Is the newest $3000 Smart Home Gym Worth It? Speediance Gym Monster 2 Review
Introduction
Over the last year, every major manufacturer seems to be coming out with their version of all all-in-one home gym usually in the form of a power rack equipped with a cable driven functional trainer, lat pulldown, or similar, all built in. This here, is the Speediance Gym Monster 2, which is another all-in-one home gym solution but differs in the fact that A.) it’s clearly has a built in screen, electronics and therefore some sort of smart tech integration and B.) it doesn’t actually really look too much like a piece of gym equipment at all, which I think is one of the major selling points for this machine. It’s sleek, aesthetic, has a small footprint and form factor, but also is very capable for what it needs to do: boasting 220LBs worth of total resistance, almost 400 workout classes to follow along with, a 2-year warranty, a bench, and plenty of included cable attachments to get you started. So let’s check it out!
Hey guys this is Michael with The Jungle Gym Reviews, so I’ve owned this Speediance Gym Monster 2 for the last few months and so now I want to provide a more in-depth review on this product after I have had more time to test it out and put it through the paces in my workouts.
For those who aren’t familiar, I am doing a multi-part series on this Gym Monster 2, and you can find my prior videos covering some initial feedback and impressions on this machine in the links in this video description. If there is anything you want to see covered for the next video please leave a comment after watching this review.
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What is the Speediance Gym Monster 2?
So as I mentioned the Speediance Gym Monster 2 is one of the newest all in one smart home gym offerings and it is meant specifically to easily fit and setup in any room or space you already have inside your home. It’s technically falls into like a smart functional trainer category, since it’s a dual cable machine with adjustable cable height options that can be placed up and down either side of the frame like a typical functional trainer upright, or can move to attach directly to the base of the platform for vertical cable movements. It is designed with a narrow frame obviously to keep the overall profile and form factor very compact, but also to allow allows you to easily connect the two individual cables with some of their different bar options, and therefore allowing you the choice of bar training, or using both cable handles individually, or even with two different people using each side of the machine with different weights, at the same type in their special Partner workout mode.
Features
The centerpiece of this machine is the 21.5 inch monitor mounted to the top of the frame, and this is the interface that allows you to do and select everything you need to do with this machine: changing the weights, selecting the resistance mode, upping the volume, playing music, connecting the Bluetooth accessories, watching and following along with the classes, everything is done from here. Speaking of the classes that is another main feature of the Gym Monster 2, is that it currently has almost 400 interactive classes to choose from last I checked about 385, which makes this great for beginner who want to follow along with guidance as far as what do to, or even more experienced fitness fanatics that just want a simple way to get a workout in, for a set amount of time, without having to think about picking the exercises, how to setup for each exercise, the order for the workout, etc.
Different Resistance Modes
The best feature or features for this machine, because it is a technologly integrated or smart machine, is that it has different dynamic resistance modes you can select. This is what really differentiates this machine from a traditional weight stack or plate loaded functional trainer which just has the one resistance setting which is a function of it’s design, the cables, the pulley, and other mechanical factors. The Gym Monster 2 has the same typical or “standard” as they call it, resistance mode, but also has a simulated chain mode, which gets progressively harder the further away from the starting point you get, eccentric mode which makes the eccentric portion of the movement dynamically harder, and you can even customize just how much weight is on the eccentric vs. the concentric portion of the movement respectively. And finally the fixed speed mode which basically dynamically controls the cables and therefore you, to travel at the same speed no matter how much force you generate, which allows you to get athletic, and dynamic with just how much ever weight you can output like a deadlift let’s say, but it forces you to go slow and controlled to the preset slow pace.
Additional Mode Features
In addition to those resistance modes, while in the free lift mode, you can choose dumbbell or barbell configuration, meaning whether or not you want to use each side individually like you could with dumbbells or connect a bar attachment to use both sides coupled together with a the bar. The dumbbell applies your same weight selection to both sides, but then that partner mode I mentioned earlier, allows you to adjust each sides weight separately from the other, but the resistance modes will get applied to both sides in partner mode. Just to clarify, this means, you can select Partner mode, one person be doing curls from a low height setting with 50 LBS while the other is doing triceps pushdowns or similar from a high setting with 30LBS, but if you select standard resistance mode, or eccentric mode, but you cannot change each side to be in its own resistance mode, as it is applied to both.
Dimensions and Specs
So outside of the features, some of the main things to know about this machine is the weight of the machine itself is 171 pounds, and I mentioned in my last video since most of the weight sits at the bottom of the machine where the motors are, so it can be heavy to carry and you need at least two people to get it up a set of stairs, although once you get it on the floor you can easily move it to its final home due to the built in roller wheels and the fact it fits through standard width doors since the width is only about 27 inches wide. The other dimensions to note are the front to back depth while in folded mode is about 15 inches and the height of the machine is just shy of 73 inches. The resistance capacity of the machine, or the actual amount of “working weight” you can use is 110LB per side or 220 LBS total. This means you can bench press with the cable D handles and get 110LBS of resistance in each arm/handle, or if you want to squat or deadlift by connecting the two cable with a bar, you get 220LBS as your max resistance. This is very likely enough most people, but if you are a powerlifting or someone who focuses specifically on heavy barbell free weight movements, the 220LBS max resistance won’t be enough for things like heavy barbell benching, squats, deadlifts, etc. if you normal exceed that weight threshold for the corresponding free weight movement.
