Great review. I have never used a belt squat, but as I have gotten older it’s probably something I should start using. My back is not what it once was. Thanks so much for sharing.
I purchased this belt squat on Black Friday with the kickstand (had to wait on the kickstand) just wanted to say that I love this thing especially if you have it mounted on it own (separate station) easy to work with. Thanks Gluck for the review.
Had one for about 6 months, just added the kickstand. Works fine on my 2.3” rack. I use it as a supplement for squats. I don’t have a seated leg extension and have no space for one. So this helps me by providing variation for my quads vs just barbell squatting.
This one felt very good when I tried it at HGC. I have the Rhino which is great, but since mine is backed in the corner, I only use it for belt squats and for the price and footprint, it’s a significant investment for most home gyms.
Just ordered it through your link. My shoulders and spine don't like having the bar up there. I would love a real belt squat but don't have the room. Hoping this will work.
@@GlucksGym I like it quite a bit. I wish it was even a few inches longer but the arc is not a deal breaker. My rack is a 2" x 2" TDS rack I bought many years ago. That rack is quite sturdy and has 1" holes, but they only through the uprights front to back, not side to side. To use the existing holes I would need to use it out off the side of the rack, and there is no room for that. So I just drilled a hole side to side and I was good to go.
I have a Bell's of Steel lever arm and bought 2 utility horns from them 1 is for the plates and the other is for a kickstand, I stand up pull the pin on the utility horn put it in a hole on the arm till I need to stop!
That's chrome and you're right, they're beautiful but also expensive, I indulged and bought a pair of 45 lbs and 2.5lbs, took a month to get here but they are definitely the centerpiece of my budget gym, although I'm having regrets as I feel I could've bought something more meaningful.
I use belt squat for active recovery and warm ups. I almost bought the fringe belt squat but I went with an Eccentric flywheel kickoff from Aliexpress.
I like the kick stand!! I use my lever arms and a chain that’s held on with just a bolt and just a pull out after connecting with my dip belt but sucks when you go to failure
So I am building a single arm belt squat for my home gym. I doubt I will ever go over 250 lbs. I am starting with a Titan 3 x 3 swing arm. It measures 40 inches. I am going to add a 2x2 to it and was wondering if you could share how long the swingarm should be. I know the mammoth BS can go to 49 inches. I am 6 ft tall. Also, I ordered the Fringe Sport Belt Squat Kickstand. (99.00). Would you go 49 inches or longer.
Would love if you could take a look at the Mikolo/ER KANG belt squat attachment, seems like one of the only under $100 ones that also includes a kickstand!
I just got a used Titan belt squat off the FB market this week. If the Fringe Mammoth had side-load weight horns, I would have gone with that. I tried it out at home gym con, and that single post is too short since I don't have thin, calibrated plates.
Hopefully the side weight system they're working on ends up being good. I think it sold be raised a little off the main support to work well but we shall see.
I was hoping for more detail on the kickstand. Initial reviews I have read from owners were overwhelmingly Negative. I dont think Fringe originally intended to make a kickstand but decided to throw it in as an afterthought. However, I do own the belt squat in its own and really enjoy it. Instead of the kickstand I use a simple block of wood to prop it up.
I think some of that negativity was the lack of instructions but I didn't have issues there. I think it does a good enough job but seems a little expensive for what it is. I did try it at Home Gym Con as well and there's Mammoth kickstand was a little smother than mine but I'd still only use this with some sort of kickstand.
FWIW, I have the kickstand and find it's a game changer. I attached the kickstand using the last hole which required me to swap out the bumper (you don't need it once you have the kickstand) by getting a nut and washer that fits the screw that was holding the bumper. It works just fine in that it does what it's supposed to do and is easy to disengage when you start to squat and re-engage when you're done. Hope this helps.
@@GlucksGym Those who click the link below will be rewarded by finding out. I have a bias towards separate stations...when it can be accomplished pretty cheaply.
