UPDATE - Tib Bar Guy has sent me a 3rd version, with some updates, that have passed my tests. Here is an updated link: graymatterlifting.com/tib-bar-guy-nordic-back-extension-machine-v2/ The Nord Stick NordBench is on the way soon... Check it out here in the meantime: graymatterlifting.com/NordBench And the Hyper Pro details can be found here: graymatterlifting.com/freak-athlete-hyper-pro-2024/
Phenomenal review. Thank you for saving me from compromising and getting the Tib Bar Guy version during these Black Friday sales. Just ordered my FA using your link.
The Nordic Hyper GHD is my favourite piece of home gym equipment, one of the best purchases I have ever made. And as I always say in every video I comment on, I will be the happiest person in the world when I finally receive the leg developer. Great video, thank you.
I was literally searching for this four-way comparison of these EXACT products... and low and behold, my search found this video, released one day ago! That's auspicious af. Thanks for the video, great work 👏
Thank you for the enormous effort to test these and also for the through write up. Maybe Santa reads my wishlist to shove a hyper pro down the chimney.
This was one hell of a great video. Awesome intro and did a very detailed breakdown on each machine. Love the Freak Athlete piece, the pro looks awesome!!
Joe you are doing great work here. I’ve had the Freak Athlete since it was first released (I’m 6’8” and 255) and while I like it and it does the job as designed (I use it for 45 degree hypers and Nordic curls), it could be more stable and it could have a better fit and finish but you confirmed the Shogun probably wouldn’t fit my frame as well as the Freak Athlete does.
The newer model is a bit more stable. It's still not perfect, but better. And yeah, the Shogun is awesome but if you are a bigger dude, maybe not the best.
Solid comparison video. I purchased the Freak Athlete earlier this year and have loved it. The Hyper Pro upgrade and leg developer make it even better … but it was excellent before those upgrades. In terms of the unit’s stability, one exercise I do on the FA is side bends with the machine at 45 degree angle. I’m 220ish and the machine does not tilt, lean or make me question its stability in any way. Being able to put all of my weight on one side of the machine is a huge testament to the structural quality of this machine. Flat back extensions with the upgraded GHD pad feel really good. And the leg developer… amazing addition! At least 73 thumbs up for the FA!
C'mon, son! You're making the rest of us look bad with your vids lately!😅 Love seeing you up the game for video quality, especially the intros. Makes us all better. And thanks for saving me $1000. I was literally just about to buy that Shogun.
I watched a video a few months back, guy was talking about why he put more effort into his intros with the fancy stuff. He said "That part is for me, the rest of the video is for my audience". I jived with that. I have a lot of fun with the fancy intros and glamour shots. It keeps me going. Even if I spent about 4 hours on 1.5 minutes of the video :) ... Shogun is cool, but I don't think it is the best, especially not for the bigger peeps out there.
Awesome review! I’m a big fan of the Tib Bar Guy version and have had it for almost 5 months now. Haven’t had that issue whatsoever though I’m also lighter weight at 170lbs but have even performed Nordics with a 20lb vest making it 190lbs. So far it’s been solid and I haven’t felt, heard, or seen any issues similar to what happened to yours. Sorry that happened to yours. Would have loved to have seen it higher up in the list. Great video review!
@@Dr.DaveStrength I like it on paper. But I think it just couldn't hold up to my size. The real issue is around those lower regression angles. The machine bounces a LOT in that 15 and 20 range. So the combination of my size, the smaller pins, and that bounce, just created an issue. 100% I think it could work for others. But it clearly didn't work for me
I know someone is going to ask, what about The Nord Stick NordBench? Well, they are going to send me one soon. So keep an eye out… If there is any other options out there I missed, let me know and I’ll check them out.
@@Richwithlove it's definitely aiming for the budget option, and it looks promising. I think it's even cheaper than the BaseBlocks, and has some extra features. Plus it looks fairly small. Should be an interesting combo
I think I just mostly replicated 8.5 of the 9 FA Hyper Pro functions with a rack, 2 rollers, FID bench, D-handles/cable, and a $350 Stray Dog G.O.A.T. Does that sound about right?
@@zkipaddle kind of. You can certainly "hack" your way to a lot of things. And depending on your size, strength, your gym, and your budget, that very well could be a solid decision for you. I never found that I was able to do Nordics comfortably or consistently with the various hacking solutions. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me. Back extensions often required a combination of multiple rollers, pads, DBs, and other items that just never felt right. Sure, it was "technically" a back extension, but not something I would go out of my way to perform regularly. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me. I think rollers can take the place of the Hip Thrust function pretty much entirely. Since the Hyper Hip Thrust is, simply, a roller. I owned a GHD for years, and while you can set up some boxes and other doodads to make that work, I'd personally rather make room in my space for the Hyper vs a set of boxes and other attachments. The GOAT, I love the idea, I think it is awesome if you can't fit or afford another option, but my experience with rack attached leg extension and leg curl machines like the Isolator isn't great. I think the GOAT is limited in the same way Jammer Arms are. They technically work, but the angles, the position, the set up time, and the need for space on your rack is a deal breaker in my gym. I will say that my dude Kurt Locker loves both of those, so it 100% boils down to your training style, space, and needs. If you handed me all of those things you mentioned with a stack of $500 vs a Hyper Pro, I'm taking the Hyper Pro every time. Not even close. But my goal isn't really to convince you that you need something for your gym, just to share my experiences (good and bad) and hope you can make the right decision for your space. If you have found that in your list of accessories, then that is awesome.
Thanks for the great review. I was leaning toward the Freak so it was great to trip upon this review. Appreciate your efforts! I'm not sure if I want to pop $170-220 for the new GHD pad though. hmmmm
@@stevelahr6063 the GHD pad really just depends on whether you'll use it or not. I know, sounds simplistic... But my routine calls for a rotation of Nordics, Glute Ham Raises, and Back Extensions between blocks. And I've found that GHD sit ups are a NASTY ab exercise for me. So it is getting a lot of play in our space. If you don't plan to rotate those two in, it might be worth a skip.
