Is the Speediance Ring Actually Trash? Here's the Truth

Is the Speediance Ring Actually Trash? Here's the Truth

After an argument on Reddit about whether the Speediance ring is "trash," I lift on the Gym Monster setup and break down what actually matters: the ring vs. the ring clip vs. the Tonal-style clicker, why the bare ring degrades your grip, and where each accessory lands on my tier list.I also get into the stuff Speediance keeps getting wrong and right: dynamic weight modes finally being stable since V3, the UX bug they fixed and then re-broke, Bluetooth ring disconnects, the software bug they once tried to charge me $80 to "replace," thumbless-grip strength math with real deadlift and bench numbers, and the partner free-lift / custom-workout feature I keep asking them to bring back before the Tonal goes back on the wall.Part workout, part smart-home-gym reality check, part "please just add a weight-lock setting."Not medical, financial, or training advice. This is personal experience and commentary; talk to qualified professionals for your own health, training, and purchasing decisions.More from Toby: https://tobyonfitnesstech.comChapters:00:00 Is the Speediance Ring Trash?01:00 The Ring Clip vs the Tonal Clicker03:39 Proof: How the Bare Ring Degrades Your Grip10:51 Tier List and the $80 Replacement Gouge13:40 Buggy Updates and Bluetooth Disconnects17:52 Thumbless Grips and Real Strength Numbers23:49 The Click Fix, Partner Mode, and TonalTags: Speediance, Speediance ring, Speediance ring clip, Tonal, Tonal clicker, Gym Monster, smart home gym, digital resistance, dynamic weight modes, grip strength, thumbless grip, free lift mode, partner workout, fitness tech

I Owe Greg Doucette an Apology

Today I lift on the Speediance/Gym Monster setup while unpacking a few fitness-tech and fitness-influencer topics: a public correction about how I heard Greg Doucette's Turkesterone/Anavar comments, the Speediance Pilates launch and recurring UX bugs, FitHub Titan resistance claims and confusing marketing, dynamic weight modes, internet comments about physique and fat loss, the software/AI background behind Project Aria, and whether Garmin/Whoop-style fitness trackers are actually useful.This one is part workout, part smart-home-gym discussion, part wearable-tech reality check.Not medical, financial, or training advice. This is personal experience and commentary; talk to qualified professionals for your own health, medication, training, or investing decisions.More from Toby: https://tobyonfitnesstech.comChapters:00:00 Arnold Classic and a Public Correction10:50 Speediance Update and Pilates Push14:23 FitHub Titan Gets Complicated20:04 Dynamic Weight Modes31:49 Internet Hate, Physique, and Fat-Loss Context43:11 Why Listen to Me?54:00 Are Fitness Trackers Accurate?1:00:30 The Whoop AFib Story1:07:13 Useful, Not PerfectTags: Greg Doucette, Speediance, Gym Monster, FitHub Titan, smart home gym, digital resistance, fitness tech, Garmin, Whoop, fitness trackers, recovery score, Turkesterone, Anavar, TRT, GLP-1, Project Aria

How I Train Around Elbow & Wrist Pain Without Skipping Progressive Overload

Answering a viewer's question about elbow pain and walking through the same three-stage approach I use for my own chronic wrist pain so I can keep training without giving up progressive overload. I cover dumbbell form and elbow position, why eccentric mode on a smart gym can take pressure off the joints, VersaGrips vs. cheap knockoffs, the stack of wrist guards, braces, and thumb spicas I rotate between, and the heated wrist massager I use on bad days. From there I get into smart-gym software, Speediance vs. AEKE vs. Fit Hub Titan, Tonal-style arms, why I am waiting for a 300+ lb machine, my 240 to 210 lb cut, Project ARIA, and why I disagree with planning a month-long deload. Personal experience, not medical advice. If you have acute or persistent pain, see a qualified clinician. More from Toby: https://tobyonfitnesstech.com Chapters: 00:00 Viewer question: training around elbow pain 00:52 Why I switched from barbells to dumbbells 01:12 Cable machines, eccentric mode, and rep tempo 03:49 Form demo: elbow position with adjustable dumbbells 05:08 Chronic wrist pain and training through injuries 06:02 Why I disagree with planning a month-long deload 08:57 My three-stage approach to chronic joint pain 09:04 Step 1: VersaGrips and why the knockoffs did not cut it 11:42 Step 2: Wrist guards and braces 13:18 Step 3: Heated wrist massager 16:23 Three-stage recap 16:41 Smart gyms with Tonal-style arms 28:06 Honest take on Speediance software updates 29:05 Cutting from 240 to 210 and seasonal periodization 32:15 Project Aria: my AI fitness assistant 34:52 What I did after my last wrist flare-up 38:30 Knee braces and accumulated training injuries 41:51 Make training enjoyable 44:46 Intentional training, intentional family time 47:04 Fit Hub naming, Speediance Whoop competitor, and Nanos 52:44 Why I will not train like David Goggins 55:01 Wrap-up and thanks Tags: Elbow pain, wrist pain, progressive overload, smart gym, Speediance, AEKE, Fit Hub Titan, VersaGrips, home gym, fitness tech, injury management, strength training

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