It’s an undeniable fact that strongman is on the rise. The sport has seen exceptional growth within the last five years. At every level of the sport you have guys that compete regularly making YouTube channels, Instagram pages, etc. It really is an exciting time to be a fan of the sport. But what if you want to join in on the fun? Well, why not start with one of the most iconic pieces of strongman equipment? Today, I’ll tell you my opinion of the Rogue loadable circus dumbbell that I’ve owned for about two years now.
Rogue Circus Dumbbell: The Good
To start off, this is probably the most well made piece of equipment in my home gym. The rogue monster bells are a loadable circus dumbbell that come in several sizes. I personally own the 10″ monster bell, so that’s what we’ll focus on in this article.
The Specs:
Let’s kick off with the actual specs of this beast. Empty, it’s about eighty five pounds. On each end is a cap that can be removed with an Allen wrench for you to fill it, and on the Rogue Fitness website it says that it can be loaded up to around two hundred pounds. It’s handle is two and a half inches around, so unless you’re a real freak of nature there’s no way you’re picking this up one handed. It’s also about two feet in length from end to end, but that hasn’t been an issue for me.
The bell itself is just under eleven inches in diameter, and honestly that’s one of the biggest benefits of this piece of equipment; but we’ll cover more of that in a moment.
What I love about it:
Unlike the cheaper loadable circus dumbbells, the rogue circus dumbbell has no sharp edges that cut into your shoulder or wrist in the rack position, making it as comfortable as this brutal lift could possibly be. Another thing that really endears this piece of equipment to me is how easy it is to load. You can fill this thing with just about anything thanks to the large holes on either end. And with the caps easily removed and put back with a simple tool, the Allen wrench mentioned above, adjusting the weight isn’t an issue.
I mentioned the possible weight this could be loaded too, and unless you’re literally Brian Shaw then I’d recommend the ten inch size for most adult men. It starts at a weight that’s challenging, and being able to load up to 200lbs roughly, it’s going to be more than enough for average Joe. And I know I’m repeating myself a lot, but what this thing does well it knocks out of the park. I genuinely believe this thing is built well enough to last long after I’m able to lift it. It really is a lifetime quality piece of gear.
The Carryover:
If you’re wanting to buy this to increase your numbers on your other lifts, that’s a bit nebulous to me. I’ve been using my rogue circus dumbbell for a while now, and I don’t see a ton of direct carryover to things like bench or static overhead press. But when it comes to stability and athletic performance, I can easily say that I know I’m a well conditioned athlete all around when I can pick up this thing, even unloaded at eighty five pounds, and rock off four sets of ten reps. This thing really is second only to a sandbag in terms of just how dynamic and explosive the lift has to be, so the carryover is going to be directly noticeable in your muscular endurance, grip strength and cardio.
And excuse my bro science here, but if you can clean and press this thing with one arm and keep increasing your weight, I really see no way it wouldn’t lead to more pressing strength. Combine it with a log and you’re already halfway to having to turn sideways to fit through a doorway.
Rogue Circus Dumbbell: The Bad
I’m going to be honest here, this is not a cheap piece of equipment. The ten inch monster bell that I own ran about 565.00 dollars before shipping. So if you’re just looking for an all around piece of equipment without a ton of specialization, it’s hard to recommend this. A piece like this is really reserved for the strongman super fan. There are certainly cheaper options out there, and I totally understand if that’s what people go for. But I will add one small warning. What you pay for is what you get. Rogue Fitness is top-of-the-line equipment in all facets. Many of those hollow, plate-loaded circus dumbbells are at risk of bending and folding when dropped from height. The rogue monster bell is going to hold up under that same abuse without folding. Just don’t drop it on concrete. You’ll probably smash the driveway if anything!
WARNING: AVOID SAND WHEN LOADING
Above I mentioned that you could load this bad boy up to two hundred pounds. I made the mistake of loading it up with sand after I mastered the unloaded eighty five pound press. And I’m not exaggerating at all when I say that it took me months to get all that sand back out when I realized I had put too much into it.
If I could go back again I’d use coins, lead shot, or something along those lines. Load it up with small bits of metal that will just fall right out. Sand can stick to the insides, and because of the lip that the cap screws into, it’ll be a real pain to get it all back out. But, I’m willing to chalk that up to me not thinking it through before loading it up.
Also, make sure to go ahead and pre-order a 5/8″ inch Allen wrench, since that’s not included with your purchase. Thankfully it’s a pretty cheap tool on amazon or any other website.
Rogue Circus Dumbbell: Worth The Price?
If you can get past the price point, I’d say this is a must have addition for any super-fan of strongman. It’ll set you back a pretty penny, sure. But with it’s build quality this is a piece of gear that will last a life time if you treat it right.
The rogue loadable circus dumbbell is a great piece of equipment to increase your explosive pressing power, core strength, and even grip. Incorporating this kind of press into your weekly routine will guarantee to make you a more well-rounded athlete. Be you a pro, amateur, or even just a fan of strongman like myself: this gets two big thumbs up from me.
