Freak Athlete Hyper Pro Review

The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro is Freak Athlete’s new 9-in-1, space saving machine.

It targets the lower body, core, and now they’ve also added an upper body kit.

Besides the incredible engineering to recreate 9 exercise machines, it also folds up to only take up 2 square feet of floor space.

Let’s check it out!

Unboxing

I got all the accessories that come with the Hyper Pro so in total I received three boxes.

The first box brings the Hyper Pro bench.

Here it is once I took everything out of the first box.

I followed the step-by-step assembly video Freak Athlete provides and this is it all put together.

Next box I opened was the Leg Developer.

Here are all the parts out of the box.

And this is it fully assembled.

You’ll notice there’s an eye bolt at the top.

Later on I’ll show you how I use that for some upper body exercises which is something new with this version.

And the last box has the GHD attachment pads.

Here are the GHD pads and metal base out of the box.

The base has a built-in pop pin so I can attach it straight on the frame of the Hyper Pro.

Earlier versions used a smaller GHD pad that would velcro down to the back extension pads so this is a huge improvement.

And here’s what the GHD pad looks like attached to the Hyper Pro.

Later on I’ll give you more details about it…

Specs

• Weight: 108 lbs

• Dimensions: 65″ L x 22″ W x 23″ H (When in the flat Nordic bench configuration), 2 feet x 2 feet when stored vertically

• Leg developer dimensions: 36″ L x 18″ W x 33″ H

• Weight capacity: Hyper pro 500 lbs, Leg developer 250 lbs

• Attachments: Leg developer and GHD pad (sold separately)

What Is The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro?

The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro is a space saving, 9-in-1 machine that targets the upper, core, and lower body.

Here’s a list of everything it replaces:

• Nordic curl bench

• Decline sit up bench

• Low back extension machine (45 and 90 degrees)

• GHD (Glute ham developer)

• Reverse hyper (this version is NOT plate loaded)

• Hip thrust bench

• Split squat stand

• Leg extension and leg curl machine

• Upper body machine (using the leg developer)

Top Benefits Of The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro

9 Machines In 1

The biggest benefit of the Hyper Pro is its versatility.

I’ve only owned one other machine (the Bulletproof Isolator) that had this much functionality in one package.

Space Saving

Aside from its many functions, the space I save when I store the Hyper Pro is a home gym owner’s dream.

It’d be impossible for me to shove 9 machines in the corner of my garage gym…

But with the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro I can do this by storing it vertically.

This is possible because of a folding vertical storage bar.

When I’m ready to store it, I flip the bar up and it becomes a second pair of legs.

Then I set the GHD pad on top and the leg developer right next to it.

With all the equipment I test and own, I’m all for garage gym storage and organization.

Otherwise, it can get cluttered quickly.

Comfortable

The padding in all parts of the Hyper pro is dense and very thick.

This makes all the exercises very comfortable to do.

The upholstery is tightly on the pads so there’s no wrinkling and it doesn’t pull on my leg hairs.

One thing I did noticed about this matte black upholstery though, is that it does show my skin oils a lot.

So I have to keep wiping it down with a wet cloth so it doesn’t look nasty.

Best Features Of The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro

Nordic Curl Bench With Regressions

If you’re starting out on your Nordic curl journey, you’ll love the regressions on this bench (9 regressions).

I wish I had something like this when I first started doing Nordic curls.

It would’ve saved me from tearing up my right hamstring.

With the Hyper Pro, you can start training Nordic curls at 45 degrees.

As you get stronger, you can go down in 5 degree increments until you can get a flat Nordic.

The leg rollers are adjustable in height (7 settings) so I can sandwich my legs in between them for maximum support.

And the footplate is also wide enough for any foot size.

Later on I’ll show you how the footplate also doubles as handles when doing sit ups and reverse crunches.

I like that the Nordic curls are at full range of motion.

I’ve used other Nordic curl benches that also have regressions but do partial reps, which I don’t feel are as effective.

And if you have super human hamstrings, try the decline Nordic curls for the ultimate Nordic curl challenge.

I haven’t dared to try them but from here I can also use this set up for sit ups…

Decline Sit Up Bench

To use the Hyper Pro as a decline sit up bench, I like to set the front at the highest angle possible.

The footplate has three knurled handles (one on top and two on the sides).

I hang on to the top one while I get in position for decline sit ups.

I make sure my legs are sandwiched in between the leg rollers and go at it.

For leg raises and reverse crunches, I hang on to the side handles while my core and legs are doing all the work.

Lower Back Extension Machine

Now it’s time to test out the lower back extension set ups.

In order to do this, I gotta remove the knee pad by loosening the yellow knob in the center.

This exposes the metal frame in the center where I can select the length of the hip pads.

I like that this has a big selection of lengths (1 – 12) so people from 5 feet to 7 feet tall can use it.