Price and Packages
Now this seems like a lot of cool features, form, and functionality packed into the machine, but understand it does come with a bit of a price. The current price of this machine, although its always hard to nail down exactly because of the frequent discounts or sales, but as of the time of filming this review it is $3400 for the Works package, $3549 for the Works Plus Package, and $3949 for the Family Plus. Like I mentioned they have frequent sales and coupons, and currently the sale price on their website for all those packages allows you to purchase them for about $200-300 less than those listed prices.
Speaking to those different package content, I won’t go in depth into everything that included in each, as you can see it easily and exhaustively on their product pave, but just understand the unit itself stays the same, the difference is only for the included accessories and attachment in each, which you could always buy own their own later. The base package, the Works, does come with all the necessities to use as a typical functional trainer including but not limited to, a bar, some D handles, triceps rope, the Bluetooth controller ring for adjusting and engaging or disengaging the weight from your fingertips, and a flat bench. If you do want an included adjustable bench you need to buy one of the next two higher packages.
Included Attachments
In addition to those included attachments, there are some very unique and versatile attachments you can add by getting a higher package or again purchasing separately. The biggest one that comes to mind is the two rowing attachments they have which allow you to use this machine to mimic a dedicated standalone rowing machine, like a Concept2 for example. Then you can purchase Skiing handles to this like a SkiErg, they also have Bluetooth smart handles they call the PowerGrip that like the ring you can engage and disengage the resistance from your thumbs, and one other one I highly recommend which is the accessories organizer because once you have all these attachments, unless you have a closet or some wall storage to put everything on or in, they end up on the floor and take up space and if you have a shared use room like a bedroom or office or even if you are in a main living room. You need to find a way to store all the attachments and accessories.
Other Equipment: Bench, Smart Ring, Smart Handles
I will go into some further detail on the adjustable bench and accessories in one of my upcoming videos but for now wanted to mention that if you get the adjustable bench it is adjustable from flat to 90 degrees, and you can prop the seat up a few degrees with the built in kickstand. Also as I mentioned before all packages come with the Bluetooth smart ring but I find I only need to use it for benching and squatting where you are starting in a position that doesn’t allow you to have a hand free in order to press engage or disengage via the screen. The Bluetooth Powergrip handles I do really like though and find these much more used than the smart ring in my setup because with a just a click or two of your thumbs, depending on how you configure it, you can engage the weight at the exact starting point vice versa from wherever and whenever you are done with the cable movement. I do want to mention in case it is not obvious, the Bluetooth ring and the handles do need to be charged occasionally, but not often.
My Primary Uses
As far as my use case and how I have personally used or would use a machine like this in my training, I am what I consider myself a pretty standard hypertrophy oriented lifter. Meaning I focused on general strength in moderate rep ranges so traditional barbell, dumbbell, bodybuilding type movements, using things like a functional trainer for accessories, and machines, some cardio, maybe an air a bike, treadmill, rower. So in theory with this machine not only is it capable but definitely aligns with my personal training goals with maybe the exception of the overall max weight capacity being limited in my heavy compound movements like squatting and deadlifting. I will also mention for compound barbell movements, that connected bar feature on this obviously doesn’t feel exactly like a true free weight barbell would, it doesn’t feel bad, just is different. If you have ever used a functional trainer before and tried to connect a single bar attachment to both sides you know it you really have to be aware of distributing the exact same amount of force on both sides other you get a little imbalanced with one side kind of pushing and the other pulling and same goes here, it feels the exact same as that, so I just want to mention if you are expecting it to feel like a barbell and free weights, it won’t but that’s not the machine fault but rather a function of just how cables and cable attachments work in general due to the physics.
How Well Does It Work?
So now you are probably asking, $3000-$4000 depending on which version I get, so how well does it work? Honestly overall I think it works really well, and I really enjoy the features that it offers especially with respect to the different resistance modes and capability there and that’s where the machine really shines in my opinion and training.
However, there have been a handful of times where the resistance mechanism has a hiccup where it feels like it has gotten stuck or twisted or will sometimes make a thumping or clicking noise as the cables come out and retract, but a reset of the machine and/or pulling the cable out till it’s maxed out, turning the machine off, and letting it calibrate and respool on it’s own every startup, has always done the trick so far.
Besides something like that happening every once in a while, changing the height of the cables up and down the uprights or moving them to the base floorplate attachment points is very intuitive and easy, the cable travel is smooth and feels like a really trainer cable in standard mode, and has the distinct intended feel in all the other modes, while still being very smooth, and I would even say it is smoother than about half of the dedicated functional trainers I have owned in the past. You can get on this machine and get started doing whatever exercise you want within 10-20 seconds from startup or standby, changing the weights and resistance modes is easy, changing the accessories is a simply done with a push of a button, and really even if you did nothing other than try to use this like purely mechanical functional trainer, it serves that purpose really well.