Awesome detailed review! Sad to hear the issues you’ve had with the Tib Bar v2. I got that one used, new in box. Assembly was a pain, but haven’t had the pop pin issue…yet. I’m 6’3” 225 ish though, so it’s probably coming.
@@JohnSmith-gy2jg keep an eye on if the pop pin starts sticking at all. It'll get difficult to adjust, and that's when you know it's coming. You can probably give it a much longer life if you skip the lower couple angle regressions for Nordics. So stick to 45 degree back extensions, flat Nordics, and hip thrusts, and you are gonna be in business much longer.
@@GrayMatterLifting thanks for the tips! Just hit my first 8 degree rep last night. Hopefully I’ll be to flat soon and can keep the life long on the unit.
Well done bro 👏 This one concluded how I thought it would, but it's cool to see all the options compared directly against each other. The FA pro looks like a nice upgrade. I already put in my order for the upgrade kit, which btw, is so much better than having to buy a V2. Staying tuned for your thoughts on it...
@@TheCarterHomeGym thanks dude. Yeah, I think there is a good solution for different people in each of these, but the FA is definitely my preferred. And agreed, they did a good job of making it able to upgrade.
We could NOT leave out our early adopters when making upgrades. You guys are the reason it’s even possible 🫵🫡 So from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!
@@freakathleteco I'm looking fwd to trying out the upgrades. I've been very please with the V1 overall, but the bigger GHD pad is something I'm very excited for. Good on you guys for continuing to improve and finding a way to include V1 owners.
Thanks for the review. Was contemplating getting the Tib Bar Guy nordic combo or the Freak Athlete. Definitely considering the Freak Athlete solely now. Quick question, how the padding, it looks a bit flimsy and soft? Thanks.
@@michaelmoniz8419 Shogun is definitely the form padding. More robust, but can be "uncomfortable" for some. Freak Athlete is much thinner and a little more "normal" in terms of machine padding. Between me, my wife and my daughter, no complaints so far. I think it's a good happy medium. It might at some point start to deform, but so far that hasn't happened.
@@sagerkoheel3068 yeah man, this one felt good. A little more work on the B Roll color work, and I'll be in business. Nailed the intro and the talking portion. Having fun with it, so it's working.
Just ordered the NordicBench by Nordic Stick because you referenced in your article about the tib bar guys nordic bench. Thank you for pointing that one out! Hopefully, it is well constructed and holds up with heavy use.
@@GrayMatterLiftinghave you gotten yours? I’ve had mine for about 3 weeks and I’m not very impressed. The padding is good, but overall construction and ergonomics is not great. It’s like they handed us a beta version. The quality control is probably as good as base blocks. I hope you got a better unit than me!
@@dasdos002 I've given them about 30 notes so far. From my understanding they are making all of the changes I sent over. If you send them an email and mention my name, pretty sure they will take care of you.
@@GrayMatterLiftingwhat makes matters worse about the NordBench is I contact customer service multiple times saying I wanted to return my unit. I emailed them 3 days after assembling it thinking they could help me with the problems I was having. The return policy says they would take returns with no questions asked within 30 days of delivery. They never responded to my multiple emails to them. I eventually got the unit to do most of what they claimed it to do (I can’t use the back foot plate for squats because the pin hole and base of the unit don’t line up so once I got the pin in there there is no getting it out unless I want to grab for a wrench). They ghosted me pretty good. They got my money and don’t care. I ended up ordering powertec’s hyperextension. I have yet to assemble it (been so busy). But I’m fairly confident that’s going to be a far better unit. Got it on BF sale for $400! Super happy about that lol
Was literally typing a response on how freak athlete keeps coming out with little updates when you mentioned getting the Pro and working on a review haha. I’m hoping the price increase keeps it in the running as it seems to have won the performance aspect fairly easily
@@Thepokechoprx I think it's still gonna be the best. The hard part now is, it costs as much as the Shogun. So now it gets a stricter review. Want to be "premium"? I'm gonna hold ya to that. I'm not sure their entire offering is as premium as they hope it is. Again, still probably the best option on the market. But the price increase is gonna scare some people away.
Awesome comparison! The issues with the TibBar Guy model definitely make me wary of that. It seems unlikely that you got two bum units. This still isn’t a category I see needing in my gym yet, but I love having all of this information in case that changes!
@@fwiffo42 yeah I know there are people out there who have it, and haven't had issues. But I'm betting they just haven't had them hit YET. I think there is a workaround if you skip the lower regressions, the pop pin should last significantly longer. But I'm not willing to claim that 100%, hence why it isn't in the video. Totally get that, this is a consistent use piece for us, but understand that it won't be for everyone.
@@Randy_589 it has a lot of movement when getting onto it. The downside of having one support down the middle. The good news is, very little movement in use.
I have the Tib Bar Guy Nordic back extension v.2 and have been really enjoying it. Now I'm a little worried after watching your video. Would replacing the pop pin with a better stronger one fix the problem?
The key concern I believe is the lower angle Nordic Regressions, paired with my weight. If you are lighter, and you stay away from the 15 and 20 degree Nordics, you are likely going to be better off. A beefier pop pin isn't a terrible idea. But I think that's the key issue.
Love my freak athlete. Bought it before the leg developer was announced and use it every leg day. Bought the leg developer and when that comes in it'll be a gym staple for me.
@@brutongaster4404 I use mine daily for some Nordic work, and regularly throughout the week too. Leg Developer just showed up, assembled it this morning. Gonna be putting it through the paces
I really really liked the original video for the freak athlete just missing the leg developer. Any news on when you will review the leg developer extension? I hear such disappointing reviews of plate attached leg extension/curl machines due to the variable force curve but an curious if freak athlete putting the weight at 45 degrees actually meant more of the range of motion was under tension @@GrayMatterLifting ? Many thanks. Will
@@vancouverbill What I'm debating is doing two videos in one week... the Hyper Pro review, and the Leg Developer review... Looking at late January for those. The short answer I can give you is... If you have the Hyper Pro, or plan to get it, and want to Leg Ext/Curls, I think it is a solid addition. Nothing is as good as a cable driven dedicated piece from Prime Fitness or something, but this is pretty good. And they got some secret stuff coming that is going to make it even better.