Here’s what it looks like once it’s set for a 45 degree lower back hyperextension.

But before I get on it, I need to make sure I don’t crush my jewels.

So I spread the pads apart by loosening a couple of knobs below them.

This is smart because there’s many back extension machines that don’t have a gap and it can be uncomfortable.

And here’s what it looks like now…

Then I step on the footplate, get my legs in between the leg rollers, and start my hyperextensions.

You’ll notice that right below my face there’s a resistance band loop.

So if that’s something you like to use, you can attach a band there and toss the other end around your torso.

I don’t use the band loop cause it’s easier for me to pick up a dumbbell or a medicine ball than wrapping the band around my body.

I can also lift the back part of the bench with the blue pop pin.

This is one feature that separates the Hyper Pro from other competitors.

Other Nordic curl / lower back extension benches only lift from the front.

And this is the 90 degree lower back hyperextension set up.

To make getting up to this position easier, Freak Athlete added folding step bars to the frame.

They’re knurled and held upright by magnets.

Here’s what they look like once I fold them down.

These also come in handy when doing GHD stuff (I’ll show you that soon).

Once I’m up I can do my 90 degree lower back extensions.

Smart design by Freak Athlete because I have two back extension machines in one.

GHD / Reverse Hyper

From that same set up, I can throw on the GHD attachment pad (the GHD pad is not included by the way, it’s an add-on)

If you like the idea of owning a glute ham developer without having to own a dedicated GHD machine, this is a good option.

This way I can do GHD exercises without taking up any additional floor space.

I’m showing you under the GHD pads so you can see how it connects to the Hyper Pro.

I insert the pop pin into the back extension frame then turn the knob to the right until it’s tight.

This is much different than the previous Hyper version that used velcro so this feels more stable.

One thing I like about the GHD set up is that I can adjust the height and angles on the front and back.

In the picture above I have set at the lowest height.

And here I’m doing a GHR (Glute ham raise) at the highest position.

This exercise can be intimidating when done at the highest setting so it’s good that there’s an option to do it lower.

When I make the front higher, this makes it easier to do GHR’s.

This is the setting I use for reverse hypers because it gives me extra leg room.

And although the reverse hypers are not plate loaded, I can still do a bunch of reps and get a great lower back pump.

I can also switch it up and make the back higher to make GHR’s more difficult.

This way I can set it specifically for my height and also change the level of difficulty in some exercises.

This is the set up I use for GHD sit ups.

The base feels very stable when I do GHD sit ups explosively.

RELATED: NordBench Review

Hip Thrust Bench / Split Squat Stand

The top leg rollers are not only adjustable but completely detachable.

So I can take them off and attach them to the front of the machine for hip thrusts and Bulgarian split squats.

Set up for this is simple…

I unlock the bar at the front and set it to vertical then lock it in place.

Once it’s upright, I insert the leg roller into it and set it to a height that works for me.

Now I can use it as a hip thrust bench and split squat stand.

Here I am doing hip thrusts with a sandbag.

Notice I have the bench lifted so I have plenty of head room.

And here’s a Bulgarian split squat.

Leg Developer & Upper Body Kit

The leg developer turns the Hyper Pro into a leg extension and a lying leg curl machine.

You’ll notice an eye bolt at the top of the leg curl attachment.

If you get the Upper Body Kit you can use that for some upper body exercises (keep reading and I’ll show you how that works).

Now it’s time to connect the leg developer to the bench.

I gotta say, the way they figured out how to attach this to the bench in literally seconds is genius!

First I lock the bottom by pulling the red lever down.

This pushes the grey bolt piece to the black bar and locks it down.

To lock down the top of the leg developer, I push the top bar down and lock it in place.

Here’s what it looks like in the locked position.

And here it is ready to use…

One thing I noticed, is that there’s a bolt making direct contact with the thigh pads which could cause the upholstery to tear with constant friction.

An easy way to fix this would be to add caps to the bolt at both ends.

Freak Athlete did comment on the leg developer bolt after seeing my review video and here’s what they said:

They’ve tested the leg extensions and leg curls over 10,000 times and haven’t had any issues so that’s good to hear.

And if the vinyl were to get damaged, they do have a 2 year warranty that’ll cover it at no additional cost.

Leg Extensions

For the leg extension set up, I remove the leg curl bar so the top looks like it’s missing something.

I have to do this otherwise the bar will hit my chest at the top of a leg extension.

Here’s a close up of the leg rollers that sit on top of my shin.

You’ll see there’s a pop pin in between them so I can adjust them up and down to fit my leg length.

The leg developer also comes with a set of handles that go into the back extension handles.

This gives me more leverage and keeps me pinned to the seat so the weights don’t pull me forward.

From here I can do leg extensions with constant tension throughout the movement.

This is possible because of two key features on this attachment: (1) Position of the rollers and (2) angle of the weight plate horn.

The way the rollers are positioned, keep my shins back so my quads start in a pre-stretched position.

