional trainer is plate loaded makes it cheaper, but also means that you have to have plates and storage for them first. Also handling the plates can be a pain, as you need to fit them onto the pins and get them off. If you like to "run the rack" in your exercises, this machine is more of a pain than a gain. The many plates can also be a hindrance when you are working with a client and create a trip hazard.

The hole construction has a bit of a makeshift feel about it. This is often the case when the exercise machine is majorly a combination of pulley which have been connected on a frame. That is the entire idea of this machine, but it doesn't make it something that I want to use on a regular basis. If you are not strapped for cash, you might want to opt for the functional trainer from TITAN that includes to weight stacks. If your commercial gym wants to convey a slick and hip image to your clients this might also not be the right choice. This model screams iron den.

The many moving parts also make the assembly of the TITAN plate loaded functional trainer complex. TITA is known for bad manuals and occasional missing out in small parts in the shipping. If you are missing a small part in your shipment it is next to impossible to source it separately from the vendor. You will either end up with more big parts to just get one small part or at your local DIY store.

Alternatives to the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer

Alternatives to the plate loaded functional trainer are:

The TITAN functional trainer is the big brother of the plate loaded functional trainer. It ships with two 200lbs weight stacks. While these can have their own challenges, this is the cleaner and more stable installation once it is set up. If you buy a functional trainer as an addition to a health/spa or yoga gym, this is the better choice. This is also the better choice in a gym with high footfall as it creates fewer opportunities to break the machine while loading the plates. The only disadvantage is that you have to fork out about $1300 more to get this version of the functional trainer.

The TITAN lat tower is a great addition to any home gym that means business. Usually you will already have a couple of kettlebells, dumbbells, and a rack with plates and a barbell before considering this. As a second purchase to add a sizable machine to your home gym the lat tower is a better choice than the plate load able functional trainer. The quality of the pulleys is better, you can load it with up to 300lbs, and it will provide a weight stack to your for a different form of training for you.

The TITAN hack squat leg press is also slightly more expensive, but provides a good focus on your legs. If you have the space and prefer dedicated machines over multi functional machines in your training, than you can consider the hack squat leg press machine as a 2 in 1 for your home gym. For commercial gyms this is not necessarily the best option as 2 for 1 always means you need more instructions for the machine or higher injury risk due to using it incorrectly.

Conclusion for the TITAN Plate loaded functional trainer

The TITAN plate loaded functional trainer is a great solution for a dorm basement where everyone chips in. Especially if there are already some plates available. If you are building a garage gym in your home and you have the spare change I would lean more towards the TITAN functional trainer or the lat tower as an addition to your already existing rack or as a training station for the entire family.