Whether you're a coach, powerlifter, or gym enthusiast, recording video of your training sets is a great way to review technique, track progress, or create great content for social media. And with apps like Metric VBT that convert your phone into a high performance velocity based training device to analyse bar speed, bar path and more, having a compact and reliable tripod in your gym bag makes recording easier and faster.
But with so many options in the world of tripods and a seriously wide range of price points, how much do you really need to spend to get a sturdy, portable tripod that is well suited to use on the gym floor?
Here we break down the pros, cons and ideal uses of various price points and options. And for our Australian friends, we have a special offer on the Hustla gym tripod at the bottom of the article, read on to learn more.
A note from the author: Prices listed may vary by region. We have no control over prices set by Amazon or the distributors of these products.
Do you even need a tripod for in the gym?
Before jumping in, it's important to note that a tripod is optional when using Metric VBT. While we do recommend it, if you've got a stable surface like a bench together with a water bottle or kettlebell to rest your phone against, you will get accurate and reliable data.
Having a tripod simply makes setup easier, more consistent and is particularly more efficient when working in Coach Mode if you are a coach with a Teams account.
Check out the Metric User Guide here →
Choosing the best iPhone tripod: Don't just copy the influencers
After price, there are really three factors to think about. Depending on your context, training flow and gym logistics, one or two of these might be less or more important than the others.
Stability
Stability is key for apps like Metric that track bar velocity and path. While Metric can work in a range of positions and angles, shaking video due to hand held footage, or a vibrating floor can throw off the tracking and impact the accuracy of your training data.
Adjustability
With a tripod, you can easily adjust the height and angle to get the optimal view for filming each unique exercise. For something like a deadlift where the bar starts on the floor, you'll want the tripod low, while for snatches or overhead presses, extending the tripod up allows you to see the barbell throughout the entire rep while keeping lighting glare out of the frame.
Portability
The goal is for the right tripod to become a seamless addition to your training flow. If you transport your tripod between sessions, look for a tripod that strikes the balance of stability while still being lightweight and collapsing down in size. It should also have good durability to handle the rough and tumble of being held inside a gym bag. If you leave your tripod out and set up in the gym, portability is probably less important than stability.
Best phone brackets for the gym
Before even looking for the right tripod to suit your training, the most important element to consider is the bracket that will hold your iPhone/iPad.
For a modular approach, many tripods offer the ability to screw out the default camera attachment and replace this with a specialised iPhone or iPad bracket. I strongly advise that you pick a spring loaded phone bracket as the screw-in, screw-out options are tedious and slow to use.
A good bracket will be durable, easily adjustable and should last a while, I recommend the following options:
High quality gym tripods under $50
#1 Best gym tripod on a budget
This tripod is incredible value for money, lightweight, and with incredible range this tripod can go from 30cm (12”) off the ground up to as high as 145cm (5’4”) - perfect to capture all your lifts. Then when you are finished, it folds into a low profile self-contained rod to slide into the bottom of your gym bag.
This tripod will also require a phone bracket for attaching your phone.
#2 Rack mounted phone and tablet holders
Great for colleges and hight schools where many racks are lined up together. Great for saving floor space, adjustable angles, however, movement in the rack that is being used to mount the device can affect footage, and your recording angle is limited by the position of the racks relative to the exercise.
Note: This magnetic rack mounted holder comes with a bracket, but you can also remove this and replace with a spring loaded bracket for iPhone or iPad. Option two even comes in soft pink!
- Option 1 - low profile: Squat rack mounted phone holder - $13 USD on Amazon
- Option 2 - all-in-one: Squat rack mounted phone holder - $14 USD on Amazon
#3 All in one combo tripods
Thanks to our friends at Husla lifting, they are offering friends of Metric a discount on their tailor-made portable gym tripod, a great tripod for creating content, practicing your posing or recording velocity in the Metric app.
- Hustla gym Tripod: $44 AUD when you use the code METRIC10 at checkout.
Hustla ships globally.
An alternative all-in-one tripod & bracket on a budget can be found below. This all in one negative side it can have some wobble on setup when fully extended, and the fixed nature of the phone bracket means it cannot be used with iPads and if any part breaks then the whole unit becomes un-usable.
Premium gym tripods over $50
For lifters and coaches serious about their training this is the gym tripod for you. No nonsense, sturdy, and silky smooth to set up. This tripod has a height range between 2ft to 6ft (60cm - 180cm) and can easily double as a great camera tripod if you also record workshops or social content in your gym. It does come with a higher price tag and has a larger foot print when in use so might not be suitable for smaller gyms.
This tripod will also require an iPad or iPhone bracket like those listed above.
The Choice Is Yours
Metric is designed to work across a range of environments and contexts, so experiment and go with the tripod (or non-tripod) arrangement that best suits your training environment, style and budget. A great, easy to use tripod can really take a heap of the friction out of recording your velocity data in the gym and elevate your experience for a small investment.
For coaches, having multiple tripods readily available significantly eases data collection and will improve the buy in and adoption of velocity tracking for your athletes.