Latest news with #GymMonster2
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scouted: This All-In-One Weightlifting Machine Will Replace Your Gym Membership
Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. The Gym Monster 2 is probably not for people like me, but it should be. The target audience for a $3,000+ all-in-one weightlifting machine is, I'd imagine, people who are so dedicated to getting their daily reps in that they're willing (and able) to drop big bucks on a device that replaces all your barbells and hand weights with one surprisingly compact device. But for someone like me, someone whose experience with weight training was largely limited to bicep curls and resistance bands, this device gave me the confidence to approach weight lifting outside of a high-pressure gym environment. The weight section at every gym I've been a member of always seems intimidating. Most of the machines seem wildly unintuitive, the popular machines always have a line, and I feel self-conscious bench pressing without any weight plates loaded on (but isn't the bar alone, like, 45 pounds?). The Gym Monster 2 replaces a whole gym's worth of machines with an adjustable device that uses resistance to provide counterweight of up to 220 pounds. It's got a large touch screen for picking guided routines (either with a coach or AI), seeing demonstrations, and checking progress. The whole device easily folds up when not in use, with roughly the footprint of a floor mirror. Each workout automatically counts your weight, reps, and rest times. The first few times I needed to adjust the position and accessories between exercises, it took me longer than the provided rest times. Even with the ability to extend the rest for 15 seconds, I hit a point where the timer would not increase and I was warned that resting too long would impact my performance. After a few swaps, I got better at understanding how the machine functions, and switching between positions was super easy. Every exercise has an on-screen video and written instructions, so you can try to mirror your form to the example you're seeing and you get… moderately helpful feedback from a robotic-sounding AI coach. If you're unbalanced and pulling harder with one arm or resting too long between reps, it will tell you. At the end of a set, you'll get a suggested weight for the next set, which you can choose to implement or not. And unlike traditional weights and weight plates that can require increments of five or 10 pounds to add on, you can select single pound increments all the way up to the device's max. These adjustments are easy, thanks to the Bluetooth-connected ring that you wear on your index finger. You can easily increase weight by scrolling with your thumb and start and stop workouts. This is an especially helpful safety measure for bench-pressing and other exercises where a spotter is traditionally recommended: if you hit the button to stop, the machine will remove all additional weight. At one point during hip thrusts, I was positioned so my feet were not perpendicular with the ground, and I ended up pushing the mat and my feet off the device's base. Since your own body weight on the mat is what helps keep the device stable, the Gym Monster 2 began to tilt as I pushed the bar up with my hips. I clicked the ring, and the weight instantly cut, stabilizing the device. As a weightlifting novice, I appreciated how much hand-holding existed. Exercises are labeled as beginner, intermediate, or advanced, and the demo videos and instructions made me feel more confident than I ever have approaching a weight machine at a gym. And the stats provided are super motivating—you can track your progress and see an aggregate of how much weight you've lifted that week. For cardio days, the add-on rowing machine bench turns the Gym Monster 2 into a sweat machine. As with most screen-equipped fitness machines, there are also many workouts that you can follow that don't even utilize the machine's features, from HIIT to yoga to stretching. Be warned: while the Gym Monster 2 requires minimal assembly, it's delivered in an absolutely giant box (the weightlifting and rowing benches come in separate boxes). It's about 200 pounds, so especially if you'll need to get it up or down stairs, it's best to go in with a plan (and maybe some extra hands). Once out of the box, set-up is super easy. Plug it in, connect to the internet, and you're set. The rowing bench requires some additional assembly, but nothing anyone who has put together Ikea furniture would struggle with. The amount of trash and recyclables generated by the packing was eye-popping (three large contractor bags filled with plastic and pounds of cardboard), but perhaps that's the trade-off for everything coming incredibly well insulated from shipping damage. Additionally, Speediance's manufacturing origins in China are sometimes pretty evident, with oddly translated text and generic soundtracks. Ultimately, the price tag means this device is best suited for someone with a serious commitment to weightlifting, but if you're looking for a machine that delivers a ton of utility in a small space (and have a budget that can support it), the Gym Monster 2 delivers.
WIRED
20-03-2025
- WIRED
The Speediance Gym Monster 2 Combines Cardio and Weights in One Small Machine
I learned how to lift in college when I was running track, and I fell in love with the feeling of a heavy dead lift, squat, and clean. I've been lifting for the last decade, but it's never been the same since I lost access to my elite college weight room. I mostly work out at home with adjustable dumbbells and kettlebells, but I've reached a point where I need something heavier. I need my barbell and plates back. So I was stoked to review the Speediance Gym Monster 2, a magnetic-resistance cable machine that looks a lot like a normal weight-lifting rack but can fit in my home. I've been using it for a month now, and I've totally integrated it into my workout routine. I really enjoy using it (I didn't love the past magnetic-resistance machine I tried), and it's allowed me to step up my big lifts, like dead lifts, squats, and bench presses. Photograph: Kristin Canning Tricked Out The Gym Monster 2 is a magnetic-resistance cable machine with a rack, screen, foldable platform (with a removable squishy pad), and so. Many. Accessories. The standard package comes with a bench, adjustable barbell, barbell hooks, barbell pad, tricep rope, cable handles, extender belt, ankle straps, and a Bluetooth ring and clip (more on what that does later). This is the second version (duh) and is more compact and lighter then the first iteration, and has one higher level for the cables on the rack pillars. It was really easy to set up—no assembly required. It has a small footprint. When folded, it's 14.6 inches long by 27.2 wide by 72.8 tall; unfolded, it's 48.0 inches long. With a total resistance of 220 pounds, it can't help you with your heaviest lifting, but the smart features and easy-to-use system make it a really cool home workout machine. Price-wise, it's a little less than the Tonal 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), and you also don't need to subscribe to a membership to access most of the workouts. Photograph: Kristin Canning There's a lot to love about the Gym Monster 2. It feels much more like a traditional weight-lifting rack than other magnetic-resistance cable machines I've used in the past, thanks to the two tall pillars that can hold the cables. Similar machines, like the Vitruvian Trainer+ that I've tried, have cables that attach only to the platform, which makes certain lifts and positioning quite challenging.