Great review. So disappointed about the TBG issue. Cancelled my order right after watching your video. The reason I was originally going with the TBG is because I know I'm only going to use the BE and NC options. Hoping they beef it up some to address the issues. Shogun is a no go for me for the same issues you have. Leaning towards the FA, but again, I dont need all of those exercise options. How is it for the "man parts?" Is ttere a big enough gap? Again. Great video.
@@garysmallwood521 yeah I think the TBG has a real place in the market if they can get their issues fixed. $400 for the 3 main movements we use regularly, that is hard to ignore. FA has the biggest man gap of them all. It's a hard balance to strike to make it "perfect", because too far out and you aren't even on the pads anymore. The good news with the FA one is it's adjustable, opposed to everyone else's that is fixed.
@@Aviation_Professional to be fair, $1299 is with the upgraded GHD pad, Leg Developer attachment, and the Upper Body Kit. If you go take it back down to what the Nordic Hyper was, I believe it is $100 more expensive for the better stability and padding.
Great review, but freak athlete needs to figure out how to cost effectively build their product. Explain to me how their new v2 (Nordic Pro) looks to be exactly the same product but what was once ~$800 shipped+tax is now over $1000 with no meaningful improvements. Except overpriced add-ons. This is more than my rack, treadmill, functional trainer etc
@@icandreamstream the padding, the extra metal on the extended rear plate, some extra knurling, and there are more attention to detail options on a number of the posts including more drilled holes. So I can start to see where prices increase. I have no insight into their pricing model, how much profit they are making, or the actual increase in costs from V1 to V2, so I can't confidently comment there. I think the struggle is that you had a nunber of people asking for a premium option, while others asked for a better budget option. They chose the premium route. For a budget option, take a look at the Nord Stick Nord Bench. Might be the right offer.
Great comparison and fully agree with your conclusion. Personally I don’t care that much about doing full nordic curls as a strength goal, I just use the regressed nordics as a hypertrophy movement for hamstrings. For that purpose, removing the lengthened portion of the ROM (as the Shogun does) is going to be greatly inferior to the doing them on an incline. Also, I personally do back extensions on the Freak Athlete with dumbbells and I have done them with an EZ bar loaded with 25’s as well. With a little elbow bend and keeping my upper back straight I can still get a great range of motion. It doesn’t look like I would be able to do that with the Shogun, since it’s lower to the floor and there’s more stuff in the way. I’m very curious about the new “Pro” model/upgrade kit and the redesigned leg developer… there’s a clip of you using what looks like the new leg developer in their official video so I assume you have tested it. Does it fix the stability issue when going heavy? Every other video currently out shows it being used with one plate… 🙄
@@timk8258 yeah man, the Shogun is cool but I like FAs regressions a lot more. Yeah, the first version of the Leg Developer they sent me was "almost done" and I nearly broke it. So they went back to work. Benji actually drove up to my house to test a few prototypes, we went through multiple versions as they worked to build a much more stable version. I have the current version, assembled it today, will be testing heavily starting next week. One big con for leg extensions is no back rest. But the rest of the design is pretty solid.
@@GrayMatterLifting Honestly no back rest could be viewed as a pro, if you lean back or even lay down you can get a big stretch on the rectus femoris (because it is also a hip flexor) and train it at a longer muscle length. But I also get that it would be less comfortable. I’m interested to hear what you think about the change to the angle of the weight arm. I’m kind of skeptical of not sticking with the 45 degree angle design. I guess it felt too light at the top but I would prefer that to being too light at the bottom… and tbh the claims of “constant tension” are annoying me because I think people actually think that means “consistent tension” which you’re not going to get outside of a machine with a circular cam… Right now I’m planning to definitely get the pro upgrade kit but still on the fence about the leg developer. Not sure it would be sufficient to justify selling my Titan machine that I hook up to the cable stack. I know it won’t be “as good” but if it’s “good enough” then I need to consider what else I could fit in the space it’s currently occupying… and the game of gym tetris continues…
@@timk8258 very true. If you want some specific demo pics, videos, whatever. Shoot me some IG DMs. I'll get ya whatever you want. The angle piece was something we went back and forth on. The struggles with 45 and the plate loaded, you got to the top and it basically felt like nothing. Since a Leg Extension in my eyes is all about that top flex where the quad is fully shortened (only exercise it does this), we didn't want to sacrifice that top contraction. In my earlier use I felt it was a good compromise.
@@GrayMatterLifting That makes sense especially with trying to balance the two different movements with different ranges of motion. Also it occurred to me that with the bolt on weight horn it would be easy to modify if I wanted to make it more lengthened biased… or rig up some cables… 😁 And thanks for the offer, I will message you over there!
Now with their improved GHD pad and also new leg attachment its really a better machine. Also the only one that can do decline nordics (feet above head )
I did the majority of my testing on these while being 6ft and 265lbs. At your weight and size, I would skip the BaseBlocks and the Shogun, due to the tipping issues. The TibBarGuy team took my feedback and was able to address the issues. It no longer breaks, which is good. So that one is back in the running for you. The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro, the updated version of the Nordic Hyper, never had any problems with my size or weight. So it comes down to budget and exercise wants. The Freak Athlete is the better overall build, does more, but also costs more. The TibBarGuy is cheaper, but is "cheaper" and does less. So it just depends on your own wants and needs there. I should be receiving the NordBench soon, which would be another one to potentially consider.
I think I just mostly replicated 8.5 of the 9 FA Hyper Pro functions with a rack, 2 rollers, FID bench, D-handles/cable, and a $350 Stray Dog G.O.A.T. Does that sound about close?
