The Freak Athlete Apex launch is live.
When I first saw Freak Athlete’s launch video on Instagram, first thing I saw was a combination of Bulletproof’s PCD and Rogue’s Donkey.
It’s overbuilt with thick padding and has the capacity of doing weight reverse hypers which the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro does not.
Specs
Table of Contents
- Dimensions: 70″ L x 39″ W
- Height: 54.5″ total (at top of footplate), 45″ pad height
- Weight: 272 lbs
- Supported height: 4’6″ to 7 feet
- Materials: Commercial grade
Replaces 4 Machines
GHD
The GHD machine set up helps to build hamstrings via glute ham raises which are easier to do than Nordic curls.
GHD sit ups build abs by going against gravity through a greater range of motion than crunches.
Steps
Since the Apex’s pad is 45″ hight, Freak Athlete added a step up feature.
This makes it easy to step up to the top of the machine.
ALSO CHECKOUT: Shogun NordEx Max
Padding
The knee/hip pads look super thick so this should be very comfortable.
I like that they added a gap between the pads to make it more comfortable for males to exercise without discomfort.
Leg Rollers
Freak Athlete describes the leg rollers as XL so they’re ultra thick and made to take a beating.
It’s clear that this is made more for commercial use rather than home gyms.
Reverse Hyper
The weighted reverse hyper function is something a lot of people wanted from the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro but with it being foldable, it wasn’t possible.
With the Apex design, Freak Athlete was able to add the weighted pendulum reverse hyper.
Weighted Pendulum
The weighted pendulum splits at the bottom so that it does not hit the upright that supports the pads.
This design looks like it gives it plenty of range of motion to create traction in the lower back which is a good thing.
Once people start getting their hands on the Apex, I’d be interested to see how the range of motion plays out.
Belt
The Hyper Belt clips to the bottom of the pendulum with two clips and is supposed to be commercial grade just like the rest of the machine.
Ergonomic Handles
There’s two sets of handles near the footplate (there’s another set near the front for back extensions).
These give you a couple of options to hang on to the machine while doing reverse hypers.
Nordic Curl Bench
Similar to the Hyper Pro, this gives me the option to build up to a flat Nordic curl.
There’s 10 levels of incline up to 45 degrees.
The greater the incline, the less I have to fight gravity.
This is great for beginners so that they can start with a 45 degree regression and slowly work their way down.
Back Extension Machine
I previously mentioned that it has front handles for back extensions which are nice to have but not completely necessary.
The footplate has a pop pin in the back to adjust the length of the footplate in relationship to the pads.
It has 12 length adjustment so anyone from 4’6″ to 7′ tall can use it.
And on each front leg there’s adjustable band pegs to overload back extensions with accommodating resistance.
Freak Athlete Apex Price
The Freak Athlete Apex is currently on pre-order and sells for $2995 which is a hefty price.
It is a commercial grade machine so I’d expect to see such a price but for us home gym owners, it may be too much to pay and too big for our space.