Toby on Fitness Tech

AEKE K1 vs Speediance: The Camera Changes Everything

This video is really about whether the AEKE IKE K1 solves the biggest smart gym problems better than the competition. Joel has owned it for 6 months, and this is the kind of real-world demo buyers actually need before spending the money.Joel bought the AEKE IKE K1 after comparing it to other smart home gyms like Speediance and Tonal, and in this interview he breaks down what it's actually like to live with. The K1 is a standalone smart gym with no wall mount required, it folds up into a mirror when not in use, and it's clearly aimed at people who want premium home fitness tech without committing to a subscription.The biggest story here is the camera. AEKE built the skeletal tracking camera directly into the bottom of the machine, facing up, so it can track your movement and form in real time with instant response. That's a very different experience from systems that rely on your phone camera, where feedback can feel slower, less consistent, and less integrated. If you care about form coaching, this is the feature that makes the K1 stand out.On the software side, AEKE is doing a lot right. The AI coach can build workouts based on your goals, available time, and equipment, then adapt from your strength assessment. You can also build your own workouts by choosing exercises, sets, and reps in the app and sending them to the machine. Beyond strength training, the K1 also supports yoga, qigong, boxing, and Pilates with camera tracking, and Joel talks about the quarterly software updates, user-voted roadmap, and the fact that these features are included with no subscription.Hardware-wise, the K1 has a sharp 4K screen, a clean fold-up design, and wheels on the back so it can be moved more easily than a wall-mounted system. Joel also covers the quirks, including moving it on tile, the current resistance limits, and how some users are adding more weight with cable and pulley hacks. After 6 months, his take is that the K1 was a smart buy, especially given AEKE's support and update pace. He also shares thoughts on the newly announced AEKE K2 and why K1 owners shouldn't panic.**Chapters**00:00 Intro00:06 What Is the AEKE IKE K1?01:23 Built-In Camera & AI Form Tracking05:17 4K Screen — Better Than Speediance?07:52 Workouts, Programs & Custom Exercises13:04 AI Coach — Build a Workout From Your Goals19:07 Functional Training: Yoga, Boxing & Camera Tracking24:18 6 Months In — Was It Worth It?28:37 Adding More Weight — Cable Hacks & Pulley Tricks32:05 Hardware Design — Platform, Portability & Tile Floors35:58 AEKE K2 Preview — What's Coming Next37:42 AEKE vs Speediance — Honest Final ComparisonIf you're comparing smart home gyms, hit subscribe and let me know in the comments: **Would the built-in camera make you choose AEKE over Speediance or Tonal?**#AEKE #AEKEK1 #SmartHomeGym #HomeFitness #FitnessTech #ConnectedFitness #HomeGym #Speediance #Tonal #AIWorkout #StrengthTraining #WorkoutTech

Speediance 2S vs Voltra, Tonal, AKE & Fit Transformer: What I'd Actually Buy

If you are trying to choose a digital home gym in 2026, here is the blunt answer: most people still should not overthink this. In this video I break down the Speediance Gym Monster 2S, Voltra, AKE S1 Pro, Fit Transformer Titan, Tonal, and why I am not interested in analog cable towers with digital gimmicks.I also cover who these machines are actually for, why Tonal still wins for true beginners, where Voltra is genuinely compelling, where the AKE falls short, and why I still think the Speediance 2S is the best fit for most users despite firmware frustrations.00:00 Intro and why the livestreams paused01:08 The devices I am comparing02:20 Why analog cable towers do not interest me04:12 Voltra vs Speediance 2S06:45 Why a back plate for flys is a bad idea10:22 AKE S1 Pro: what looks good on paper14:08 Where cable arms help and where they do not18:12 Why beginners may need a trainer, not a machine28:40 Fit Transformer Titan: the niche use case34:18 Speediance firmware bugs and UX issues40:52 Voltra, Speediance Nano, and what I would wait for47:35 Tonal vs Speediance for beginners53:10 Final verdict: what I would actually buyIf you have used any of these devices, drop your experience in the comments. And if there is another fitness tech product you want covered, let me know.#FitnessTech #HomeGym #Speediance #Voltra #Tonal

Speediance 2S V3.1 Review: New Safety Start, Firmware Changes & Real‑World Lifting

Speediance V3.1 is here on my upstairs 2S, and after a few days of real workouts with the new firmware, I’m convinced “Safety Start” is not the safety feature it’s advertised to be. In this video I walk through the good, the bad, and the ugly of the V3.1 software and firmware combo, including slower cable retraction, unsafe slack behavior, and a massive downgrade to partner and dual‑load modes compared to the old software.We’ll test Safety Start in free lift, barbell, and handle movements, and I’ll show why it was clearly built to support upcoming Pilates features rather than to actually fix the real safety problems lifters were seeing. I also demo how the new firmware makes retraction noticeably worse than on my original Speediance downstairs, why dual‑load mode is more broken than ever, and how bringing back partner lifting without independent sides or a true guest profile is a step backward, not an upgrade.If you own a Speediance 2S or original Gym Monster and you’re wondering whether to update, how to stay safe with heavy eccentric work, and whether Safety Start should be part of your normal setup, this breakdown is for you. I’ll also cover how I actually lift (warm‑ups, one‑second pause vs relying on software “safety,” and why I’d rather risk the machine than my spine) so you can decide what makes sense in your own home gym.Timestamps (edit to taste): • 00:00 Intro – Speediance 2S vs original and V3.1 context • 03:10 New firmware, retraction changes, and why it feels worse • 08:25 Safety Start demo in free lift (and why I almost never use it) • 15:40 Dual‑load & partner mode: from real safety feature to downgrade • 24:10 Guest profiles, missing second user support, and UI gaps • 32:00 When Safety Start “helps” vs when it hurts your range of motion • 40:15 My real‑world lifting workflow and safety prioritiesIf you like deep‑dive Speediance testing, honest firmware reviews, and real training use cases (not just promo clips), hit like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments so I can test them in future videos.Suggested tags/keywords (copy/paste + tweak):speediance v3.1, speediance 2s, speediance firmware, speediance safety start, speediance retraction issue, speediance partner mode, speediance dual load, speediance review, smart home gym, digital weight, tonal vs speediance, fitness tech, toby on fitness tech

Speediance V3 Software Is Here… But Is It Good?

In today’s video I’m upstairs with the Speediance Gym Monster 2s running the new V3 software, and I want to break down why this update is both an upgrade for me and a frustrating step backwards for a lot of power users.I’ll walk through what actually changed in the V3 UI, why Free Lift partner mode disappeared, how the new Safety Start feature is supposed to work, and why my 2S currently shows a dead “firmware too low” button. I’ll also explain who the Speediance is not for—especially if your spouse wants a fully coached, English‑speaking female trainer experience—and why, even after 10M lbs on Tonal and over 1M lbs on Speediance, I still consider this hardware an upgrade.We’ll talk about why I mute coach audio and only use system sounds, how I set up eccentric‑focused custom workouts, and why bringing the handles back under load to the rubber stoppers is one of my favorite advantages over Tonal’s plastic‑on‑plastic design. I also dig into Speediance’s “family” and Workout Plus marketing, why you still can’t truly do custom partner/family workouts together, and what a good partner mode implementation should actually look like in Free Lift and Wellness/Workout Plus.If you’re debating Tonal vs Speediance, wondering what V3 really changes, or trying to decide whether this smart gym will work for you and your partner, this video should give you a real‑world, heavy‑use perspective instead of just brochure specs.Timestamps (adjust as needed):0:00 Intro – V3 software and who Speediance is NOT for2:10 Female coach situation (English vs Spanish) and guided workouts5:25 Why Speediance was an upgrade over Tonal for me8:40 V3 UX changes, sliders, and nagware they finally removed13:05 Free Lift partner mode: what we lost in V318:30 Safety Start, firmware issues on the 2S, and my lifting style24:10 Hardware limitations, Tonal 2 parallels, and new features only on newer units29:00 “Family” / Workout Plus plan and why it still isn’t real family training34:00 What I want from partner mode and final thoughts on V3If you like deep‑dive smart gym content, honest UX breakdowns, and real training talk (not just promo reels), hit like, drop your questions in the comments, and subscribe so you don’t miss future Speediance and Tonal updates.

