Introduction
I’ve recently released reviews of both the Monkey Feet device from Animal House as well as the plate-loaded leg extension and curl machine from Titan. If you want to add one of these pieces to your home gym to spice up your leg day, which one should you choose?
I’ll compare cost, other equipment needed, how easy it is to use, and breakdown which buy will be better for you and your home gym.
The Comparison
Cost
This is an easy comparison. Monkey Feet cost less than $100, while a leg extension and curl machine be, on average, about $600 (some more, some less). The Titan v2 machine has been reviewed and is a good buy, and without a flash deal, it costs $700.
If you are on a tight budget, Monkey Feet is a highly versatile product with a low price tag. It is something that you can add to your gym right away without having to save for months or budget for.
Footprint
The Titan leg machine is going to take up some space. Bringing a machine into your home gym eats up a lot of floor space, and this one cannot be broken down or stored on a wall. And while you can move it out while you use it, the swinging arm makes it a hassle to drag around.
On the other hand, Monkey Feet take up virtually no room. The device is lightweight and as easy to move as a shoe.
Monkey Feet can be an excellent substitution for these movements and more if you don’t have room for a dedicated leg machine.
Versatility
While you can get creative with machines, a leg extension, and curl machine is best used for those two movements and those two alone. Considering it only allows you to do two movements, a leg machine takes up a lot of space.
Monkey Feet allow you to do leg extensions and leg curls, but they also allow you to do a ton of other movements. This small affordable device can train your entire lower body and core.
Equipment Needed
Both of these pieces of equipment require weight that you need to already own.
The plate-loaded leg extension and curl machine is obviously plate-loaded. The one from Titan uses a 2″ weight horn, and since the majority of home gym owners already have Olympic-style 2″ weights, this would work for most people. If you have 1″ standard weights, there are plate-loaded leg machines that use those as well.
Dumbbells are required to load Monkey Feet. If you don’t have dumbbells, then Monkey Feet are useless. Adjustable dumbbells with an open/accessible handle of at least 5″ should work with Monkey Feet.
With most home gyms having plates, a plate-loaded leg machine would be a good fit. Dumbbells take up a lot of space and are expensive, so they are missing from many home gyms making Monkey Feet not practical for those gyms.
User Friendliness
The biggest pitfall of Monkey Feet is the set-up. They are simple to use, but the set-up takes time. Switching the device between feet takes even more time. They are also best used for single-leg exercises, which require you to change the device back and forth. These hurdles during training make extra obstacles and can lead you to cut it out of your workouts.
The Titan Leg Extension and Curl machine and other leg machines like it are straightforward. It’s almost as simple as sitting down and lifting. You only need to set up the leg rollers, but the easy pin adjustment makes it quick and effective. Load the weight and lift; easy as that.
What’s the Best Option?
Even with Monkey Feet being more versatile, taking up virtually no space in the gym, and being 6x less than the cost of a leg machine, the leg extension and curl machine will still be the preferred piece of leg equipment for the home gym. Having a machine that takes away all of the set-up time and allows you to focus on your workout outweighs all of the benefits you would see in Monkey Feet.
Monkey Feet do have their place. They are a tremendous initial addition for those on a budget. If you have dumbbells and you want to add some lower-body movements to your space, Monkey Feet can do that. If you have the space and budget for a dedicated leg machine, you can always pull the trigger later down the line without wasting much money.
Monkey Feet also allow you to do a range of other exercises you can’t accomplish with a leg machine. Donkey kickbacks, high knees, abductor raises, etc., are all at your disposal with this simple device. If you buy a dedicated leg machine, you can still find a lot of value in Monkey Feet. Owning both is highly beneficial.
The honest truth is that most people are looking to add leg extensions and leg curls, and a plate-loaded machine makes it simple and easy to do despite everything Monkey Feet has going for it.
The ultimate recommendation is to own both, but in a direct ‘which would you rather have,” the answer is a leg extension and curl machine.
Conclusion
Monkey Feet is an excellent piece of equipment that is highly affordable for any home gym owner, but the leg extension and curl machine is so user-friendly it defeats Monkey Feet in a ‘which would you choose battle. After owning both, Monkey Feet tend to stay up on wall storage during leg day. With that being said, if space and budget restrict you from adding that leg machine to your space, Monkey Feet is a great device that can really benefit your home gym.