Hey Gluck, any chance you'll be reviewing the new Flybird FB3000 FID Bench that came out this year? Looks like a pretty good option around the $200 price point! Main downside I can see is the lighter weight, I wish it was a little heavier to be less likely to slide around when pushing against it for chest supported rows or smith incline press or hip thrusts or something, otherwise though it's got pretty good specs and features on paper so I'd love to get your take on it.
I’m gonna say no to this. Flybird on many occasions has had issues of their bench breaking under weight. Would never recommend them. You can pick up other benches..for me ones like Hoist.. cheaper than rogue, rep, or any other big names.. with the safety rating still in tact at over 1000lbs
@@ISWIMWITHFISHWere those experiences with models released within the past year or two? Genuinely curious! I think I remember finding that some of their older models or designs were not the best, but they've gotten better with recent iterations and this new model looks pretty good to me on paper. Would I expect it to hold 1,200lbs as advertised, definitely not, but I would never approach anything close to that in real-world usage anyway. If it can hold 600-800lbs of total weight without any concern I think that covers the use cases for the vast majority of people and it could still be a great buy if you want to spend $200 max.
Have it and like it very much but the kickstand needs tweaking. I am considering replacing it with a DIY of a rod attached to blocking that I’ve seen someone do on their belt squat. That way I have basically a stick I just grab and slide in and out as needed to load/support the thing.
I wasn't super impressed by it but after seeing how Fringe's at Home Gym Con I wonder if a lot of the issues people have had is how they installed it. The kickstand should come with instructions because mine was a bit loose at first and I hated it but after tweaking it mine works well. I still thinks it's a bit expensive but it's serviceable.
Also check out the video "Belt Squat Position and Sheer Stress on the Spine | Principles of Loaded Movement" by Kabuki Strength. They address this specific issue.
What you said with SSBs and still potentially having pain... My fiancee is the reason I bought a SSB in the first place, since it was giving her elbow/shoulder problems with a regular bar. Now she is complaining about upper back pain when using the SSB. Obviously I want her to be as comfortable as possible, as she already hates squats. Would you say that a belt squat style alleviates the feeling of being compressed, that you would get from a regular bar or a SSB? Same as brian, when I originally watched the Titan belt squat, I had no interest, but now that my gal is in pain, I'm heavily considering either this lever belt squat or even the Titan entire stand.
Belt squats definitely alleviate compression on the spine, regardless of type. I noticed Gluck and Wynie both have the belt a little higher than I'd wear mine, but it might be stiffness in the belt or height of the kickstand that's causing them to do that. Keeping it low on the hips means zero spinal load.
Definitely alleviates almost all stress on the back including that feeling. Keep in mind you can adjust where the belt sits on you so Wynie tends to put it a little higher. I go a little lower but could definitely push it down some more but it feels good to me where it is.
Really like this comment: wife recently got interested in resistance training and asked me to coach her. Folks with some experience know when they can lift through certain kinds of pain. Newer lifters are very sensitive to stress, and telling them to grind through it is not an option. Wife has pain and balance issues with back squats (her deadlift is decent, though) and not strong enough to squat with a 60 pound safety squat bar, so definitely looking into this as an option to build some strength and confidence.
I think the biggest downfall with lever style belt squats is that it typically pulls the user more forward at the bottom rather than straight down. Like you said, the longer the lever, the better. The Revolt is a joke though 😂 Waaay too short.
It works as a prop to hold things up as you set up for your movement. I agree it's not as robust as the main frame since it's not 2x3 (it's 2x2) as I mentioned but it's not going anywhere.
When you did the titan belt squat thing, i watched it with little interest cuz I saw no need for it. The squat is a leg and back exercise, blah blah blah. now today, here I sit, unable to do squats cuz somehow I strained my trap muscle (I didn't even know you could do that BTW, getting older ain't for sissies) and thinking "gosh a belt squat would have let me get some leg work in today. I"m slow, but I'm learning.
It may be worth checking out a SSB. I use Rep's and I love it. That is, if you either don't want to spend so much on Titan's belt squat, or would rather have a bar than this similarly-priced lever belt squat.
First time seeing one of your videos. Professional and clear presentation of your review. Well done.
