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TITAN Strongman Log bar vs Rogue Squat bar [Article, Video]

Written by Pascal Landshoeft | Jul 5, 2020 4:00:00 PM

TITAN Strongman Log bar vs Rogue Squat bar [Article, Video]

This is a comparison of the TITAN Strongman log bar and the Rogue Squat bar. Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the squat bar

The Rogue squat bar is a 32mm long sleeved version of Rogue bars to maximize what you can squat. Here are the pros and cons.

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The Rogue squat bar is a special design that focuses on squatting at $445. The main differences to regular bars are
 
  • Bigger circumference 32mm
  • Longer shaft 
  • Fully knurled 
  • Longer sleeves 
 
This makes it a bar that is aimed at big, heavy squatters. It could also be interesting for some deadlift experiments as the elephant bar from the Arnold has not gone into mass production yet. The specifications of the bar are: 
 
  • Made in the USA
  • Weight: 25 KG
  • Diameter: 32mm
  • Stainless Steel Shaft - 200,000 PSI
  • Aggressive Knurl Pattern along full length of shaft + powerlifting and center knurl marks
  • Bar Length: 94.488
  • Distance Between Sleeves: 56"
  • Loadable Sleeve Length: 16.795"
  • Chrome Sleeves
  • Bronze Bushings
 

Pros of the squat bar 

 
The pros of the squat bar compared to other bars are in the name. The design features are inbuilt to maximize big squats. 
 
  • Longer sleeves 
  • Longer shaft
  • Full knurling 
  • 32mm 
 
Longer sleeves will enable you to put more weight on the bar with rubber or steel plates.  If you see Ray Williams squatting you can get an idea of why he might run out of space on the sleeves. 
 
32mm stainless steel will keep the whip at bay. While you want whip in an Olympic barbell to make use of momentum to get the bar overhead, it is not a desirable feature in a squat bar. You want to minimize 1000 pounds taking a life on their own on your back. 
 
The full knurling will provide more grip to your back. There are other bars out there with center knurls which does almost the same thing for you. 
 
The longer shaft will make it less like for you to bump into the rack when oh are walking out very heavy weights. Depending on your setup this can be annoying. I injured myself twice because of twisting my upper body when walking out of a setup and touching off the j cups. 
 

Cons of the squat bar 

 
The cons of the squat bar are
 
  • No IPF / IWF approval 
  • Space requirements 
  • Limited use 
  • Price 
 
If you are considering the squat bar because you want to break records, keep in mind that it is not approved for the IPF or IWF. You will still earn respect for posting the first 500kg raw squat, which this bar is basically built for, but it won’t count in these federations. 
 
If you are setting up your home gym in a very crammed place, keep in mind that this bar will protrude even further to the sides. If you have already cut it very thing with the distance of your bar to the wall or another rack, the squat bar might just push it over the edge. 
 
The squat bar is mainly limited to squats. As it has bushing and knurling all across the bar it might not be the best option for Olympic lifts, the bench press, and deadlifts. 
 
For the price you are looking at you can get more versatile barbells for your home gym with a cooler design. If you are setting up your home gym the squat bar might not be the go-to option. 
 

Alternatives to the squat bar 

 
Alternatives to the squat bar are 
 
 
The Rogue Chan bar is a good alternative for mere mortals who don’t squat 400kg. It is cheaper than the squat bar, has a poppier design and can also be used for Oly lifts. If I was to spend $400 on a starter barbell for my home gym it would be this one. 
 
The duffalo bar is an interesting bar for people who squat 800 pounds plus on a regular basis. This bar has been invented at Kabuki strength which is headed by Chris Duffin. The design is aimed at relieving stress on the shoulder while bench pressing and squatting. This is a very interesting second bar to buy instead of the squat bar, even though it costs $200 more. 
 

Summary for the squat bar 

 
The squat bar is a great bar for someone who actually needs it. This would be people who squat more than 300kg on a regular basis. There are not that many of them around. I personally think for a second barbell in your home gym you are better off going with safety or duffalo bar.

Overview and review of the Strongman Log bar

The Titan Strongman Log bar will put you back about $150. TITAN is well known for their very good prices compared to their competition and will get you started on your home gym. This review was originally posted in “which barbell to get from TITAN”.

Overview of the Strongman log bar 

 
The Strongman log bar is a staple of Strongman Training. The pinnacle of this lifting practice is the Austrian oak competitions at the Arnold. This exercise will challenge your balance and all body strength. The log also loads competition plates, which often can be a problem with these bars. The features and specifications of the log bar are:
 
TITAN log bar details: 
  • Now fits Competition Plates,
  • welded end caps
  • 1.65" knurled handles
  • Neutral hand grips at 26" on center.
  •  Fully welded seams for great fit and finish.
  • 14.25" loadable sleeves
  • Weight: 75 LB
  • Overall length: 75.5"
  • Sleeve diameter: 1.9"
  • Log diameter: 10"
  • Loadable sleeve length: 14.25"
 
Good tool to press big weights overhead. 
 

Pros of the log bar 

 
The neutral grip position puts less stress on your wrists for the bench press and the overhead press. It will also teach you better to deal with cumbersome objects to lift them up. The price is also attractive compared to barbells and other competitors. 
 

Cons of the log bar 

 
A log bar can be quite intimidating for beginners as they are heavier and harder to handle than a barbell. They can sometimes be a pain to fit the plates you already have in your gym. As this piece of equipment has a lot of welding to be done and TITAN is known to cut not so the best job on these you might want to opt for a piece of equipment which needs less welding or is from a different vendor. 
 

Alternatives to the log bar 

 
 
The Atlas bar is TITAN’s all-purpose bar at a reasonable price. There are no welds on this bar which eliminates the risk of getting poor quality. It will also not be as intimidating for beginners as a log bar. 
 
If you still want a log bar you can invest a little more and go for the Rogue Log bar. You will pay more but there are usually no complaints on the Rogue finish. 
 
The hex bar from TITAN is an option too. This will enable you to do deadlifts in a safe and practice farmers walks for a better grip and the carriers which are a part of Strongman competitions. 
 

Summary of the log bar 

 
A good budget option, but you might want to look somewhere else because of the many welds. 
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