The Freak Athlete Nordic Mini is a beauty.
Compact, sturdy, comfortable, and secure, this Nordic curl bench feels like commercial gym quality without the hefty price.
If you’re a fan of Nordic curls like I am (they’re hard AF!) you’re gonna want to keep reading.
This is one of the most affordable Nordic benches around at the moment and it doesn’t take up a lot of room.
Let’s dig in!
Unboxing
I like how everything came nicely packed inside the box.
I had no issues with anything being damaged.
All the metal pieces are bubble wrapped.
Knee pad comes shrink wrapped.
Ankle rollers are in plastic bags.
And the hardware comes in a box.
Once everything was unwrapped here’s what it looks like.
Everything is disassembled but the instructions manual shows how to put it together step-by-step.
The hardware comes in plastic bags with a sticker on the outside showing the size and number of pieces.
Assembly
Putting the Nordic mini together took me about 40 minutes.
The instructions were very clear so there was no issue getting it done.
I just took a while because I had to put every piece together.
This takes a little more work on my end but it also keeps the product affordable.
If it was all assembled, the box would be bigger and shipping would cost more.
UPDATE
The Freak Athlete Nordic mini has been updated and is now called the Nordic Mini Pro.
They’ve now added a handle at the front of the bench and moved the wheels to back.
It can now be stored vertically which wasn’t possible with the original version.
This is great for garage gyms where home gym organization and space utilization must be a priority to avoid clutter.
And they’ve added dual rollers above and below the ankles for a tighter grip on the legs.
Excellent upgrades by Freak Athlete on the new Nordic Mini Pro.
Features
- Knee padding: 3″ thickness, 18″ x 24″
- Height capacity: Supports users up to 7′ tall
- Weight capacity: Supports users up to 300 lbs
- Weight: 45 lbs with built-in wheels so it can be moved easily
- Adjustable ankle lock: Feet rollers can be moved up and down to secure feet down
- Weight sleeve: Allows you to add Olympic size weight plates for counter balance
Padding
The upholstery on the knee pad seems like faux leather.
It comes with Freak Athlete branding on the side.
The pad is about 3″ in thickness and feels very comfortable on the knees.
The stitching looks well done.
I’d say they did a good job on the padding.
Stability
The Freak Athlete Nordic Mini bench has 4 metal legs lined with rubber at the bottom.
At the front there’s also two wheels to move the bench easily.
The back legs have a longer foot and rubber piece.
They also have holes on the feet.
Those are there if you want to bolt it down to the floor.
I haven’t felt any wobble at all when using the bench so it’s well balanced.
Adjustable Ankle Lock
I like that the height of the ankle rollers is adjustable vertically.
This locks your legs in place and feels like someone is holding them down while you curl.
You adjust the height by loosening up the pull pin and moving the rollers up and down.
Ankle Rollers
The ankle foam pads feel comfortable.
They’re sturdy but not cheaply made so they should last even with heavy use.
Once I get my foot under the roller, I like to adjust it down so that my legs are held down tightly.
This gives me better stability so I can use more strength during the Nordic curl.
Foot Plate
The foot plate is there for added stability.
It keeps your feet in position so they’re not moving around during the curl.
Now let me show you the back of the foot plate.
Counter Balance
In the back of the foot plate there’s a weight sleeve.
This is for counter balance and work with Olympic sized weight plates.
Because the Nordic mini is shorter than other Nordic benches, it needs that counter balance.
If you weigh over 150 lbs and can perform full range reps, you’ll need to use at least 25 lbs as counter balance.
This prevents the Nordic bench from tipping over as your weight shifts forward.
The weight sleeve supports up to 90 lbs.
I weigh 165 lbs and a 45 lbs plate is good enough.
According to the Freak Athlete website, a 300 lbs user needs around 75 lbs of counter balance.
Nordic Curls on the Nordic Mini
I’m 5’7″ so my knees sit just a little past the middle of the pad.
When I start the Nordic curl my weight starts shifting forward.
This is where the weight plate for counter balance comes in.
Once I get to the end range of the curl most of my body weight falls at the front of the bench.
Doing Nordic curls on the bench feels perfect though.
Once my legs are strapped in, all I have to do is concentrate on the exercise not the equipment.
Nordic Mini vs Other Nordic Curl Benches
Freak Athlete Hyper Pro
The Freak Athlete Hyper Pro is Freak Athlete’s newest and most versatile product to date.
With the ability to have 9 machines in 1 space saving product, they’ve modernized the home gym industry.
Freak Athlete Nordic Hyper GHD
The Nordic Hyper GHD is the Nordic Mini’s successor.
While the Nordic Mini is just a straight up nordic bench, the Nordic Hyper is 6 machines in 1.
As you can tell from the pic above, I can regress full range of motion Nordics starting at 45 degrees and build up to a flat Nordic over time.
Once I get to a flat Nordic and build my hamstrings enough, the Nordic Hyper has two incline levels that are challenging AF.
The other 5 Nordic Hyper GHD functions are low back extension machine, decline sit up bench, hip thrust bench, GHD, and reverse hyper.
NordBench by NordStick
The NordBench is the NordStick’s compact 5-in-1 mini Nordic curl bench.
One really cool feature I like about the NordBench is that it has the world’s first folding footplate that turns into a slant board.
When folded to its smallest size, the NordBench is 33″ L x 22″ W x 9″ H so it’s one of the smallest benches around.
I can use it for Nordic curl regressions, lower back extensions, hip thrusts, split squats, and slant board exercises.
Rogue Floor GHD
Rogue’s Floor Glute bench looks very similar to the Nordic Mini.
It is much bigger though and it’s price is substantially higher.
I’m sure it’s quality is there but for a garage gym I don’t think the big size and $600 price is worth it.
Titan Fitness Floor GHD
Titan’s Floor Glute Ham Developer is neat.
At $530 it’s slightly cheaper than Rogue’s but it is built differently and with more functions.
It has a semi-circular pad just like a regular height GHD that gives you a bit more height and more options.
You can do hyper extensions, sit ups, Nordic curls, and even use the pad for hip thrusts.
One thing I like about it that the Nordic mini doesn’t do, is stand upright when not in use.
So it’s a versatile piece of equipment that saves space but it’s still pricy.
Sorinex P3 Poor Man Glute Ham Developer
The Sorinex Glute Ham Developer is smaller than Rogue’s Floor Glute.
But at $700 it’s $100 more expensive than Rogue’s and $450 more than the Nordic Mini.
That’s a bit too much for a Nordic bench.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Size: It’s compact design makes the Nordic Mini a good option for home gyms
- Adjustable: The ankle lock adjusts to different heights to give you the right amount of hold
- Stability: I haven’t felt any wobble at all since I started using it
- