If you work out in a home gym, space and budget limitations can make it challenging to do isolation leg exercises, which typically require large and expensive machines. The MonkeyFeet attachment from Animalhouse Fitness alleviates these concerns by providing an affordable way to isolate your legs on leg day.
The AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment is made of lightweight but durable plastic that can hold most fixed or adjustable dumbbells up to 160 pounds. There’s also foam padding throughout the attachment to enhance comfort on your Achilles’ heel and the top of your foot. You can perform various exercises with it, including leg extensions, hamstring curls, static high knees, and glute kickbacks. For anyone who trains in a home gym and wants to do more than squat or deadlift variations to work their leg muscles, an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet device can be a solid purchase.
Main Takeaways
- Each AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment can hold up to a 160-pound dumbbell and is compatible with various dumbbell styles as long as the handles are at least five inches wide and less than 1.45 inches in diameter.
- It fits shoe sizes up to a men’s size 14, so even lifters with a larger-than-average shoe size can use it.
- You can buy a single unit for around $80 or a pair for around $150, respectively — though one attachment may be sufficient since you can wear it on either the right or left foot.
AnimalHouse's MonkeyFeet attaches dumbbells to your feet so you can do leg isolation movements like leg extensions without needing a cable machine.
AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet Video Review
Our Reviews Writer, Jake, took the MonkeyFeet for a spin during his detailed video review. Tag along as he breaks down everything there is to know about this innovative product, from a full demo to all of the specs.
AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet Highlights
If you work out in a home gym and are bored with doing the same lower body exercises over and over, an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment can help you add more variety to your leg days. This innovative tool can hold up to a 160-pound dumbbell and allows you to do isolation movements you would otherwise need, say, a leg extension machine to do.
It looks similar to snowboard bindings or a roller skate. The rear piece resembles an open, short boot that you rest the back of your heel and ankle against. The front piece reminds us of a small shin guard and sits atop your ankle joint. The entire attachment comes up a couple of inches above your ankle and covers about half of the bottom of your foot. There’s thick, dense foam padding throughout to improve comfort around your foot and Achilles, and it fits on either the right or left foot.
To put the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet on, you open it up, place the back of your foot against the rear footplate, and then strap the front piece to the front of your ankle with the ratchet-style clip. A claw-like mechanism at the bottom of the heel secures a dumbbell handle to the attachment. It takes just about 10-15 seconds to set up. Once the dumbbell is secure, it doesn’t rotate. However, it can fall out if you unfasten the front foot piece first before taking it out because the rear piece may swivel forward or backwards and open up the clamp. For that reason, we recommend doing all of your sets and reps with the attachment on one foot, then switching sides and doing all of your sets and reps on the other leg.
You can buy one attachment for around $80 or a pair for about $150. We think either option is an exceptional deal because of the versatility and space-saving solutions they offer to individuals who work out at home. With its lightweight and compact construction, you can even toss it in your gym bag to carry it to a gym that has limited equipment.
While you can find similar products for roughly half the cost, some of them don’t have as high of a weight capacity. Spending the extra money on an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment can help ensure you have plenty of room to progress your lower body workouts over time. You will need to be mindful of your form at all times when using this attachment because you can’t move as smoothly with it as you could with cable leg exercises. Still, it could be a worthwhile purchase if you train in a home gym with limited space and want to add more single-joint exercises to your routine.
Who Should Buy the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet
- Home gym owners who don’t have the space or budget for cable, leg extension, or hamstring curl machines will enjoy using AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet to hit quad movements, glute exercises, and hamstring exercises in ways you can’t target with barbells or dumbbells.
- If you live in an apartment building with a gym that doesn’t have a large selection of machines, you can easily carry an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet device with you to the gym. It’s small and lightweight, and it doesn’t take up much room in your gym bag or require a lot of storage space.
- Anyone training through an injury who can’t use loaded barbells for lower body exercises can keep up with their lower body training with AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet.
Who Shouldn’t Buy the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet
- For anyone with a shoe size bigger than a men’s 14, AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet won’t fit.
- If you train at a commercial gym with a wide selection of selectorized and plate-loaded machines, you likely won’t need AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet since you can use the machines to isolate your lower body muscle groups.
