I haven’t done any one-rep PRs in a while, but the last time that I did it for traditional barbell squats, I was able to get 505 lbs. But the years leading up to this, I was a young gym bro who didn’t have the best discipline when it came to things like focusing on proper form or proper rest to recover. So when I was squatting over 500 lbs and repping in the 400s for sets every workout, I was tweaking my back a lot. It wasn’t just from the barbell squats, but it definitely didn’t help.
So, when I started the renovations for this home gym, one of the first things that I picked up was a belt squat attachment, specifically the Fringe Sport Mammoth Belt Squat, for my rack. This opened the doors for me as I quickly discovered that I was able to do something similar to a barbell squat, but was able to save my back. However, a problem with Mammoth belt squat attachment that I have is that I’m just too strong for it. I maxed out the weight horn that it came with and was having to do a lot of sets and reps just to feel anything. It also didn’t help that, because of the lever design, you just don’t feel the full weight of the plates that you put on. I eventually got a dual weight horn for my lever belt squat, but then it just became so cumbersome because again, you don’t get a perfect 1:1 felt load, so I have to use like fourteen 45 lb plates just to squat 500 lbs. I didn’t want to deal with all the loading/unloading, not to mention the cost to buy all those plates, so I needed a different belt squat solution.
After some research, I ultimately decided to get the Titan Fitness Squat Max MD. There are many other options out there, but I went with the Squat Max because many of the reviewers who are more experienced with belt squat machines mention that this is basically the best option if you want to get something that’s as similar to a traditional barbell squat movement as possible. There are other options that may be more versatile, but I prioritize getting the squats in first and foremost.
Now, I want to preface that I just recently got this machine in and have only done a few workouts with it. That being said, I have some thoughts to share that may be beneficial to anyone else interested in this machine.
First, let’s talk about shipment. The Squat Max ships from Titan via freight in a wooden crate and pallet. As with all Titan products, shipping is free. I ordered it early morning Friday—it shipped the same day. I received it the following Wednesday. It traveled from California to Washington State.
In terms of the quality of packaging, I would say that it’s pretty good. The pallet itself is nice and better than the one I received from REP Fitness for my Ares 2.0 cable attachment, which broke through the base because REP didn’t reinforce the bottom center of the pallet. Titan did a really good job with this pallet. On the inside, there’s a lot of styrofoam, and similar parts are packaged in separate boxes. I’ve watched reviews that mention how good this packaging is and how those Squat Max units arrived flawless. I can’t say it was the same for me. My Squat Max does show some scratches and gouges to the finish here and there. The weight pin is hollow and is not coated on the inside. Mine arrived with a thin layer of rust oxidation in there. If these things are something that you’re worried about, Titan does offer shipping protection for an additional cost.
When it comes to installation, most of what you’ll receive are large parts, and the whole thing is held together by only a few bolts. The entire installation process doesn’t take too long. My only complaint is that this is one of those products that doesn’t come with a traditional paper manual but only a QR code to scan so you can access it digitally. I personally hate this because it just makes the process slower. Since most of us are going to be looking at it on our phones and the manual itself isn’t all that detailed, you’ll really have to zoom in and figure out which bolt is which. Again, not really difficult at all, but just time-consuming and annoying. I was able to get the installation done by myself, so I don’t think most of you are going to have too much trouble.
In terms of build quality, once you get all the bolts tightened, the main frame and base are pretty rock solid. The machine itself looks pretty simple, but it just works. The build is actually quite nice. However, the thing that most people complain about is the handles. You twist these in and out to actuate the two scissor bars that hold the weight plate pin above the platform. The complaint is that the handles are loose and wiggle—which I can confirm they do. This just comes down to the general design of this mechanism. It’s very rudimentary. The handles are basically friction-fit into place. The bottom slips into a corresponding hole and is only held in place by a small bolt. It’s not a tight fit and not locked into place. Also, everything moves a bit rough and it’s all metal-on-metal contact. I might not be explaining it too well, but if you see this thing work in person, it makes sense why the handle is loose. All of that might sound negative, but I don’t think it’s a big deal. The machine works as it should and can hold a thousand pounds, so I’m not too worried about it. It’s really just a ding in terms of fit and finish and perceived quality. Yeah, some padding can be added to make the parts quieter when in use, but that’ll also increase the price.
