The Speediance Gym Monster 2 stands out as a thoughtfully engineered, high-tech home workout system ideal for dedicated users seeking consistent strength training. It substitutes conventional weights, occupies minimal space, and excels through its smart exercise management features.
Positioned as a cutting-edge digital power training apparatus, the Speediance Gym Monster 2 targets committed home fitness enthusiasts aiming to swap out standard dumbbells for advanced resistance mechanisms. In the expanding field of linked fitness gear, it embodies the strategy of integrating diverse workout types into one streamlined unit, managed by a built-in screen and online training algorithms.
Upon arrival via delivery service on a pallet, the Gym Monster 2's substantial build is immediately evident. It arrives in three sizable boxes totaling nearly 353 pounds (160 kilograms), including one particularly weighty and cumbersome piece that demands careful organization and assistance to reach the setup spot.
Navigating tight staircases or confined areas like basements can prove difficult, especially with the primary unit accounting for half the total mass and being nearly impossible to handle solo without risk.
Yet, once the boxes are opened and waste materials cleared, the upfront labor pays off rapidly: Unlike my prior EX90 PLUS elliptical trainer that involved assembling numerous components, this model comes mostly pre-put-together.
Featuring a sleek, contemporary look and precise construction, the unit conveys reliability. Joints, finishes, and moving parts are meticulously designed for longevity, with no loose elements or makeshift appearances.
In its extended form, it reaches 72.8 inches (185 cm) tall and about 27.5 inches (70 cm) wide. Including the foundation, depth measures roughly 48 inches (122 cm); folded, it compacts to 14.5 by 27.2 by 72.8 inches (depth by width by height).
Its narrow, upright profile differentiates it from bulky traditional multi-gyms that demand extensive room. Even with a base under 3 square feet (excluding seating), all tech is embedded: Dual 800-watt motors provide resistance, supporting standard loads plus specialized patterns like chains, eccentrics, or constants, which free weights struggle to match.
An adaptable cable system with multiple attachment heights enables a broad spectrum of movements, from rows and pushes to pulls and targeted isolations, all without a prominent pulley structure taking over the area.
Testing occurred with the Family Plus edition, which includes the core unit, base, monitor, adjustable seat, bar attachment points, triceps cord, extension bands, leg straps, grips, fasteners, and loops, plus a dedicated rowing seat.
This setup allows modular use, unlike rigid gym machines that enforce set routines and demand adjustments for grips and seating.
Accessories vary in quality. The bar feels solid and reassuringly hefty, while the grips seem basic by comparison. The seat could improve with faster attachment methods instead of standard bolts.
Key upgrades from earlier models include refined cable routing mechanics and smoother resistance adjustments, per the maker's details.
The 21.5-inch touchscreen tilts and handles swipes fluidly, with easy access to audio, light, and settings via a shortcut panel. It operates akin to an oversized mobile device, offering swift entry to essentials—a detail that enhances usability without clunky fitness-specific navigation.
Setup proves remarkably simple given the heft. Instructions flow logically, enabling even novice assemblers to complete it without irritation. For those avoiding complex builds, this efficiency adds major appeal.
Including unboxing, the full process took me slightly over an hour, with operational readiness in about 10 minutes once positioned—no wall mounting required.
Activation involves a button press to deploy the platform and lower the seat (needing just two screws and no tools for the adjustable type), followed by plugging in. The optional rowing seat from the Family Plus added another 20 minutes to prepare.
Mobility is a plus: Built-in wheels allow effortless repositioning during sessions.
Onboarding mirrors mobile device familiarity: Email sign-up, brief tutorial, then full access. Controls respond accurately, menus are intuitive, and personal profiles link seamlessly on-device.
User onboarding shines, with tutorials covering exercise form and accessory handling, easing entry for novices and quickly building confidence in this polished system.
A companion app for phones and tablets enhances the experience, though not mandatory. It syncs workout logs automatically, letting users review achievements, metrics, and past sessions anytime.
The app enables workout selection, scheduling, and personalization, then transfers to the machine for execution, acting as a key center for preparation, analysis, and encouragement alongside device use.
The Family Plus variant supports various programs and settings through its screen and software.
Guided sessions and instruction: Over 500 options span strength, full-body, and functional routines, including structured lifts, high-intensity intervals, flexibility, core focus, and goal-oriented plans for hypertrophy, weight reduction, or endurance gains.
Power routines: Standard series cover presses, squats, deadlifts, rows, and fundamentals, with guided loads and reps, plus AI that tweaks based on user advancement.
Endurance and quick sessions: Beyond weights, cardio like rowing (via add-on) and brief dynamic workouts blend stamina and power effectively.
Flexibility, stretching, yoga: Softer programs aid warm-ups, recovery, or supplements to intense sessions.
Independent and tailored routines: Build and store custom sets for personalized regimens.
AI-driven plans: Multi-week structures adjust dynamically to performance, suggesting ideal sequences.
The Wellness+ add-on, starting at $19.99 monthly (promotional; regular $24.99), brings AI personalization to the Gym Monster 2. Basic use handles standard lifts and routines sans fee, but it elevates to coached levels by reviewing data, tracking gains, and tailoring plans for goals like growth, slimming, or conditioning.
The AI evolves to suggest suitable intensities, sets, and rest, while providing in-depth insights and extras like diet, rest, and tension monitoring if engaged. It unlocks more content and updates regularly.
Wellness+ transforms the unit into a virtual coach, ideal for those valuing guided, data-informed routines—though the cost applies only to subscribers seeking that depth.
Daily use highlights the Gym Monster 2's core strengths. Selected programs provide clear cues for accessory use and timing throughout sessions.
Each motor's 110-pound digital load mimics plates accurately, enabling precise tweaks without hardware swaps.
It effectively handles power, functional, and recovery exercises. Guided strength flows integrate speed, counts, and power seamlessly for organized, demanding workouts.
Floor yoga or unrelated content falls short, as the elevated screen hinders viewing mid-pose, making it feel supplementary rather than core.
Load changes mid-set via touch can awkward for grips like presses; the Bluetooth ring remote helps but doesn't cover all needs for bar-mounted controls.
Beyond that, its range and space efficiency make it a full gym substitute in limited areas.
After weeks of use, strength and attachment-based sessions align perfectly, maximizing the tech. Floor-mat content, however, integrates less smoothly due to the fixed display height.
Speediance's Gym Monster 2 ranks among top smart home strength tools, merging effective progressive training with ultra-compact form and advanced digital oversight.
Build quality, motion, and feel rival pro setups, fully supplanting weights. It excels in directed power and accessory routines, linking variables for rigorous structure.
Screen and app blend deliver quick, beginner-friendly interaction. Drawbacks include suboptimal in-motion adjustments and non-device-specific extras feeling tacked-on.
Tailored for regular trainers with space constraints wanting a refined, versatile home setup, the Gym Monster 2 fulfills that vision precisely.