- Individuals who don’t do a lot of traditional strength training won’t have much use for an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment. This product isn’t the same as an ankle weight you can wear for walking or running and isn’t designed for high-impact, dynamic workouts.
Price
One AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet device costs around $80, and a pair costs around $150. Compared with similar products, this is the most expensive we’ve seen, with competitors costing about half as much. Other products can only hold up to 100-pound dumbbells and aren’t as stable, though. With AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet, you’re paying for the opportunity to progress up to a 160-pound dumbbell and the reassurance that the dumbbell will stay in place once you clip it in. Financing through Affirm is also available if you prefer to make smaller monthly payments.
Remember that you’ll also need to purchase a dumbbell or a dumbbell set if you don’t already have one. Dumbbells can cost anywhere from around $30 a pair for fixed dumbbells, depending on the weight, to $400 or more for adjustable dumbbells. Still, considering that a cable machine, leg extension machine, or lying leg curl machine can cost around $500 to $1,000 or more, investing in some dumbbells and an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment can be a cost-effective solution.
Overall Build and Quality
The AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment is made of thick, hard plastic and weighs just over one pound. It resembles the bindings on a snowboard and features a similar ratchet-style strap to secure it to your foot. There’s foam padding throughout the attachment, and you can use it interchangeably on either foot. You can’t use it for cardio or plyometric exercises — doing so would mean a fast ticket to an ankle or foot injury — but your dumbbell should remain stable when doing static exercises due to the claw-like clamps that secure the handle to the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment.
Features
AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet are designed to be worn on either foot, and it’s easy to change feet or swap out your dumbbells quickly thanks to the claw-clamp and ratchet strap fastening mechanisms. The thick, dense padding on the back of the attachment and the piece that goes over the top of your foot makes it comfortable to wear, and you can use virtually any kind of dumbbell with it.
We also love that it’s easy to carry around for times when you may want to bring it to a commercial gym.
Fit
The Animalhouse MonkeyFeet attachment fits on either the right or left foot. While you can purchase this product as a pair, you really only need one, especially if you do a lot of standing leg exercises and need the opposite foot to be flat on the ground. However, since you’d only be able to work one leg at a time, your workouts may take longer than usual — something to consider if you’re often in a time crunch.
Weight Attachment
With a claw-like mechanism that clips around the dumbbell handle and a ratchet clip that secures the entire attachment to your feet, the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet device is simple to use and takes about 10 to 15 seconds to set up. You just have to unfasten the ratchet clip and fold the bottom part back to open the claws. Unfold the unit to clamp the claws around the dumbbell handle, then step into the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet. Center the top pad on the top of your foot, pull the tab on the ratchet strap until the unit is secure, and you’re good to go.
Once the device is in place, you can do leg extensions, standing or lying hamstring curls, donkey kicks, standing side leg raises, and more. However, when we tested them, we found it hard to do leg extensions when sitting on a weight bench because the dumbbell kept brushing against the floor. For lifters with long legs, we recommend sitting on something higher, like a tall plyo box, or putting a foam roller under your thighs to elevate your feet a bit when doing seated exercises.
Comfort
To reduce discomfort around your feet and Achilles’ heels, the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet device has dense, thick foam on the back and on the piece that sits over the top of your foot. We think you’ll especially appreciate this padding if you use a heavy dumbbell over 50 pounds or so because of how much pressure the weight can put on the attachment and your foot.
Dumbbell Compatibility
You can use any fixed or adjustable dumbbell with a handle width of at least five inches and a maximum handle diameter of 1.45 inches. But when we tested the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet with rubber hex dumbbells, we noticed that they scuffed up the dumbbell heads pretty quickly because the sides of the attachment rubbed up against the inner parts of the heads.
While it hasn’t affected the functionality of either the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet or our dumbbells, this is something to keep in mind if you’re concerned about your equipment’s aesthetics.
Portability
Weighing just 1.2 pounds, the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet are easy to carry in a backpack or gym bag if you want to take them to a gym that doesn’t have a lot of machines. They also come with a drawstring carrying bag to keep them from coming into direct contact with the rest of your gym gear or to prevent water or protein shakes from spilling on them.