Gluck is awesome
Can’t wait for the home gym con content!!
It's gonna be good!
It was cool to finally meet you and Wynie at Home Gym Con
It was great meeting you! Next time someone needs to remind me to stop working and talk more 😂
I have a lower back injury and this lets me get in a pretty great leg workout. Very happy with it so far
Thank you Wynie and Adrian for signing our weight plate at HGC! Steve says thank you for taking some time from your busy recording schedule to say hi.
😁 We were happy to take a break and get to talk some!
Great review. I have never used a belt squat, but as I have gotten older it’s probably something I should start using. My back is not what it once was. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thursday at noon is the most wonderful time of the week.
You're too kind
I love your channel keep it up
I purchased this belt squat on Black Friday with the kickstand (had to wait on the kickstand) just wanted to say that I love this thing especially if you have it mounted on it own (separate station) easy to work with. Thanks Gluck for the review.
I was hoping you'd review this. You did not disappoint 👏
Thank you!
Great review.
I have started to really enjoy belt squats. Love to see how they are changing.
In that thumbnail….. I feel like I should now call you captain stabbin’
Had one for about 6 months, just added the kickstand. Works fine on my 2.3” rack. I use it as a supplement for squats. I don’t have a seated leg extension and have no space for one. So this helps me by providing variation for my quads vs just barbell squatting.
ITS TIIIIIIIME!! Gluck is back.
Boy does the kickstand keep things erect tho.
i see what you did there. heh
😂
This one felt very good when I tried it at HGC. I have the Rhino which is great, but since mine is backed in the corner, I only use it for belt squats and for the price and footprint, it’s a significant investment for most home gyms.
Currently have a deal that throws in the kickstand, really tempting
Good review
Tricked into training legs again!
Nooooo!
Just ordered it through your link. My shoulders and spine don't like having the bar up there. I would love a real belt squat but don't have the room. Hoping this will work.
Hope it works for you and you end up liking it. Thank you so much for the support! It helps a lot!
@@GlucksGym I like it quite a bit. I wish it was even a few inches longer but the arc is not a deal breaker. My rack is a 2" x 2" TDS rack I bought many years ago. That rack is quite sturdy and has 1" holes, but they only through the uprights front to back, not side to side. To use the existing holes I would need to use it out off the side of the rack, and there is no room for that. So I just drilled a hole side to side and I was good to go.
I have a Bell's of Steel lever arm and bought 2 utility horns from them 1 is for the plates and the other is for a kickstand, I stand up pull the pin on the utility horn put it in a hole on the arm till I need to stop!
Those silver Kensui weights in the backround are beautiful! 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
That's chrome and you're right, they're beautiful but also expensive, I indulged and bought a pair of 45 lbs and 2.5lbs, took a month to get here but they are definitely the centerpiece of my budget gym, although I'm having regrets as I feel I could've bought something more meaningful.
I use belt squat for active recovery and warm ups. I almost bought the fringe belt squat but I went with an Eccentric flywheel kickoff from Aliexpress.
I like the kick stand!! I use my lever arms and a chain that’s held on with just a bolt and just a pull out after connecting with my dip belt but sucks when you go to failure
thanks for the video
This might be something I consider at some point. I love the extra length to improve motion.
I am a big fan of the ATX Belt Squar Kompact. Cheap, not so big and really convenient to use.
We tried it at HGC and it's awesome but you're right, we're not exactly comparing apples to apples on the price.
So I am building a single arm belt squat for my home gym. I doubt I will ever go over 250 lbs. I am starting with a Titan 3 x 3 swing arm. It measures 40 inches. I am going to add a 2x2 to it and was wondering if you could share how long the swingarm should be. I know the mammoth BS can go to 49 inches. I am 6 ft tall. Also, I ordered the Fringe Sport Belt Squat Kickstand. (99.00). Would you go 49 inches or longer.
Would love if you could take a look at the Mikolo/ER KANG belt squat attachment, seems like one of the only under $100 ones that also includes a kickstand!
