TITAN plate loadable functional trainer vs TITAN T bar row machine
This is a comparison between the TITAN plate loadable functional trainer 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.
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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
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
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
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 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.
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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
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
-
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
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.