Latest news with #Speediance
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
Speediance Gym Monster 2 review: A compact, tech-heavy home gym packed with features (and a few quirks)
Remember when "home gym" meant a dusty treadmill in the basement or enough equipment to fill a small warehouse? Those days are thankfully behind us. Today's smart home gyms are designed for real people with real space constraints — and Gym Monster 2 by Speediance is a perfect example of this evolution. As a personal trainer and seasoned fitness product reviewer, I can confidently say that the Gym Monster 2 is one of the best smart home gyms around, leaving me oohing and awwing for days. After putting this popular system through its paces, I'm thoroughly impressed with how much workout variety it manages to pack into such a sleek package. Some of the most thoughtfully designed features include hundreds of on-demand workout options, detailed post-workout reports, AI assist to help power through tough lifts and a super handy Bluetooth ring that makes using the machine incredibly intuitive. Starting at $3,750 for the Basic version when not on sale (I tested the Works Plus at $4,100), it's not a small investment, so I'll break down the pros and cons to help you decide if it's a worthwhile buy. I tested the Works Plus version of the Gym Monster 2 by Speediance, which includes the machine, several accessories and an adjustable bench, all of which come to your door in two boxes. At 172 pounds, you'll likely want a second pair of hands to help you unpack, but the two wheels located on the base of the machine certainly make moving it around easier once you have it unpacked. If you'd rather skip the hassle, Speediance offers white glove service, which starts at $150 for ground-floor delivery. After you have your Gym Monster in place and plugged in, you are good to go. Seriously. Everything is ready right out of the box. (The teeniest exception: If your system comes with a bench, you'll need to secure the legs with two thumbscrews, but it's still a tool-free assembly.) Gym Monster's Works Plus comes with tons of accessories, covering almost everything you could want in a home gym setup, including an adjustable barbell with a foam pad, ankle straps, single grips and a triceps rope, plus a Bluetooth ring and clip and spare cables. A button on the side unlocks the platform for lowering, but it doesn't have a hydraulic assist, so you'll need to carefully lower it yourself and use the locks to secure it. Once that's done, you're ready to start lifting. The Speediance Gym Monster 2 has a minimalist and unobtrusive design, with a footprint of under three square feet when folded. Despite its compact size, it doesn't skimp on thoughtful details. For example, the platform comes with a cushy foam pad that's attached magnetically, so you can peel it off to use elsewhere for crunches or yoga. It feels very sturdy too, and the platform is big enough for almost any movement you can think of. The bench adjusts easily and fits neatly onto the platform. The system offers 11 height settings for adjusting the cable pulleys to perform exercises like triceps pushdowns and biceps curls, or you can unclip them and attach them to the platform for movements like bench presses or squats. A nifty set of metal hooks slots into the vertical mounting brackets, so you can rack the barbell between sets without putting it down on the ground, just like at the gym. It's a simple but thoughtful addition that showcases the Gym Monster 2 as a complete home gym. One thing I found missing is built-in storage for the accessories. An accessory dock with hooks and a padded nook for supporting the barbell is available from Speediance for an extra $110. Otherwise, you'll need to find somewhere else to store the handles, grips and other attachments. The user guide for the Gym Monster 2 is actually helpful, unlike most fitness equipment manuals I've tried to navigate! The only real stumbling block was connecting the Bluetooth ring, which required a quick YouTube detour. After turning on the machine, creating an account and choosing a training goal — Get Fit, Build Muscle or Lose Weight — I was greeted by an easy-to-navigate home screen with a vivid 21.5-inch HD touchscreen display. As a first-time user, I was prompted to set a training goal with parameters including preferred training frequency, workout length, target weight and program duration. Then the software put together a preview of my workout schedule, complete with a daily calorie intake recommendation and training targets. It's a helpful launchpad for anyone new to building a training program. (That said, calorie intake is personal, and you should talk to your health care provider before adjusting your diet.) The 2.1 stereo speaker system below the display packs serious volume — great for pumping up your workout music, though you might need to dial it back to hear trainer instructions clearly. Just know that some of the included music should have a content warning. While the Gym Monster 2 is Bluetooth-enabled, it's important to note that you can't connect your own music player. The Bluetooth ring slides onto your index finger or attaches to the barbell with a clip and connects to the machine to control resistance. You can turn the resistance on or off, and when it's off, simply rotate the ring's button with your thumb to adjust weight up or down — no need to fiddle with the touchscreen mid-set. The Speediance Gym Monster 2 is equipped