I'll look into it. That one caught my eye as well
I just got a used Titan belt squat off the FB market this week. If the Fringe Mammoth had side-load weight horns, I would have gone with that. I tried it out at home gym con, and that single post is too short since I don't have thin, calibrated plates.
Hopefully the side weight system they're working on ends up being good. I think it sold be raised a little off the main support to work well but we shall see.
I was hoping for more detail on the kickstand. Initial reviews I have read from owners were overwhelmingly Negative. I dont think Fringe originally intended to make a kickstand but decided to throw it in as an afterthought. However, I do own the belt squat in its own and really enjoy it. Instead of the kickstand I use a simple block of wood to prop it up.
I think some of that negativity was the lack of instructions but I didn't have issues there. I think it does a good enough job but seems a little expensive for what it is. I did try it at Home Gym Con as well and there's Mammoth kickstand was a little smother than mine but I'd still only use this with some sort of kickstand.
I think Fringe collaborated with the Kaizen gym guy for the kickstand design.
FWIW, I have the kickstand and find it's a game changer. I attached the kickstand using the last hole which required me to swap out the bumper (you don't need it once you have the kickstand) by getting a nut and washer that fits the screw that was holding the bumper. It works just fine in that it does what it's supposed to do and is easy to disengage when you start to squat and re-engage when you're done. Hope this helps.
@@Frennemydistinctionmy understanding is that Fringe collaborated with Kaizen on the whole design as he originally designed it using wood.
@@Mench951 not sure if it was you, but there's a good yt short on that.
Good review. The wall mount is also a cool option to have a separate station for a cheap price.
Yes! Can't believe I forgot to mention that option.
@@GlucksGym Those who click the link below will be rewarded by finding out. I have a bias towards separate stations...when it can be accomplished pretty cheaply.
Can you show how you installed the kick stand please
Would you recommend using a lifting belt in addition to the belt squat belt if going heavy?
Hey Gluck, any chance you'll be reviewing the new Flybird FB3000 FID Bench that came out this year? Looks like a pretty good option around the $200 price point!
Main downside I can see is the lighter weight, I wish it was a little heavier to be less likely to slide around when pushing against it for chest supported rows or smith incline press or hip thrusts or something, otherwise though it's got pretty good specs and features on paper so I'd love to get your take on it.
I’m gonna say no to this. Flybird on many occasions has had issues of their bench breaking under weight. Would never recommend them. You can pick up other benches..for me ones like Hoist.. cheaper than rogue, rep, or any other big names.. with the safety rating still in tact at over 1000lbs
@@ISWIMWITHFISHWere those experiences with models released within the past year or two? Genuinely curious!
I think I remember finding that some of their older models or designs were not the best, but they've gotten better with recent iterations and this new model looks pretty good to me on paper.
Would I expect it to hold 1,200lbs as advertised, definitely not, but I would never approach anything close to that in real-world usage anyway. If it can hold 600-800lbs of total weight without any concern I think that covers the use cases for the vast majority of people and it could still be a great buy if you want to spend $200 max.
Great review
Thank you!
You should check out all the attachments porter physED fitness has for the bells of steel pulley tower.
Belt squat
Lat pulldown
Low row
Cable fly
Already filmed with him at Home Gym Con 😁
New camera? Lookin good in extra HD
Same old camera but I do have a few lenses. Maybe I actually set one up right for once 😂
Guess your just lookn extra glossy on this one
I use mine every leg day!
Could you cover the Homegrown lifting plates after use, you mentioned them in a mlbumper video and nothing else as far as I can tell
They're in out bumper buyers guide article and video. Great budget plates and we just saw and filmed them at Home Gym Con and now they're thinner too!
Have it and like it very much but the kickstand needs tweaking. I am considering replacing it with a DIY of a rod attached to blocking that I’ve seen someone do on their belt squat. That way I have basically a stick I just grab and slide in and out as needed to load/support the thing.
I wasn't super impressed by it but after seeing how Fringe's at Home Gym Con I wonder if a lot of the issues people have had is how they installed it. The kickstand should come with instructions because mine was a bit loose at first and I hated it but after tweaking it mine works well. I still thinks it's a bit expensive but it's serviceable.