You commented twice, so I'll copy and paste this reply here too... kind of. You can certainly "hack" your way to a lot of things. And depending on your size, strength, your gym, and your budget, that very well could be a solid decision for you. I never found that I was able to do Nordics comfortably or consistently with the various hacking solutions. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me. Back extensions often required a combination of multiple rollers, pads, DBs, and other items that just never felt right. Sure, it was "technically" a back extension, but not something I would go out of my way to perform regularly. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me. I think rollers can take the place of the Hip Thrust function pretty much entirely. Since the Hyper Hip Thrust is, simply, a roller. I owned a GHD for years, and while you can set up some boxes and other doodads to make that work, I'd personally rather make room in my space for the Hyper vs a set of boxes and other attachments. The GOAT, I love the idea, I think it is awesome if you can't fit or afford another option, but my experience with rack attached leg extension and leg curl machines like the Isolator isn't great. I think the GOAT is limited in the same way Jammer Arms are. They technically work, but the angles, the position, the set up time, and the need for space on your rack is a deal breaker in my gym. I will say that my dude Kurt Locker loves both of those, so it 100% boils down to your training style, space, and needs. If you handed me all of those things you mentioned with a stack of $500 vs a Hyper Pro, I'm taking the Hyper Pro every time. Not even close. But my goal isn't really to convince you that you need something for your gym, just to share my experiences (good and bad) and hope you can make the right decision for your space. If you have found that in your list of accessories, then that is awesome.
Your good reply was quicker than my memory to delete my redundant post. There is definitely likely a bit more set up time with the G.O.AT & rollers & bench but the G.O.A.T. leg extension and hamstring curls feel smooth (after some set up trial and error and tutorials from SDS and Kurt). I have Mutant Metals UDA & SBRs; plus Irwin rollers all which are hard to replicate/hack unless you are Rouge. These three together are close to the FA HP's cost but I'm thinking there is a quality class gap as well a specific functionality gap vs FA due in part to FAs 9 in one functionality. I wish I could test the Hyper Pro before the price goes up to see what I may be missing as I don't feel that Nordics are hard to set up properly given 2 rollers and a good bench. Back ext are the one I could only 1/2 set up (I need to work on a steeper angle). Probably a loaded question but if you think FA's quality and functionality is close to Irwin and Mutant Metals then I could jump. Otherwise, there is a Rouge Westside Scout nearby for $300. I don't want to replace a high quality G.O.A.T (11 ga; smooth, ~zero play bearings, all metal) with good multiple functions for me (Leg ext, hamstring curls, calf raises, hip thrusts) with say a little better but not yet dedicated equipment functionality new piece just to save a couple minutes set up time in parallel with recovery between a few sets. But I do feel what you advise about the Isolator fiddling in a one rack garage (not that the Hyper Pro would be without popping and tightening some pins). Your video report is great and helps a bunch. Just want to double check what I got from it and a few others before the 5 (now 3) days runs out. I agree that for $1,500 the quality/durability should be close to premium (vs some plastic functional parts) for most movements otherwise I may end up supplementing and eventually replacing. I get the feeling that the Hyper Pro is a really well designed upper mid-level versatile product, but with some compromises (not Irwin nor MM, "premium" or pro level yet) with an in-between price? Or maybe I am just not into orange? Thank You!
@@zkipaddle I think your last piece "upper mid tier with some compromises" is 100% on point. I might steal that actually. No bearings on moving pieces, just bolts. Powder coat is OK. No stainless steel. Etc. If you are in the Northern California area, you can come try mine BTW
I'm planning on getting the upgrade kit... I would be put off if they didn't offer that option, but when I did the math of what I paid originally plus the cost of the upgrade, vs the cost of the Pro version with the GHD pad, with shipping and taxes, I actually end up saving $12 and I got to use it for seven months prior to the ship date of the new version. So I can't really complain too much about that. It might be slightly different for you depending on what sales were going on/if you used an affilliate code, but the total price should still be in the same ballpark.
@@TheKurtlocker love me some Adam, but there's definitely different experiences there. It's one of the reasons why I've always enjoyed Brandon's thoughts. He's stronger than hell and tall, so he challenges things differently.
UPDATE - Tib Bar Guy has sent me a 3rd version, with some updates, that have passed my tests. Here is an updated link: graymatterlifting.com/tib-bar-guy-nordic-back-extension-machine-v2/
The Nord Stick NordBench is on the way soon... Check it out here in the meantime: graymatterlifting.com/NordBench
And the Hyper Pro details can be found here: graymatterlifting.com/freak-athlete-hyper-pro-2024/
Phenomenal review. Thank you for saving me from compromising and getting the Tib Bar Guy version during these Black Friday sales. Just ordered my FA using your link.
I appreciate the comment and the support. Let me know what you think when you get it.
The Nordic Hyper GHD is my favourite piece of home gym equipment, one of the best purchases I have ever made. And as I always say in every video I comment on, I will be the happiest person in the world when I finally receive the leg developer. Great video, thank you.
@@LV481 we use it multiple times a week, and honestly I'm very commonly on it daily.
I'll be getting some solid leg developer use in the coming weeks.
I was literally searching for this four-way comparison of these EXACT products... and low and behold, my search found this video, released one day ago! That's auspicious af.
Thanks for the video, great work 👏
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thank you for the review, specially because its honest!
@@pepetelacrosse you got it!
right on! between this video, and Coops I went ahead and picked up the Freak Athlete! many thanks.
@@travisbickle131 glad I could help
Thank you for the enormous effort to test these and also for the through write up. Maybe Santa reads my wishlist to shove a hyper pro down the chimney.
You are welcome, lots of people were asking so I knew it would be helpful. Good luck on the Santa side of things!
Superb comparison. Thanks!
@@GavinBrown thank you! This one was a lot of work, but I know a lot of people had these questions.
This was one hell of a great video. Awesome intro and did a very detailed breakdown on each machine. Love the Freak Athlete piece, the pro looks awesome!!
thanks dude! This one took a lot out of me, but happy with the result.