Limitations
Now the limitations of this machine are simply really just a function of it’s design and packaging. Since it’s meant to be narrow and not that tall, it can make certain movements a little different or a have a little more compromised feeling than a taller and wider functional trainer. Specific examples that come to mind are chest flies because the left to right width is narrow at only about 27 inches, but again that is by design which is intended to overall be compact and able to connect the two cables together with a bar. Other things I have noticed, is that you can’t sit right underneath the top handles, due to the housing for the motors and such at the base of the unit, so trying to do lat pulldowns can be a little awkward because you have to sit back and lean over, so movements like that take some adapting and getting used to. For benching you stick one end of the bench on the platform and the other end on the floor creating a ever so slight incline or decline, in order to realistically get your torse and the bench position properly underneath the bar resistance path. Squatting you can’t really have more a than shoulder width stance wide because your feet will be hitting where the cables locations. You do need to be mindful that you have properly locked the base of the machine after coming down from the upright storage position because otherwise you can potentially pull the unit down on top of you if you go to do heavy lat pulldowns, rows or similar, and you didn’t notice. And at the end of the day a machine like this, or really any gym equipment machine ever, can’t ever be a one-size fits all solution for ever fitness style and type simply because no machine is ever that,. This one serves exactly it’s purpose, does exactly what it advertises, and minus the occasional technical related glitch like the cables or a Bluetooth device needing to sync or the you left the volume too loud last time so it needs to be turned down, it works as exactly as intended.
Overall Thoughts
So the question you have to ask yourself when considering a product like this is what you are looking for in a functional trainer and/or smart home gym? Dependent on your answer this machine may be the right one for you. As a standalone functional trainer, it functions really well if you understand the limitations of overall size and width and such. However, if you just need a functional trainer, a purely mechanical one can be purchased for probably half the cost, although it won’t have some of the cool features and or tech integration this has. If really want something that has the tech integration and like the idea of using classes, something like this machine or another cable driven smart home gym might be the one for you. If you want something that doesn’t look as abrasive or noticeable as a massive power rack or trainer sitting in your living room, you don’t want something permanently mounted to a wall, and/or you need something that is not super noticeable with a small footprint, this could definitely be something for you. One other consideration is that this machine does not have a subscription cost to use the machine or any of the free lift functions I mentioned like the different resistance types. But if you are purchasing it exclusively for the class options, or some of the other features like the built in trainer that learns about you, your strength, your lifts, and can provide guidance and recommendation for future workouts, just know that you will have to pay for that functionality with a subscription, just like if you want access to the entire online class library you will have to pay the same monthly subscription to get full access to both these features, which I believe it costs about $40 a month.
Other Considerations
Now One plus to this machine over something like Tonal is that you do get a 2 year warranty with parts and repair coverage included and have the option to buy a longer warranty period at purchase, which for something that costs over $3000 is definitely worth a consideration in my opinion.
Once again for my own training, this is not a direct substitute for a power rack and dumbbells as there are tradeoffs as mentioned. Some of the other things to consider is that because this specific Gym Monster 2 product is new, although they did have an original version Gym Monster a couple years ago, tis brand and technology doesn’t quite yet have a proven track record of long term durability or issues, just because it hasn’t been around that long. That being said I am really interested to see how these hold up after 5-10 years. Again for me personally, since I have a dedicated garage gym with exposure to hot and cold temperature and humidity, could with the fact and need and want dedicated exercise specific machines, and I don’t ever use classes, this is something I wouldn’t personally purchase for my home, over a regular functional trainer and a rack.
I will say though, my wife’s parents have a small cottage and to me this is the PERFECT thing I would like to have there to save me a trip to the gym or in a remote place where the gym is harder to get to and/or I don’t have the space for free weights, a rack, or a dedicated bigger gym setup. I would definitely use this and prefer this in that situation BUT with the 3000+ asking price, I would really have to ask myself if it’s something that buying a bench and a solid pair of adjustable dumbbells for maybe 1/3 to ½ of this cost, couldn’t suffice. Like I said earlier, the consideration is highly dependent on your personal needs and really even your budget.
Next Video
Now I am going to continue using this machine for the next few months and generate some specific content regarding even more testing and longer-term use. The final video in the series I plan to go over a few more in depth and close up details, including specifics on certain traditional cable/trainer movements and limitations of each, my thoughts on the cable friction and retraction noise, how to get setup for most of your major exercises, examples of some of the classes, close up use and feedback of the rowing machine, things the skiing movement, some of the safety features, and a few more nuanced things that would take too long to address all in depth in this video, plus I just need a few more months of time to investigate and share my feedback.
Signoff and Q&A
So guys that’s it for this review of the Speediance Gym Monster 2. As always, if you have any questions, please comment down below and I will be happy to answer or at least try. Thank you for tuning into The Jungle Gym Reviews, we will see you next time, take it easy, peace.