This creates tension at the bottom of the movement which is a problem in some leg extension machines.

And the forward angle on the weight plate horn also helps to maintain constant tension at the bottom and top.

I like to choke up on the handles because I feel it creates more body tension so I’m able to generate more power.

Leg Curls

To set up the leg developer for leg curls, I have to do two things: (1) attach the leg curl bar and (2) decline the bench to 20 degrees.

The leg curl bar rollers are also adjustable.

I can move them horizontally just like the shin rollers but I have more options here.

By declining the bench to 20 degrees, it tilts my pelvis forward so it creates a pre-stretch on my hamstrings…

And it also gives me more head room so my face is not shoved into the leg rollers (especially if you’re really tall).

Just like with leg extensions, I’m able to feel constant tension at the bottom and top of this exercise.

Belt Squat Hack

Since I’m showing you a bunch of leg exercises, here’s a hack I came up with using the Beyond Power Voltra cable machine…

This uses the Voltra’s Direct Load feature that lets me load the resistance on the cable AFTER I’ve pulled it out.

Watch the first 15 seconds of the video above and I’ll show you how I set this up in the next pics below…

I pulled out the unloaded Voltra’s cable and ran it through a pulley, then pinned it to the front of the Hyper Pro.

Then I stepped on the front legs to weigh it down, pulled the cable up and hook it up to my belt squat belt.

Once I’m all set up, I turned on the resistance on the cable and do my belt squats.

When I’m done, I turn the resistance off at the top of the movement so I don’t have to fight it when I’m unhooking it from the belt.

Upper Body Kit

And finally, I have the option to attach an adjustable strap to the leg curl bar for upper body exercises.

Freak Athlete calls this the Upper Body Kit.

The strap has a bunch of loops along the center and I can attach it to the end of the bar on one end.

At the other end I have handles.

From here, I can do a variety of exercises like seated rows, face pull, skull crushers, biceps curls, and more.

Pro Upgrade Kit

If you already own a Nordic Hyper GHD, Freak Athlete offers a Pro Upgrade Kit so you can get some of thew newest features.

I think it’s cool that they have this option so people can upgrade older versions without having to buy a new machine.

This includes upgraded padding, new GHD pad that clamps down to the frame, flip down storage bar, and an improved rear base for added stability.

Freak Athlete Hyper Pro Pros & Cons

Pros

• Versatile: Easily one of the most versatile products in the home gym space

• Space saving: When I store it vertically, it only takes up 2 square feet of space. With the leg developer, it takes up about twice as much space.

• Stable: This version’s base is longer and more stable than previous versions so it doesn’t require any counter weight

• Padding: Thick, dense padding everywhere makes it very comfortable to use

• User friendly: Colored knobs make it easy to use

• Fits most people: Anyone between 5 feet tall to 7 feet tall can use this machine

Cons

• Upholstery: Skin oils are highly visible after use but can be easily wiped off with a wet cloth

• Leg developer: A bolt on the leg developer comes in direct contact with the rollers which could cause the upholstery to tear (cap would be an easy fix). This is covered under their 2 year warranty if anything were to happen.

Freak Athlete Discount Code

I’m always on the lookout for discount codes and specials so that you get the best deals…

Click the red button below for the best price on the Hyper Pro.

Freak Athlete Hyper Pro Alternatives

Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension Machine

The Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension Machine is one alternative to the Hyper Pro.

However, it only has the capability to incline at the front…

So I can’t use it as a GHD, 90 degree back extension, decline sit up bench, and it does not have the option for a leg developer attachment.

NordBench by NordStick

The NordBench is a compact 5-in-1 machine that gives the Hyper Pro competition.

Although it doesn’t have everything the Hyper Pro has (No GHD, decline sit up, or leg developer option), it’s compact for those short on space.

I can store it on my wall, in a closet, and even under a bed.

One really cool feature about this bench, is that the footplate folds back to become a slant board which I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Shogun Nord Ex

The Shogun Nord Ex is a back extension and adjustable Nordic curl machine.

Out of all these machine, this is the one with the best quality materials but…

It only does two exercises so it depends on what you’re looking for in these machines.

One thing I’m not a big fan of is the partial Nordic curl regressions on this one but full Nordics and back extensions feel great.

My Experience Using The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro

I’ve tested every version of the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro (previously known as the Nordic Hyper GHD) so I’ve seen all the improvements as they unfold.

The Hyper Pro is by definitely the best version up to date.

It’s much more stable, has better padding, and its attachments keep getting better.

It is still one of the most versatile pieces of gym equipment I’ve tested.

Conclusion: Should You Buy The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro?

If you’re short on space and need a machine that works out many body parts, this is an excellent one.

It’s stable, comfortable, and it’ll strengthen your legs, core, and upper body.

I shove it in a corner in my garage and it’s out of the way taking up minimal space.