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.

You won't need tools for setup, but you might need a team lift

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.

A smart, compact gym with thoughtful design

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.

Speediance Gym Monster 2: Its key features

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.

Speediance Gym Monster 2: Smart workouts, guided or DIY, it adapts to you

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.

Speediance Gym Monster 2: It has limitations

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.

Speediance Gym Monster 2: Should you buy a $3,000+ home gym?

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.