Speaking of price—when introduced, the Squat Max was selling for $1500. Then it jumped up to $1800, but I do see it on sale around the $1500 price quite often. This might just be one of those fake-out sale prices to trick people into buying it at $1500. I personally picked it up when it went on sale for $1350. At this price—and even at $1500—I would buy this machine again. I have no regrets about this purchase. I just recommend that you don’t buy it when it’s full price at $1800 because Titan stuff always goes on sale. Just wait it out. This is one of their more well-known products, so there’s a really good chance it will go on sale. Sign up for their email newsletter because I have seen them send out coupon codes for the Squat Max.
Now, most importantly, let’s talk about actually using the Squat Max. Overall, I would say that I love this machine. It feels way better than my Mammoth belt squat. When you stack it up with weights, it actually feels heavy, and you can get a workout in pretty quick—like you would if you were doing a barbell squat, but without any additional compression on the spine. On top of that, the weight pin sleeve is 21” long, so you can stack a lot of plates onto it—but that of course depends on the thickness of your plates. I know that I can get more than 600 lbs with the plates that I have, so I’m happy with that. However, something to think about is that the more plates you stack, the more likely the plates will rub the inside of your legs. How many plates before this happens will depend on how thick your plates are and how long your legs are. For me, it starts rubbing around seven plates, and I have to open my legs wider to compensate. It hasn’t been a problem yet, but it will eventually become a big problem that will prevent me from squatting properly, and I will have to build some sort of platform to raise myself up. I have seen videos showing an official platform for the Squat Max, but I don’t think that is available anymore. It shouldn’t be too hard to make my own out of wood. You can also get around this by only using the included narrow-stance adapter plate and smaller plates, but the number of plates that I’d need to get an equivalent workout would be ridiculous, so that’s not really a solution for me.
One thing that I have noticed in use—and is an annoyance—is the amount of travel that the weight pin carrier has when moving up and down on the guide rod. I think the tolerance is too large and the pin is able to move around too much. This means that when lifting, my plates can catch the lip of the cutout in the Squat Max. This can really throw you off when it happens in the middle of a lift. Personally, I wouldn’t mind having to squat just a few fractions of an inch wider if it meant the hole could be bigger. I’d rather know that the plates can’t hit the sides when coming up.
In terms of squat depth, I’ve seen reviews that say if you’re around 5’ tall, you probably won’t be able to hit parallel, and will only be able to if you're around 5’5”. After some testing, I find this to be a bit weird because I’m around 5’5”–5’6” and when I’m just messing around with no weight loaded, bottoming out would mean that I’m going noticeably lower than parallel. But when I lift over 300 lbs, I weirdly feel like I hit something at the bottom of my lift. I’m thinking it can’t be me bottoming out because I use the seat as a guide. I know that when I squat down and my butt touches the seat, I’m at parallel. So, I just never go lower when using the Squat Max. But again, I feel myself hitting something at the bottom.
Speaking of the seat—I want to note that it does come into the squat area a bit. Like I said, when I go down, my butt touches this seat every time, even when the seat is in its lowest position. There’s no way around this unless I move or remove the seat. This is likely not something that taller people will have to worry about. I personally would like for the seat to be offset a little bit further back just so shorter people would be able to clear it.
I should mention that the Squat Max does come with a belt and carabiner, so you’ll be ready to use it out of the box. This is only the second belt squat belt that I’ve owned—the first being the one that came with my Mammoth belt squat—so I’m not the most experienced in this regard. However, I would say that I don’t like this Titan belt too much. It’s wrapped in a textile material with what feels like foam in the middle. It’s decently comfortable until I start to lift heavy, and then I can feel it start to dig in. At around six 45 lb plates, I find myself having to compensate for some discomfort with this belt. I also don’t like the multi-loop adjustment system it uses. You pick the loops that best fit your waist and throw a carabiner through them. I have two problems with this. First, I use the loop closest in so that I can get maximum depth—the rest is basically useless and gets in the way. So, I’ll have to think about cutting off the rest. My second issue is with the decision to make these loops from textile because after my very first use, one of the loops is already starting to fray. This is exactly why belts like the one that came with my Mammoth belt squat use metal loops. So no telling how long this Titan belt will last. I won’t be able to figure that out because I’ve already decided to order a different belt from Spud Inc. I haven’t finalized which one to order just yet, but subscribe to my YouTube for an update video on that if you’re interested.
Overall, I can’t tell you how happy I am with the Squat Max MD from Titan. The minor complaints that I’ve previously mentioned really don’t amount to much when considering the benefits I’m getting—primarily, a machine that allows me to get a heavy squat movement without loading all the weight on my spine. For me, this is an easy recommendation. This is a machine that I would buy again if I had to, and I think that’s the highest praise I can give.