with AI that monitors how many reps you complete at a given weight — and predicts your one-rep max (how much weight you can lift for a single repetition). You can watch that number increase as you progress with your lifts, which is pretty motivating. The system offers two AI assist modes you can enable mid-workout that help if you're stuck in the middle of a rep. Mode 1 only kicks in when you're struggling with the lifting phase of a movement like standing up from a squat or pressing a barbell over your head. It lowers the weight just enough to help you complete that final rep safely — perfect for training to failure. Mode 2 activates if you pause for too long at any point in your range of motion, automatically reducing weight whenever you stop moving. The catch? Mode 2 doesn't know if you're struggling or just taking a moment to psych yourself up, so you'll need to disable it if you prefer longer pauses between reps. A great way to get accustomed to the machine is to use the Gym Monster 101 workout, a comprehensive fitness program designed for Gym Monster newbies. Using the barbell Romanian deadlift as a demo move, the on-screen trainer took me through some lifting modes, including an impressive eccentric mode that lets you add extra resistance. The real-time feedback is where this system shines. A color-coded bar chart shows your power per rep — fantastic for spotting strength imbalances. And the machine actually warns you if one side of your body is significantly weaker than the other. A line graph tracks your range of motion throughout each exercise. Post-workout reports include your duration and volume, plus you can rate your perceived exertion on a 10-point scale and get movement-specific feedback. The system even gamifies progress with badges for milestones like your first 10,000 pounds lifted or 10 completed sessions — a clever way to encourage consistency and chase new personal bests. Everything in my plan, from barbell upright rows to cable woodchops, felt comfortable with smooth resistance from the cables. But I did find that the set and rep recommendations — nine sets of 18 reps for each of four exercises — were far too much. I'd never suggest that much volume for an exercise, even for an advanced lifter. Fortunately, the system offers plenty of flexibility beyond these preset programs. Below the selection of recommended workouts, the bottom of the home screen offers three options for other ways to work out: All Workouts: These are grouped by category, for example, HIIT or Recovery, which you can filter by difficulty. You can also choose from over 80 programs of varying lengths. Custom Workouts: Build your workout program from over 400 movements. For each movement, you can choose a preset — gain muscle, stamina or strength — and sets, resistance range, rep scheme and rest time suggestions. Or you can customize your entire program. Free Lift: A true DIY approach, here is where you choose your resistance level, lifting mode, accessories and AI assist mode, if you want it. This is great if you have no specific routine in mind or are experienced enough not to need cues from an on-screen trainer. It's worth noting that some movement names can be confusing. Experienced lifters typically associate "compound lifts" with exercises like the barbell bench press, back squat or deadlift — heavy lifts that engage multiple muscle groups. However, with the Speediance Gym Monster 2, "compound" refers to performing different movements simultaneously, such as a lunge with a right-arm horizontal pull and left-arm overhead press. I wouldn't recommend these types of movements due to the coordination required, which can detract from focusing on the target muscle group. With all its impressive features, the Speediance Gym Monster 2 does have some drawbacks worth considering. I'm impressed by the sturdy adjustable barbell, but the plastic single-hand grips feel flimsy in comparison. The 220-pound max resistance might also limit more experienced lifters. And while the platform is decently sized, larger people might have trouble positioning themselves comfortably. On the tech side, my only gripe is that connecting your own music player to the speaker would be a nice touch. Then there's the price. The Gym Monster 2 starts at $3,749 for the Basic package, which does not include a bench. The Works, which comes with a flat bench, is $3,950, while the Works Plus, which includes an adjustable bench, tops out at $4,100. At the highest end is the Family Plus package, which includes an adjustable bench and a rowing bench for $4,499. It's a serious financial commitment for an incredibly versatile machine, but it likely won't meet your needs if you lift heavy. Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
CNET
08-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
Fitness and Wellness Deals Worth Adding to Cart on Amazon Prime Day July 2025
Speediance is known for its AI-powered home workout machines. For Prime Day, its original Gym Monster is on sale for 30% off (originally $3,049) and the Gym Monster 2 (originally $3,749) is 10% off. The Gym Monster is meant to be used as a strength training smart home gym in your living room complete with cables and the AI experience. If you want to take it a step further, the Gym Monster 2 is the newest version and offers a smaller footprint and folds down to only 1.2 feet. Either way, this all-in-one machine can help get you in shape in the comfort of your own home with 350 coach-curated workouts.