Joe you are doing great work here. I’ve had the Freak Athlete since it was first released (I’m 6’8” and 255) and while I like it and it does the job as designed (I use it for 45 degree hypers and Nordic curls), it could be more stable and it could have a better fit and finish but you confirmed the Shogun probably wouldn’t fit my frame as well as the Freak Athlete does.
The newer model is a bit more stable. It's still not perfect, but better. And yeah, the Shogun is awesome but if you are a bigger dude, maybe not the best.
Solid comparison video. I purchased the Freak Athlete earlier this year and have loved it. The Hyper Pro upgrade and leg developer make it even better … but it was excellent before those upgrades. In terms of the unit’s stability, one exercise I do on the FA is side bends with the machine at 45 degree angle. I’m 220ish and the machine does not tilt, lean or make me question its stability in any way. Being able to put all of my weight on one side of the machine is a huge testament to the structural quality of this machine. Flat back extensions with the upgraded GHD pad feel really good. And the leg developer… amazing addition! At least 73 thumbs up for the FA!
@@HunterMalin-v4u I agree on all points. QL Raises, aka the side bends, feel fantastic. More coming from FA soon too
The Freak athlete is the most interesting to me, because it now has a leg developer and does several things I’m missing in my gym.
Yeah the new Hyper Pro has a lot going on
C'mon, son! You're making the rest of us look bad with your vids lately!😅 Love seeing you up the game for video quality, especially the intros. Makes us all better. And thanks for saving me $1000. I was literally just about to buy that Shogun.
I watched a video a few months back, guy was talking about why he put more effort into his intros with the fancy stuff. He said "That part is for me, the rest of the video is for my audience". I jived with that. I have a lot of fun with the fancy intros and glamour shots. It keeps me going. Even if I spent about 4 hours on 1.5 minutes of the video :) ... Shogun is cool, but I don't think it is the best, especially not for the bigger peeps out there.
@@GrayMatterLifting It's crazy how long it takes to edit. No one can even come close to understanding until they try. Keep it up!
Let’s go!! We’re gonna need trailers and release dates for these top notch videos Joe is dropping!!
@@TJMcDVM I thought about a trailer... That would be dope
Awesome review! Thank you
@@charlieteena appreciate it!
Awesome review! I’m a big fan of the Tib Bar Guy version and have had it for almost 5 months now. Haven’t had that issue whatsoever though I’m also lighter weight at 170lbs but have even performed Nordics with a 20lb vest making it 190lbs. So far it’s been solid and I haven’t felt, heard, or seen any issues similar to what happened to yours. Sorry that happened to yours. Would have loved to have seen it higher up in the list. Great video review!
@@Dr.DaveStrength I like it on paper. But I think it just couldn't hold up to my size. The real issue is around those lower regression angles. The machine bounces a LOT in that 15 and 20 range. So the combination of my size, the smaller pins, and that bounce, just created an issue.
100% I think it could work for others. But it clearly didn't work for me
I liked the way you reviewed these. Great job!
Thank you!
I know someone is going to ask, what about The Nord Stick NordBench? Well, they are going to send me one soon. So keep an eye out… If there is any other options out there I missed, let me know and I’ll check them out.
Just wanted to hitch-hike this comment and ask about the Nord Stick NordBench?
@@Richwithlove it's definitely aiming for the budget option, and it looks promising. I think it's even cheaper than the BaseBlocks, and has some extra features. Plus it looks fairly small. Should be an interesting combo
I think I just mostly replicated 8.5 of the 9 FA Hyper Pro functions with a rack, 2 rollers, FID bench, D-handles/cable, and a $350 Stray Dog G.O.A.T. Does that sound about right?
@@zkipaddle kind of. You can certainly "hack" your way to a lot of things. And depending on your size, strength, your gym, and your budget, that very well could be a solid decision for you. I never found that I was able to do Nordics comfortably or consistently with the various hacking solutions. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me.
Back extensions often required a combination of multiple rollers, pads, DBs, and other items that just never felt right. Sure, it was "technically" a back extension, but not something I would go out of my way to perform regularly. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me.
I think rollers can take the place of the Hip Thrust function pretty much entirely. Since the Hyper Hip Thrust is, simply, a roller.
I owned a GHD for years, and while you can set up some boxes and other doodads to make that work, I'd personally rather make room in my space for the Hyper vs a set of boxes and other attachments.
The GOAT, I love the idea, I think it is awesome if you can't fit or afford another option, but my experience with rack attached leg extension and leg curl machines like the Isolator isn't great. I think the GOAT is limited in the same way Jammer Arms are. They technically work, but the angles, the position, the set up time, and the need for space on your rack is a deal breaker in my gym. I will say that my dude Kurt Locker loves both of those, so it 100% boils down to your training style, space, and needs.
If you handed me all of those things you mentioned with a stack of $500 vs a Hyper Pro, I'm taking the Hyper Pro every time. Not even close. But my goal isn't really to convince you that you need something for your gym, just to share my experiences (good and bad) and hope you can make the right decision for your space. If you have found that in your list of accessories, then that is awesome.
Thanks for the great review. I was leaning toward the Freak so it was great to trip upon this review. Appreciate your efforts! I'm not sure if I want to pop $170-220 for the new GHD pad though. hmmmm
@@stevelahr6063 the GHD pad really just depends on whether you'll use it or not. I know, sounds simplistic... But my routine calls for a rotation of Nordics, Glute Ham Raises, and Back Extensions between blocks. And I've found that GHD sit ups are a NASTY ab exercise for me. So it is getting a lot of play in our space.
If you don't plan to rotate those two in, it might be worth a skip.
Thank you so much for doing this. The collapse of the tib-bar guy contraption is concerning as was the instability of the Baseblock’s Nordic bench.
@@AlteredState1123 you bet! I know people were consistently asking for a comparison. Glad I was able to make it happen.
Awesome detailed review! Sad to hear the issues you’ve had with the Tib Bar v2. I got that one used, new in box. Assembly was a pain, but haven’t had the pop pin issue…yet. I’m 6’3” 225 ish though, so it’s probably coming.
