Speediance 2s Modes Explained: Standard, Chain, and Eccentric

If you've been looking at the Speediance Gym Monster 2S, you've probably noticed something confusing: the app asks you to set weights in a way that doesn't make immediate sense. Instead of picking a straightforward weight, you're choosing between modes like Standard, Chain, and Eccentric - each of which behaves differently. Here's the thing: most people get this wrong, and it can actually mess up your progress. The Three Dynamic Weight Modes: Speediance offers three main modes for automatically adjusting your working weight. Standard uses your 1RM (one rep max) to calculate weight for your chosen rep range - simple and straightforward. Chain adds chain resistance throughout the lift, increasing difficulty at the top of the movement - great for overload training. Eccentric is the game-changer: it adds EXTRA weight on the way down, up to 14+ pounds extra on some movements. You're lifting less going up but resisting much more coming down. This is incredible for building triceps and biceps simultaneously. Gain Muscle vs Stamina vs Strength: When you create a custom workout, you pick between three training goals. Gain Muscle defaults to 12 reps at 13 RM (repetition maximum), meaning you're working at about 87% of your 1RM - essentially one rep away from failure on every set. Stamina defaults to 20 reps at 20 RM, much lighter weight with higher reps. This is actually what I use for everything now, including warm-ups. Strength uses heavier weights and lower reps to target true 1RM strength. The Customize Mode Trap: AVOID the Customize option in the app. Several users have reported that entering a custom weight like 10 pounds for warm-ups actually RESET their 1RM value for that exercise. The machine thought 10 pounds was their new max, and all subsequent working sets were calculated based on that incorrect value. The Speediance team has acknowledged this and is working on fixes, but the safest approach is to never use Customize mode. The Right Way to Warm Up: Instead of Customize, use Stamina mode with lower values. Set your weight to 20 and reps to 13. This gives you a light warm-up set based on your true 1RM, not an arbitrary number you typed in. Then add a second set with higher weight like 15 for your actual working sets. The machine remembers your preferences, so once you've set it up correctly, it stays that way. Why I Use Stamina Mode for Everything: I was surprised to find that Stamina (20 reps at 20 RM) became my go-to setting. It gives you the widest range of usable weights, you can easily create warm-up sets AND working sets from the same mode, the consistent rep count across all exercises makes tracking volume simple, and you can always do more reps if feeling good or stop at 13 if not. The Eccentric Advantage: Eccentric mode is genuinely unique to Speediance. When cranked up, it adds significant resistance on the downward portion of the lift. I've noticed this especially in bicep curls and tricep movements - you're working the entire arm in one movement rather than isolating. It does change your working capacity though. If you did a strength assessment without eccentric mode, you'll need to reduce your working weights once you turn eccentric on. The extra resistance on the way down means you can't lift as much going up. The Bottom Line: The Speediance's dynamic weight system is powerful but requires understanding. Use the preset modes (Gain Muscle, Stamina, Strength), never Customize, and leverage Eccentric mode for added muscle-building tension.