Tom's Guide
14-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Tom's Guide
I tried the Speediance Gym Monster 2 — here's what I love (and don't)
As someone who juggles work, parenting, and staying fit in between, I'm always on the hunt for anything that makes working out easier, more efficient — and ideally — enjoyable. I've been a competitive runner since the age of 12 and tend to let strength training slip, but that changed when I got my hands on the Speediance Gym Monster 2 Family Plus. This compact, all-in-one digital gym offers commercial-grade workouts your whole family can use at home. Even my tween son joined in. I was more skeptical about my husband — a former personal trainer who lifts so heavy he's been kicked out of franchise gyms. I wasn't sure if he was more of a monster than the machine. But after using it consistently for a few weeks, I have some thoughts. I've been using the Speediance Gym Monster at home, and it seriously levels up my workouts. It gives me up to 220 pounds of adjustable digital resistance, so I can target everything including: chest, back, legs, arms, shoulders and even core. Whether I'm doing squats, curls, presses or rotations, the movements feel smooth and controlled. It's helped me build strength, improve balance and actually feel like I'm training my whole body. When the package arrived, it was massive. The three-piece delivery (main unit, bench, and rowing parts) came on a pallet, and the boxes were extremely heavy. If you're considering this machine for a small apartment, know that you'll need space to set it up — and someone to help you carry it upstairs or through narrow doorways. Luckily, I was able to spread out the equipment on the lawn and get started. The Family Plus is Speediance's most comprehensive package. It includes everything in the lower-tier kits, plus rowing components: barbell hooks and adjustable barbell, extender belt, tricep rope, cable handles, ankle straps, adjustable bench, rowing bench, and rowing bar. One thing it doesn't come with? Nordic ski handles — you'll have to buy those separately. Setup is straightforward and takes about an hour. No wall-mounting required — though I'll come back to that later. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Let's start with the basics: this machine is sleek, smart and surprisingly compact. If you're tight on space, the foldable design is a major win. We have a dedicated home gym, but for apartment dwellers, the ability to tuck it away is a huge plus. Once I downloaded the app, paired the Bluetooth ring, and ran through the quick tutorial, I was off and running — literally, with a jogging warm-up. The touchscreen interface walks you through each move with crystal-clear visuals. There's no fumbling through confusing dials or clunky menus. Within minutes, I was doing squats, curls, and rows like I had a personal trainer in the room. And technically, I did. The coaching feels present and the music in each workout is energizing without being overwhelming. The Gym Monster 2 boasts some impressive smart capabilities designed to enhance safety, progression, and personalization. That said, the line between 'smart' and 'AI' is a little blurry here. While Speediance markets it as AI coaching, it felt more like smart automation to me — adjusting resistance based on performance without much true personalization. What really stood out was the versatility. One day, I'm doing resistance training for legs and glutes, the next I'm following a cardio session. The machine supports a wide range of exercises without needing a dozen pieces of equipment. Still, this is one of its biggest strengths. The system automatically tweaks resistance as you improve and helps maintain good form. For someone like me — who tends to overdo it — that level of support was appreciated. What really stood out was the versatility. One day, I'm doing resistance training for legs and glutes, the next I'm following a cardio session. The machine supports a wide range of exercises — even cable movements — so I can target different muscle groups without needing a dozen pieces of equipment. Apple Health integration and guided programs in the app are nice extras, especially on days I didn't feel like coming up with my own routine. Let's talk about the price. At $3,800 on sale, this machine isn't cheap. While I think it offers solid value — digital weights, AI tracking, multiple workout styles, and no gym commute — it's still a significant investment. If you're on a tight budget, it could be a deal-breaker. Another limitation: resistance caps at 220 lbs (100 kg). That's more than enough for most users — myself included — but not for my husband. He found it lacking for some lifts. Although he did find it a great workout for curls. If you're a