@@JohnSmith-gy2jg keep an eye on if the pop pin starts sticking at all. It'll get difficult to adjust, and that's when you know it's coming.
You can probably give it a much longer life if you skip the lower couple angle regressions for Nordics. So stick to 45 degree back extensions, flat Nordics, and hip thrusts, and you are gonna be in business much longer.
@@GrayMatterLifting thanks for the tips! Just hit my first 8 degree rep last night. Hopefully I’ll be to flat soon and can keep the life long on the unit.
@@JohnSmith-gy2jg Right on!
Well done bro 👏 This one concluded how I thought it would, but it's cool to see all the options compared directly against each other. The FA pro looks like a nice upgrade. I already put in my order for the upgrade kit, which btw, is so much better than having to buy a V2. Staying tuned for your thoughts on it...
@@TheCarterHomeGym thanks dude. Yeah, I think there is a good solution for different people in each of these, but the FA is definitely my preferred. And agreed, they did a good job of making it able to upgrade.
We could NOT leave out our early adopters when making upgrades. You guys are the reason it’s even possible 🫵🫡 So from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!
@@freakathleteco I'm looking fwd to trying out the upgrades. I've been very please with the V1 overall, but the bigger GHD pad is something I'm very excited for. Good on you guys for continuing to improve and finding a way to include V1 owners.
@@TheCarterHomeGym I appreciate that, super excited for you! -Benji
Solid video and info!
@@homegymzack thanks dude!
Thanks for the review. Was contemplating getting the Tib Bar Guy nordic combo or the Freak Athlete. Definitely considering the Freak Athlete solely now. Quick question, how the padding, it looks a bit flimsy and soft? Thanks.
@@michaelmoniz8419 Shogun is definitely the form padding. More robust, but can be "uncomfortable" for some. Freak Athlete is much thinner and a little more "normal" in terms of machine padding. Between me, my wife and my daughter, no complaints so far. I think it's a good happy medium. It might at some point start to deform, but so far that hasn't happened.
Bro! Production is on point! Good stuff
@@sagerkoheel3068 yeah man, this one felt good. A little more work on the B Roll color work, and I'll be in business. Nailed the intro and the talking portion. Having fun with it, so it's working.
@GrayMatterLifting keep it up! Excited to see the future videos
Legendary intro
@@carps_gym crushed it
Just ordered the NordicBench by Nordic Stick because you referenced in your article about the tib bar guys nordic bench. Thank you for pointing that one out! Hopefully, it is well constructed and holds up with heavy use.
@@dasdos002 I hope so too! I should get one close to when yours arrives, so keep me posted on your thoughts.
@@GrayMatterLiftinghave you gotten yours? I’ve had mine for about 3 weeks and I’m not very impressed. The padding is good, but overall construction and ergonomics is not great. It’s like they handed us a beta version. The quality control is probably as good as base blocks. I hope you got a better unit than me!
@@dasdos002 I've given them about 30 notes so far. From my understanding they are making all of the changes I sent over. If you send them an email and mention my name, pretty sure they will take care of you.
@@GrayMatterLiftingwhat makes matters worse about the NordBench is I contact customer service multiple times saying I wanted to return my unit. I emailed them 3 days after assembling it thinking they could help me with the problems I was having. The return policy says they would take returns with no questions asked within 30 days of delivery. They never responded to my multiple emails to them. I eventually got the unit to do most of what they claimed it to do (I can’t use the back foot plate for squats because the pin hole and base of the unit don’t line up so once I got the pin in there there is no getting it out unless I want to grab for a wrench). They ghosted me pretty good. They got my money and don’t care. I ended up ordering powertec’s hyperextension. I have yet to assemble it (been so busy). But I’m fairly confident that’s going to be a far better unit. Got it on BF sale for $400! Super happy about that lol
Was literally typing a response on how freak athlete keeps coming out with little updates when you mentioned getting the Pro and working on a review haha. I’m hoping the price increase keeps it in the running as it seems to have won the performance aspect fairly easily
@@Thepokechoprx I think it's still gonna be the best. The hard part now is, it costs as much as the Shogun. So now it gets a stricter review. Want to be "premium"? I'm gonna hold ya to that. I'm not sure their entire offering is as premium as they hope it is.
Again, still probably the best option on the market. But the price increase is gonna scare some people away.
I’m going to need a snack and a drink for this one! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Get the popcorn!
Snack of choice ???
That's why I run review vids at 1.5 to 2.0 speed.
@@freakathleteco it depends on my mood, but Joe was spot on with my love of popcorn!
Awesome comparison! The issues with the TibBar Guy model definitely make me wary of that. It seems unlikely that you got two bum units. This still isn’t a category I see needing in my gym yet, but I love having all of this information in case that changes!
@@fwiffo42 yeah I know there are people out there who have it, and haven't had issues. But I'm betting they just haven't had them hit YET. I think there is a workaround if you skip the lower regressions, the pop pin should last significantly longer. But I'm not willing to claim that 100%, hence why it isn't in the video.
Totally get that, this is a consistent use piece for us, but understand that it won't be for everyone.
24:34 A lot of side-to-side wobbling going on with the Freak Athlete!!
@@Randy_589 it has a lot of movement when getting onto it. The downside of having one support down the middle. The good news is, very little movement in use.
I have the Tib Bar Guy Nordic back extension v.2 and have been really enjoying it. Now I'm a little worried after watching your video. Would replacing the pop pin with a better stronger one fix the problem?
The key concern I believe is the lower angle Nordic Regressions, paired with my weight.
If you are lighter, and you stay away from the 15 and 20 degree Nordics, you are likely going to be better off.
A beefier pop pin isn't a terrible idea. But I think that's the key issue.
Love my freak athlete. Bought it before the leg developer was announced and use it every leg day. Bought the leg developer and when that comes in it'll be a gym staple for me.
