Speediance Partner Mode: What V2 Did, What V3 Removed and What I Wanted Fixed

My January 2026 reports concerned a specific feature: partner mode inside Free Lift. On my V2 machine, two people could use separate cable weights at the same time. In the V3 version I compared, that entry point was missing. Several posts repeated the same demonstration with my daughter; this guide keeps the observation and its limitations together.

This is a historical software comparison. It does not claim the feature is still absent in today’s release. Later partner-workout developments should be evaluated separately against their own version and feature set.

The short answer

Question	My V2/V3 observation	Why the distinction matters
Could two people lift simultaneously?	V2 Free Lift supported different weights on each side	That is different from taking turns in a shared workout
Did both people get useful personal records?	Profile attribution was limited in my demo	Two resistance values do not guarantee two complete training histories
Could I use the bar normally?	Barbell control was restricted in that mode	A bar joining both cables changes the situation
What changed in V3?	The Free Lift partner option was missing in the build I checked	It was a version-specific finding
Is assist mode the same feature?	No	Assistance during a set answers a different training need

What I demonstrated with my daughter

I kept an original Gym Monster on V2 and used it to show the older interface. In the demonstration, my daughter used 8 lb while I used 44 lb. The display showed separate traces for the two sides.

That made the feature easy to understand: two people could share one machine without needing the same resistance. It was also an engaging way to demonstrate the hardware. The example should not be treated as a general exercise prescription for children; it describes the session that was recorded.

Simultaneous lifting and a fully developed partner-training system are not identical. The display could show two sides working while the surrounding account and workout-recording features remained incomplete.

What was already limited in V2

The feature was not perfect before the V3 change. In the version I used, activity was not cleanly attributed to two separate logged-in profiles. That made it less useful for people who wanted independent history and progression.

I also found limitations around Bluetooth controls and barbell mode. Controls could affect both sides when I wanted to operate one side independently. The barbell option did not behave like an ordinary single-user session.

Those details matter because a demonstration can make a feature look more complete than it is. The ability to set two weights is only one part of a reliable shared workout. Independent controls, records, progression and clear handling of connected accessories are part of the same experience.

What I found in V3

When I compared the newer interface, the specific Free Lift partner option was gone. That was the change I objected to. It is more precise than saying Speediance had removed every possible way for two people to train together.

I was disappointed because the older capability had appeared prominently in early demonstrations. At the same time, I did not want the imperfect V2 experience restored without addressing its limitations. A feature can deserve preservation and still need substantial improvement.

The date is essential context. An article about a January 2026 build cannot serve as a current status report indefinitely. Check the software on your machine and the current release notes before making a purchase decision based on this history.

Why assist mode is a separate question

My recordings also discussed assist modes, which I found practically useful. Assistance changes the behavior of a lifting set; partner mode changes how people share the equipment. One is not a replacement for the other.

If the goal is help completing a difficult set, inspect the available assistance behavior and test it conservatively. If the goal is two people training with separate settings and records, evaluate the partner workflow. Combining those questions leads to recommendations that miss what the owner actually wants to do.

What I would want from a complete partner workflow

My priorities are independent control, clear profiles, accurate records and explicit handling of accessories. I should know whose set is being recorded, which side a button will activate, and what the interface permits when the cables are connected by a bar.

Those are product requirements drawn from the old demonstration, not claims that a later release does or does not satisfy them. The right follow-up to any update is to repeat the relevant use case and record the version tested.

My conclusion

The V2 demonstration showed a useful idea with unfinished details. The V3 comparison showed that a redesign could remove a capability people recognized without resolving the original need.

Keeping these reports together makes that history easier to follow. For a purchase today, use the Speediance model comparison and verify the current partner features directly. For ordinary solo-workout settings, the Unlimited Sets guide answers a different, more specific question.

Consolidated and revised on October 14, 2026. Earlier overlapping articles now lead to this guide; historical observations are identified in the text.