serious powerlifter or advanced athlete, this might not meet all your needs. I also ran into a few minor bugs — the screen froze mid-exercise once or twice; the music can come on extremely loud; and sometimes it didn't properly register a completed set. Ending a workout early always triggers a 'Why are you stopping?' prompt, which gets old fast. These aren't dealbreakers, and Speediance seems to be releasing updates regularly, but it's something to keep in mind. This is my biggest complaint: for something labeled 'Family Plus,' I expected more built-in safety features. The machine is very heavy and doesn't anchor to the wall. While it sits flat and stable, that's not enough around small kids. If a child were to climb on it or pull at the bench, it could be dangerous. I strongly recommend setting the Gym Monster 2 up in a low-traffic area and wish Speediance offered a wall-mount option or safety accessories. For now, it's on parents to be extra cautious. So, who is this for? In my experience, the Speediance Gym Monster 2 Family Plus is ideal for busy parents, runners looking to add strength training, or anyone who wants an all-in-one solution without commuting to a gym. It's smart, space-saving and makes workouts feel a little less like a chore — and that's a win in my book. Would I recommend it? Yes — especially if you're looking for a home gym that covers strength, cardio and guided training in one compact package. Just be prepared to spend big.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Strength Training: Big-Time Interactive AI Home Gym In A Small Package
Strength training is hot right now, and the evidence behind its vital importance continues to mount. Whether it is to combat the otherwise inevitable loss of muscle mass due to ageing, counter the effects of osteoporosis and loss of bone density, to function better in life and recreational activities, or to look better and feel better about ourselves, more and more people are using weights and resistance. I have been covering participant sports and fitness for a long time, have a fairly elaborate home gym, have used a lot of different gyms around the world, and frequently try new equipment (my last fitness story here at Forbes was on a world-class immersive workout and hiking retreat). My new go-to home strength training setup is the Speediance Gym Monster 2, a big-time interactive AI home gym in a small, affordable package. Every day the news seems to be full of stories on how to live longer and better and why experts increasingly think strength training is a key part of that equation—or the key part. Recent blockbuster bestsellers like Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia have put strength training on equal footing—or even more important than—aerobic exercise and nutrition as vital to our long-term health. Just last week, the New York Times ran an article about longevity expert Dr. Eric Topol's new book, Super Agers, and asked the doctor for five tips for ageing well. Number One? 'Take up strength training.' All forms of exercise are recommended to combat risks of cancer, depression, diabetes and overall mortality, 'but even Dr. Topol was surprised to learn that strength training in particular can significantly lower your risks.' A cited meta-analysis of studies found that just an hour of resistance training a week lowered subject's mortality risk by a stunning 25%. Why the Gym Monster 2? First off, it takes the place of many machines and hardware that would normally take up a lot more space. I used to have a multi-station 'compact' home gym with weight racks that took up more than twice as much space and could not be moved out of the way, yet offered far fewer exercises. But that's just the physical part. It also comes with a full built in training regimen and classes at a price that cannot be beat—free. It is an interactive trainer, meaning it is fully loaded with video classes led by trainers who create many structured workouts and demonstrate proper form for every exercise, and it tracks how you do each exercise, from power to resistance to range of motion. It uses digital magnetic resistance, with a motor creating pull on the cables, so there are no bulky and potentially dangerous metal weight plates. It packs a huge number of possible exercises into a very small footprint that I keep in our smallest guest bedroom—and still have room for guests. The base platform which stabilizes it and connects the cables for half the exercises even folds up out of the way when not in use. When working out, the Gym Monster 2 occupies less than twenty square feet, but when folded, more like three. It's also easy to move. If you've seen commercials for the much more heavily marketed Tonal, you might already have an idea what a digital