@@brutongaster4404 I use mine daily for some Nordic work, and regularly throughout the week too. Leg Developer just showed up, assembled it this morning. Gonna be putting it through the paces
I really really liked the original video for the freak athlete just missing the leg developer. Any news on when you will review the leg developer extension? I hear such disappointing reviews of plate attached leg extension/curl machines due to the variable force curve but an curious if freak athlete putting the weight at 45 degrees actually meant more of the range of motion was under tension @@GrayMatterLifting ? Many thanks. Will
@@vancouverbill What I'm debating is doing two videos in one week... the Hyper Pro review, and the Leg Developer review... Looking at late January for those.
The short answer I can give you is... If you have the Hyper Pro, or plan to get it, and want to Leg Ext/Curls, I think it is a solid addition. Nothing is as good as a cable driven dedicated piece from Prime Fitness or something, but this is pretty good. And they got some secret stuff coming that is going to make it even better.
Great review. So disappointed about the TBG issue. Cancelled my order right after watching your video. The reason I was originally going with the TBG is because I know I'm only going to use the BE and NC options. Hoping they beef it up some to address the issues.
Shogun is a no go for me for the same issues you have. Leaning towards the FA, but again, I dont need all of those exercise options. How is it for the "man parts?" Is ttere a big enough gap? Again. Great video.
@@garysmallwood521 yeah I think the TBG has a real place in the market if they can get their issues fixed. $400 for the 3 main movements we use regularly, that is hard to ignore.
FA has the biggest man gap of them all. It's a hard balance to strike to make it "perfect", because too far out and you aren't even on the pads anymore. The good news with the FA one is it's adjustable, opposed to everyone else's that is fixed.
Joe “ buffer” Gray- great video!
@@mikejensen1473 I'll take it. Now I just have to decide if the suit comes back into the rotation at some point or I retire it
if i wasnt subscribed already i would have been forced to subscribe after watching that epic intro
I mean, I don't think we can be friends if you didn't love that intro
is the freak athlete the pro or the original one that you reviewed?
@@TheGhu123 this video was on the original Nordic Hyper. But I do have the Hyper Pro in my possession and will have a full review by end of September
Freak Athlete's machine was 699 and now 1299 preorder.... took that one right off the list for me
@@Aviation_Professional to be fair, $1299 is with the upgraded GHD pad, Leg Developer attachment, and the Upper Body Kit.
If you go take it back down to what the Nordic Hyper was, I believe it is $100 more expensive for the better stability and padding.
Presenting... The one, the only. Joe Gray.
@@GavinBrown air horn nose !!!!!!!
Great review, but freak athlete needs to figure out how to cost effectively build their product. Explain to me how their new v2 (Nordic Pro) looks to be exactly the same product but what was once ~$800 shipped+tax is now over $1000 with no meaningful improvements. Except overpriced add-ons. This is more than my rack, treadmill, functional trainer etc
@@icandreamstream the padding, the extra metal on the extended rear plate, some extra knurling, and there are more attention to detail options on a number of the posts including more drilled holes. So I can start to see where prices increase. I have no insight into their pricing model, how much profit they are making, or the actual increase in costs from V1 to V2, so I can't confidently comment there.
I think the struggle is that you had a nunber of people asking for a premium option, while others asked for a better budget option. They chose the premium route. For a budget option, take a look at the Nord Stick Nord Bench. Might be the right offer.
Great comparison and fully agree with your conclusion. Personally I don’t care that much about doing full nordic curls as a strength goal, I just use the regressed nordics as a hypertrophy movement for hamstrings. For that purpose, removing the lengthened portion of the ROM (as the Shogun does) is going to be greatly inferior to the doing them on an incline.
Also, I personally do back extensions on the Freak Athlete with dumbbells and I have done them with an EZ bar loaded with 25’s as well. With a little elbow bend and keeping my upper back straight I can still get a great range of motion. It doesn’t look like I would be able to do that with the Shogun, since it’s lower to the floor and there’s more stuff in the way.
I’m very curious about the new “Pro” model/upgrade kit and the redesigned leg developer… there’s a clip of you using what looks like the new leg developer in their official video so I assume you have tested it. Does it fix the stability issue when going heavy? Every other video currently out shows it being used with one plate… 🙄
@@timk8258 yeah man, the Shogun is cool but I like FAs regressions a lot more.
Yeah, the first version of the Leg Developer they sent me was "almost done" and I nearly broke it. So they went back to work. Benji actually drove up to my house to test a few prototypes, we went through multiple versions as they worked to build a much more stable version.
I have the current version, assembled it today, will be testing heavily starting next week.
One big con for leg extensions is no back rest. But the rest of the design is pretty solid.
@@GrayMatterLifting Honestly no back rest could be viewed as a pro, if you lean back or even lay down you can get a big stretch on the rectus femoris (because it is also a hip flexor) and train it at a longer muscle length. But I also get that it would be less comfortable.
I’m interested to hear what you think about the change to the angle of the weight arm. I’m kind of skeptical of not sticking with the 45 degree angle design. I guess it felt too light at the top but I would prefer that to being too light at the bottom… and tbh the claims of “constant tension” are annoying me because I think people actually think that means “consistent tension” which you’re not going to get outside of a machine with a circular cam…
Right now I’m planning to definitely get the pro upgrade kit but still on the fence about the leg developer. Not sure it would be sufficient to justify selling my Titan machine that I hook up to the cable stack. I know it won’t be “as good” but if it’s “good enough” then I need to consider what else I could fit in the space it’s currently occupying… and the game of gym tetris continues…
@@timk8258 very true. If you want some specific demo pics, videos, whatever. Shoot me some IG DMs. I'll get ya whatever you want.
The angle piece was something we went back and forth on. The struggles with 45 and the plate loaded, you got to the top and it basically felt like nothing. Since a Leg Extension in my eyes is all about that top flex where the quad is fully shortened (only exercise it does this), we didn't want to sacrifice that top contraction. In my earlier use I felt it was a good compromise.
@@GrayMatterLifting That makes sense especially with trying to balance the two different movements with different ranges of motion. Also it occurred to me that with the bolt on weight horn it would be easy to modify if I wanted to make it more lengthened biased… or rig up some cables… 😁
And thanks for the offer, I will message you over there!