Love this thing
Show us the 405 squats 👀
Is this good for people with lower back problems like bulging discs?
Check out the article "Squats That Actually Cause Low Back Problems" by Ultimate Sandbag Training to get more information.
Also check out the video "Belt Squat Position and Sheer Stress on the Spine | Principles of Loaded Movement" by Kabuki Strength. They address this specific issue.
What you said with SSBs and still potentially having pain... My fiancee is the reason I bought a SSB in the first place, since it was giving her elbow/shoulder problems with a regular bar. Now she is complaining about upper back pain when using the SSB. Obviously I want her to be as comfortable as possible, as she already hates squats.
Would you say that a belt squat style alleviates the feeling of being compressed, that you would get from a regular bar or a SSB? Same as brian, when I originally watched the Titan belt squat, I had no interest, but now that my gal is in pain, I'm heavily considering either this lever belt squat or even the Titan entire stand.
Belt squats definitely alleviate compression on the spine, regardless of type. I noticed Gluck and Wynie both have the belt a little higher than I'd wear mine, but it might be stiffness in the belt or height of the kickstand that's causing them to do that. Keeping it low on the hips means zero spinal load.
Definitely alleviates almost all stress on the back including that feeling. Keep in mind you can adjust where the belt sits on you so Wynie tends to put it a little higher. I go a little lower but could definitely push it down some more but it feels good to me where it is.
Really like this comment: wife recently got interested in resistance training and asked me to coach her. Folks with some experience know when they can lift through certain kinds of pain. Newer lifters are very sensitive to stress, and telling them to grind through it is not an option.
Wife has pain and balance issues with back squats (her deadlift is decent, though) and not strong enough to squat with a 60 pound safety squat bar, so definitely looking into this as an option to build some strength and confidence.
I’m between this for the Titan vertical leg press.
Feel like I’d get Rep ISO arms or any other lever arm with eyebolts on them for belt squats
How easy is it to put in and take off the rack? I don't have enough room to just leave it attached all the time.
Incredibly easy and simple. It's just a single pin.
Yep
Check out the mokono for $100 seems like a very similar style and length.
Home gymcon video next thursday?
That's the hope! We've got over 3.5 hours of footage to get through so we're hoping for vid 1 of 3 next week.
Wait...did I hear that right? You have a Rhino but decided to reviewed this first because you got it for free?
Nope. Reviewed this because the kickstand finally came in. The Rhino is between builds atm as I try something new out with it.
Damn it. Now i want one
I'm a bad influence.
Why have a belt squat?
for this price its a great deal
What the hell is UHMW ?
It's a plastic that lines attachments so they don't gouge up your rack when you take them on and off.
I think the biggest downfall with lever style belt squats is that it typically pulls the user more forward at the bottom rather than straight down. Like you said, the longer the lever, the better. The Revolt is a joke though 😂 Waaay too short.
That angle of path of moment looks vicious and looks like it would create greater stress on your back then squats
The stress on your back is virtually nothing but lever belt squats can put some stress on your knees
The kickstand is not sturdy.
It works as a prop to hold things up as you set up for your movement. I agree it's not as robust as the main frame since it's not 2x3 (it's 2x2) as I mentioned but it's not going anywhere.
When you did the titan belt squat thing, i watched it with little interest cuz I saw no need for it. The squat is a leg and back exercise, blah blah blah.
now today, here I sit, unable to do squats cuz somehow I strained my trap muscle (I didn't even know you could do that BTW, getting older ain't for sissies) and thinking "gosh a belt squat would have let me get some leg work in today.
I"m slow, but I'm learning.
It may be worth checking out a SSB. I use Rep's and I love it. That is, if you either don't want to spend so much on Titan's belt squat, or would rather have a bar than this similarly-priced lever belt squat.
Waited 4 months for that mediocre 100 dollar kickstand
Im pissed at kaizen and fringe
1st
👑
second
Looks like a bad version of a cheap jammer arm.