Build Your Best Training Split: Arnold Blueprint (PPL), Full Body, or Bro Split?

Welcome back to Toby On Fitness Tech! In this video, I finally answer a question I’ve been getting since my extreme six‑month transformation: “What training split do you use?” Instead of a simple “push–pull–legs” or “bro split” answer, I walk through why the real answer is: it depends on your goals, your recovery, and your schedule today.I break down the exact Arnold Blueprint–style push–pull–legs program I used on Tonal in 2023 to go from morbidly obese to fit under a massive calorie deficit, including how I modified it into blocks to make it work on a smart cable machine. Then I contrast that with the full‑body (minus legs) Speediance programs I built afterward, how I structure warm‑up sets vs. hard sets, and why I stopped trying to lift every single day.You’ll also hear how a daily “lunar challenge” forced me into a classic bro split, what actually grew best on that approach (hello, arms day), and how jiu-jitsu, running, and injury history shape my current split and priorities. The goal of this video is to help you pick the split that you’ll actually stick to—whether that’s PPL, full body, or a body-part split—so you can build muscle safely and sustainably with the time and tools you have.If you’re into smart home gyms like Speediance or Tonal, cross‑training with jiu‑jitsu, or just trying to figure out the best way to structure your week without burning out, this one’s for you. Like, comment with your current split, and subscribe for more deep dives into training, tech, and real‑world physique buildingTraining Splits & Philosophy[00:04] Intro: Answering the "What training split do you do?" question.[01:02] Transformation Context: Training used to lose weight vs. training used today.[01:54] The Arnold Blueprint: Using PPL (Push/Pull/Legs) on Tonal for initial physique building.[05:24] Workout Structure: Explaining the 6, 12, 15, and 25 rep sets.[06:57] Machine Efficiency: Adapting exercises based on attachment height (L0-L3 vs. L6-L9).[09:57] Transition to Full Body: Moving to a "full body minus legs" variant for maintenance.[15:39] The Bro Split: Switching to targeted muscle days for the Speediance Lunar Challenge.[17:15] Final Verdict on Splits: Choose based on your current lifestyle and goals.Safety & Cross-Training[18:25] Free Weights vs. Digital Weight: Safety concerns and the "two spotters" argument.[21:25] Training to Failure: Why machines are safer for solo trainers.[23:50] Managing Primary Objectives: Balancing lifting with running and Jiu-Jitsu.[25:41] Tracking Strain: How different activities (like Jiu-Jitsu) impact recovery and "Body Battery."Fitness Tech & Wearables[27:53] Garmin vs. Whoop: Comparing trackers and why the Whoop is preferred for combat sports.[29:10] The Whoop 5 & Sensors: Thoughts on the new generation and subscription costs.[31:50] Whoop Strength Trainer: Criticisms of the "walled garden" approach and manual entry.[34:13] Garmin Daily Suggested Runs: Issues with max heart rate settings and cross-training data.[39:40] Value of Cardio: Why cardio is important beyond just "calorie burning."[01:00:44] Choosing a Device: Why the 265S was chosen for its lightness and sleep tracking.Personal Updates & Future Content[50:00] Weight Progress: Preparing for a race while maintaining a higher body weight (225 lbs).[52:55] Speediance Updates: Teasing a future video on the V3 software changes.