@@timk8258 I'm going to tinker with connecting mine with the VOLTRA I.
Now with their improved GHD pad and also new leg attachment its really a better machine. Also the only one that can do decline nordics (feet above head )
@@wb5mgr agreed!
Great review. I'm sorry to see tib bar guy break. that was the one I was aiming for.
@@ommaigod yeah definitely not what I like to see either. I think there is a gap still in the budget realm, that maybe the Nord Stick will address.
I’m a pretty big guy (6’ 275lbs) are any of these realistically built for someone my size? I see you broke one and I’m a little heavier than you.
I did the majority of my testing on these while being 6ft and 265lbs.
At your weight and size, I would skip the BaseBlocks and the Shogun, due to the tipping issues.
The TibBarGuy team took my feedback and was able to address the issues. It no longer breaks, which is good. So that one is back in the running for you.
The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro, the updated version of the Nordic Hyper, never had any problems with my size or weight.
So it comes down to budget and exercise wants.
The Freak Athlete is the better overall build, does more, but also costs more. The TibBarGuy is cheaper, but is "cheaper" and does less. So it just depends on your own wants and needs there.
I should be receiving the NordBench soon, which would be another one to potentially consider.
I think I just mostly replicated 8.5 of the 9 FA Hyper Pro functions with a rack, 2 rollers, FID bench, D-handles/cable, and a $350 Stray Dog G.O.A.T. Does that sound about close?
You commented twice, so I'll copy and paste this reply here too...
kind of. You can certainly "hack" your way to a lot of things. And depending on your size, strength, your gym, and your budget, that very well could be a solid decision for you. I never found that I was able to do Nordics comfortably or consistently with the various hacking solutions. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me.
Back extensions often required a combination of multiple rollers, pads, DBs, and other items that just never felt right. Sure, it was "technically" a back extension, but not something I would go out of my way to perform regularly. The Nordic Hyper GHD solved that for me.
I think rollers can take the place of the Hip Thrust function pretty much entirely. Since the Hyper Hip Thrust is, simply, a roller.
I owned a GHD for years, and while you can set up some boxes and other doodads to make that work, I'd personally rather make room in my space for the Hyper vs a set of boxes and other attachments.
The GOAT, I love the idea, I think it is awesome if you can't fit or afford another option, but my experience with rack attached leg extension and leg curl machines like the Isolator isn't great. I think the GOAT is limited in the same way Jammer Arms are. They technically work, but the angles, the position, the set up time, and the need for space on your rack is a deal breaker in my gym. I will say that my dude Kurt Locker loves both of those, so it 100% boils down to your training style, space, and needs.
If you handed me all of those things you mentioned with a stack of $500 vs a Hyper Pro, I'm taking the Hyper Pro every time. Not even close. But my goal isn't really to convince you that you need something for your gym, just to share my experiences (good and bad) and hope you can make the right decision for your space. If you have found that in your list of accessories, then that is awesome.
Your good reply was quicker than my memory to delete my redundant post. There is definitely likely a bit more set up time with the G.O.AT & rollers & bench but the G.O.A.T. leg extension and hamstring curls feel smooth (after some set up trial and error and tutorials from SDS and Kurt). I have Mutant Metals UDA & SBRs; plus Irwin rollers all which are hard to replicate/hack unless you are Rouge. These three together are close to the FA HP's cost but I'm thinking there is a quality class gap as well a specific functionality gap vs FA due in part to FAs 9 in one functionality. I wish I could test the Hyper Pro before the price goes up to see what I may be missing as I don't feel that Nordics are hard to set up properly given 2 rollers and a good bench. Back ext are the one I could only 1/2 set up (I need to work on a steeper angle). Probably a loaded question but if you think FA's quality and functionality is close to Irwin and Mutant Metals then I could jump. Otherwise, there is a Rouge Westside Scout nearby for $300. I don't want to replace a high quality G.O.A.T (11 ga; smooth, ~zero play bearings, all metal) with good multiple functions for me (Leg ext, hamstring curls, calf raises, hip thrusts) with say a little better but not yet dedicated equipment functionality new piece just to save a couple minutes set up time in parallel with recovery between a few sets. But I do feel what you advise about the Isolator fiddling in a one rack garage (not that the Hyper Pro would be without popping and tightening some pins). Your video report is great and helps a bunch. Just want to double check what I got from it and a few others before the 5 (now 3) days runs out. I agree that for $1,500 the quality/durability should be close to premium (vs some plastic functional parts) for most movements otherwise I may end up supplementing and eventually replacing. I get the feeling that the Hyper Pro is a really well designed upper mid-level versatile product, but with some compromises (not Irwin nor MM, "premium" or pro level yet) with an in-between price? Or maybe I am just not into orange? Thank You!
@@zkipaddle I think your last piece "upper mid tier with some compromises" is 100% on point. I might steal that actually.
No bearings on moving pieces, just bolts. Powder coat is OK. No stainless steel. Etc.
If you are in the Northern California area, you can come try mine BTW
I bought the first freak athlete NH. It works great, but I wash I would have waited.
I'm planning on getting the upgrade kit... I would be put off if they didn't offer that option, but when I did the math of what I paid originally plus the cost of the upgrade, vs the cost of the Pro version with the GHD pad, with shipping and taxes, I actually end up saving $12 and I got to use it for seven months prior to the ship date of the new version. So I can't really complain too much about that. It might be slightly different for you depending on what sales were going on/if you used an affilliate code, but the total price should still be in the same ballpark.
@@50CalFitness for the new Pro? Or waited for what?
Yea, GGL is like 5'5" and i think like 98 lbs lol
@@TheKurtlocker love me some Adam, but there's definitely different experiences there. It's one of the reasons why I've always enjoyed Brandon's thoughts. He's stronger than hell and tall, so he challenges things differently.
Skipped the intro
@@ErikG.V. you go ahead and live your life however you want to.