Freak Athlete Review (2026): Which Machine to Buy
Disclosure: DanPicks may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It does not change the price you pay or what I write. This is a research-based article: I compiled it from manufacturer specs, third-party measurements and public reviews, and I have not tested these products myself. How I review.
Short answer: Freak Athlete is worth a look if you train hamstrings, knees and lower back at home: the $249 Nordic Mini Pro is the cheap way in, the Hyper Pro X ($799, pre-order) does the most per square foot, and the $1,995 Apex only makes sense for a commercial-style setup. Independent reviewers flag padding and powder-coat durability as the weak spot.
This is a research-based review. I have not used Freak Athlete equipment. Prices and stock come from freakathlete.co’s store data and product pages, read on October 21, 2026. Durability notes come from Garage Gym Reviews, whose staff used several of these machines.
What Freak Athlete makes
Freak Athlete builds home-gym machines around the posterior chain (the back of the body: hamstrings, glutes, lower back). Its best-known move is the Nordic curl: you kneel with your ankles locked and lower your body forward under control, which loads the hamstrings hard. The line has grown into benches and attachments.
The four main machines
| Nordic Mini Pro | Hyper Pro X | ABX Weight Bench | FA Apex | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Store price (Oct 21, 2026) | $249 | $799 (product page showed a $699 launch price) | $599 (product page showed $499 with the Fall Sale) | $1,995 |
| Stock | In stock, ships in 1–2 business days | Pre-order: expected to ship Nov 30 (US/Canada) | In stock | In stock, ships in 1–2 business days |
| What it does | Nordic curls (reviewers also use it for split squats, hip thrusts, sit-ups) | Nordics, GHD, back extensions, leg extensions; “25+ movements” (company claim) | Adjustable bench, 11 angles from 0° to 85°; attachments add more | GHD, back extension, hyperextension, Nordic bench |
| Capacity | Not listed by Freak Athlete | 500 lb (image caption) | 1,000 lb bench limit | Not listed |
| Storage | Stands upright, 18” × 8” of floor | Stands upright in under 2 × 2 ft | — | 49.6” H × 70.1” W × 38.5” L |
| Weight | Not listed (44 lb per Garage Gym Reviews) | Not listed (108 lb per Garage Gym Reviews) | 102 lb | Not listed |
| User height | — | 5 ft to 7 ft | — | — |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Returns | 30-day free returns | 30-day free returns | 30-day free returns | 30-day free returns |
Prices above are the store’s listed price. Freak Athlete runs sales often; the product page price was lower than the store price on two of the four machines when I checked.
Add-ons that change the cost
- Leg Developer attachment: $399 (leg extensions and hamstring curls; works with ABX and Hyper Pro X).
- Cable Attachment: $49. Dip: $79. Sit-Up: $119. Bicep: $199.
- GHD Pro Upgrade Kit: $149, turns an older Nordic Hyper into a Hyper Pro.
- ABX shipping showed as $97.21 on the product page for a single bench; the page says free shipping unlocks with $250 in ABX attachments.
A fully built ABX with the Leg Developer and cable attachment is $599 + $399 + $49 = $1,047 at store prices, before shipping.
What independent reviewers found
Garage Gym Reviews (updated October 15, 2026) ranks the Hyper Pro X as its best overall Nordic bench and the Nordic Mini Pro as its best portable one. Its reviewers’ complaints are the useful part:
- Hyper Pro X: “The powder coating and padding don’t seem particularly durable, per our tester,” and the adjustments “can be difficult to navigate.”
- Nordic Mini Pro: “The pad does not seem durable,” and it is “not as stable as other benches on our list.” Note: the article says its team has not used the newest Pro version.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty and 30-day free returns that, per Freak Athlete, cover shipping both ways.
- The Nordic Mini Pro is one of the few freestanding Nordic benches under $300 that stores upright on 18” × 8” of floor.
- The Hyper Pro X combines Nordic bench, GHD and back extension in one frame that stores in under 2 × 2 ft.
Cons
- Padding and finish durability are the repeated complaint from an independent reviewer.
- Capacity is not published for the Nordic Mini Pro or the Apex.
- The Hyper Pro X is pre-order only right now; the wait is weeks, not days.
- Attachments add up fast; the ABX price is the start, not the total.
Who Freak Athlete suits
Good fit: people rehabbing or protecting knees and hamstrings; runners and field-sport athletes who want Nordic curls at home; small home gyms where a machine must store against a wall.
Not a good fit: people who mainly want a squat rack and barbell setup; anyone who needs equipment today (Hyper Pro X); buyers who want published capacity numbers for every product.
Compared with other options
See Best Nordic curl benches for home for BaseBlocks, Shogun and cheaper rack-mounted options.
Sources
All read on October 21, 2026.
- Freak Athlete store product data (prices, stock): freakathlete.co
- Hyper Pro X page (pre-order date, 500 lb, 5–7 ft, warranty, add-ons): freakathlete.co/products/hyper-pro
- Nordic Mini Pro page (18” × 8” storage, warranty): freakathlete.co/products/nordic-mini-pro
- ABX page (1,000 lb, 102 lb, 11 angles, attachments, shipping): freakathlete.co/products/abx
- FA Apex page (dimensions, modes): freakathlete.co/products/apex
- Garage Gym Reviews, Best Nordic Benches (updated October 15, 2026): garagegymreviews.com/best-nordic-bench