interactive resistance machine with video monitor is like, and I looked into Tonal. But a few advantages of the Gym Monster 2 caught my eye. For starters, it's less expensive, both to buy and in the long term. The retail price is a few hundred bucks lower, and significantly it doesn't require any installation, since it stands on the floor, whereas Tonal needs to be wall mounted and in most cases professionally installed as it needs a lot of structural strength and not any wall will do. Once its up, if you take it down or move it, cosmetic surgery will be required on your home, versus simply rolling the Gym Monster on its wheels. Setup was a breeze and took less than 10 minutes. Opening and removing the box took longer than the actual setup. Long term, there is no subscription or recurring fees, period, and all the classes are free. I love my Peloton (read more here at Forbes) for cycling, yoga, strength and more, and the extensive class workout offerings are well worth the $44 bucks a month I pay, but that is $528 a year versus nothing for Gym Monster. Tonal currently charges about $60 a month. Many trainers feel that variety is important, switching up workouts to keep the muscles from getting into a rut, and the sheer volume of offerings and specificity available (arms, chest. back, weight loss, full body, etc.) makes it easy to keep things fresh. The physical setup of the machine is clean and makes changing exercises a snap. There are just two cables, each ending with a connector for handles, straps, rope handle and the barbell. This connector can be moved to the platform floor for any vertical exercise from chest presses to bicep curls, or to the vertical frame at various heights for things like standing chest flys or overhead triceps extension. In every case, changing between sets takes just seconds and is really easy. The details are very well thought out, like the fact that the 32-inch 1080p touchscreen rotates 180 degrees, so you can turn it parallel to the floor and look up at it while on the bench. The Gym Monster 2 is compatible with Apple Watch and Samsung Watch for seamless fitness data tracking. The digital weight has several advantages beyond the most obvious one, which is packing a huge range of resistance into a machine three inches thick versus racks of dumbbells or metal plates (it maxes out at 220-pounds, which is more than enough for the vast majority of users). Because it's digital you can change the weight in one pound increments, impossible with most metal weights. It is also much safer to use, especially when working out by yourself. The weight can be switched on and off with a wireless Bluetooth ring you wear on your finger, so if you ever reach failure, like with the barbell on your chest, you simply hit the button and the weight turns off completely. It also turns off after you finish the last rep of any set in a class. There are also two different 'assist' modes you can activate, which will automatically lower the weight if you are struggling to complete the range of motion. The Gym Monster learns and grows with you on your fitness journey by using artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor your workout progress, and will increase the weight for you, though you can always adjust the recommended amount. When you first set it up it offers a benchmark series of exercises I highly recommend taking the 15 minutes or so to do, which calibrates the resistance to your abilities. Then when you do a class like full body workout, for every exercise, chest press, bicep curl, squat, whatever, it begins with the weight recommended for you based on your benchmarks and then continues to adjust it over time as your strength increases. You can set up multiple users, again for free, so everyone in the household or workout partners you invite over can have their own profiles and metrics. It even tracks the range of motion and ease with which you completed the movement (power) so it can tell if you are struggling or cruising, and it does this for each of your arms. So, if you keep doing the same class, as you get stronger, the weights for reach set will go up, but they will go up in custom fashion based on your actual performance of each exercise. In addition, for advanced training, you can switch from standard mode, which is like traditional metal weights to eccentric mode, which increases the resistance on the eccentric part of the movement, the lowering half (for example, bringing the dumbbell down after finishing a bicep curl) which is a key to building muscle. It also has chain mode, which increases the load as you reach the top end of the motion, and constant, which keeps resistance constant thought the entire of motion, ideal for physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises. The