Product Specs
Despite being made of plastic and weighing just over one pound, the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet can hold up to a 160-pound dumbbell. It fits shoe sizes up to a men’s 14, and the 14.488-inch ratchet strap and 4.724-inch mounting hole strap enable you to get a customized fit.
The foam inside the attachment prevents hard plastic from digging into your feet and Achilles. This small but mighty tool can be an excellent option for those who can’t fit large machines in their home gym space.
Size and Weight
One AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment weighs a mere 1.2 pounds. While we don’t know its exact dimensions, you can rest assured that it’s pretty compact when not loaded with a dumbbell. For reference, we’d say it’s about the same size as a woman’s ankle boot.
Materials
Most of the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment consists of sturdy, hard plastic, so there’s not a lot of bulk or weight before you attach a dumbbell to it. The thick, firm foam on the back of the attachment and the piece on the top of your foot is similar to the material you’d find on the leg rollers on a GHD machine. We find it to be pretty durable, especially since you won’t be subjecting the attachment to high impact that could cause the foam to compress over time, activities like running or tuck jumping.
Weight Capacity
Each AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment can hold up to a 160-pound dumbbell, so anyone from beginners to advanced lifters can use them.
Strap Length
The ratchet strap is 14.488 inches long, giving you plenty of length to tighten the unit as much as you’d like. The strap with the buckle that the ratchet strap goes into is 4.724 inches long. Both straps have three mounting holes.
If you find the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet don’t fit well when you first get them, you can remove the straps with a wrench and change which hole gets mounted to the device to shorten or lengthen them.
Maximum Foot Size and Shoe Compatibility
The AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet fit shoe sizes up to a men’s 14. It can accommodate a shoe anywhere between 3.3 and 3.5 inches wide, and we find that they work best with flat-soled shoes. If you work out in shoes with a thicker outsole, like running shoes, you can purchase an XL strap kit for around $14.95. This kit contains straps that are about an inch longer than the original straps, so you can replace the original straps with the XL straps to make it easier to fit a taller shoe into the unit.
Warranties
Animalhouse Fitness offers a one-year warranty on the MonkeyFeet. If your product gets damaged after the one-year mark, you can still contact Animalhouse Fitness, and they will work with you to rectify the issue.
Places to Buy
You can buy AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet directly through the Animalhouse Fitness website or the Rogue Fitness website.
Company Information
Animalhouse Fitness is known for its innovative products that allow home gym owners with limited budgets and space to train their lower bodies in various ways. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re unhappy with your purchase. You can reach their customer support staff at info@animalhousefitness.com or 209-781-8231.
Final Word
AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet could be the solution for you if you’ve been working out in your home gym and aren’t seeing the muscle growth you’d like in your legs and glutes. This unique attachment clamps onto any dumbbell handle at least five inches wide and allows you to perform isolated lower-body exercises you can’t do with barbells or dumbbells alone.
While other products like this on the market may be cheaper, they don’t keep dumbbells in place as well or hold up to 160 pounds like Money Feet do. And considering an AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet attachment is much smaller and less expensive than a plate-loaded or selectorized machine, we think it can be a great addition to any home gym.
FAQs
How much do AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet cost?
AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet cost around $80 for one unit and around $150 for a pair. Both prices are reasonable considering the variety these attachments can add to your workouts and the fact that cable machines, leg extension machines, or leg curl machines can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. If you’re on a really tight budget and don’t want to pay the entire cost upfront, you can finance the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet through Affirm.
What dumbbells work with AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet?
Most fixed or adjustable dumbbells will work with AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet. The handle must be at least five inches long and smaller than 1.45 inches in diameter. However, if you use heavy dumbbells with large rubber heads, the AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet may leave scuff marks on the heads.
How much weight should I use with AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet?
AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet can hold up to a 160-pound dumbbell. The amount of weight you use will depend on the exercise and your experience level. For example, even if you have some lifting experience, you may not be able to use more than a five-pound dumbbell for static high knees despite being able to handle a 20-pound dumbbell for leg extensions. If you’re a beginner, you may need to use a five-pound dumbbell for any exercise you do with AnimalHouse MonkeyFeet. You’ll likely need to go through some trial and error before you find weights that work for you for various movements.