range of weights, modalities of resistance, variety of exercises and settings in such a compact unit is amazing. There are also a lot of workouts and a variety of trainers, including ongoing programs (like 30 day), and options to alternate between leg days, chest days and so on, including very specific options such as 'build big arms.' It doesn't have nearly the range of non-strength activities offered by a platform like Peloton (which has outdoor running and boxing and treadmill and such) because it is designed to be used in front of the screen. But in addition to weights, there is a full slate of yoga and pilates classes you can do on the floor in front of the Gym Monster, as well as rowing (with the rower option). If you just want to do your own workout, a quick set of something, or add an exercise to an existing class (like doing bicep curls after a chest and back or class) there is free lift mode, which is like using regular weights where you can do any exercise you want, as many reps as you want with whatever weight you want, rather than following a class. Wired magazine is one of my go-to resources for reliable reviews of technology, and they really liked the Gym Monster 2, summarizing a detailed review with 'Easy and fun to use. Bluetooth ring helps you set up lifts safely. Strength and cardio modalities. Assist mode acts as spot. Machine feels more like a weightlifting rack than other magnetic-resistance options. No assembly. Foldable and doesn't take up much space. No membership necessary!' The writer went on to say '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' and 'There's a lot to love about the Gym Monster 2.' The Daily Beast also reviewed it very favorably and concluded that, 'This all-in-one weightlifting machine will replace you gym membership' and notes that 'The Gym Monster 2 replaces a whole gym's worth of machines.' I've been using mine regularly for several months, am really loving it and overall give it a big thumbs up, but as with any sophisticated tech gear there are a few caveats, most of which have to do with the interactive screen. The default music choice is rap or hip hop, and even though choices range from country to rock to 80s, I can't seem to get any of these to come on without going into the music in every class and changing it. Also, the music, whichever genre you pick, is low budget, especially compared to the star-studded soundtracks on Peloton, and I have never heard a song or even a band that I was familiar with, it seems to be obscure stuff licensed just for Speediance. On the other hand, it's all free. It is compatible with Apple Music, which is good for those who use it (I don't) but it sounds like they are hoping to add a Spotify connection which would be a big plus. But my biggest complaint is that sorting through class options is cumbersome. You have to swipe the touchscreen, and half the time the swipe inadvertently opens a class, as there is no up and down bar or arrow. There are filters you can sort by, but oddly, these do not include 'upper body' the workout I most commonly want to do, even though they include full body and every specific body part. But I've also found that searching for part of the upper body, like chest or arms, does not bring up all the upper body classes. In terms of functionality of weights and Bluetooth ring I have no issues, it has been super smooth, and Speediance is constantly making software updates to address any glitches—glitches I have not experienced. My only 'must-do' advice is that it's well worth the extra $150 to get the adjustable (incline) bench versus the standard one, because it lets you do a lot more exercises, especially chest ones like incline presses. There are three packages, and only the most basic comes with the flat bench. They all come with the important accessories: barbell, triceps rope, handles and ankle straps. There are a few add-ons, including a rowing machine base, a rail with sliding seat you can add to turn the Gym Monster into a rower. I don't row and I didn't get this so I cannot comment. The packages are $3,949; $4,099 and $4,499 (the priciest includes the rower). Bottom line? This smart interactive AI home gym is an amazing range of weight machines packed into one extremely compact unit that is well-designed, easy to switch around, with every technological bell and whistle for a fair price with no recurring fees. Whether you are highly experienced in weight workouts or new to strength training, it's a great way to dial in a regular and highly efficient routine in a safe manner. For households or families, there's something here for almost everyone, from the avid fitness person to those who just want to add in a 15 or 20-minute strength routine a couple of times each week.
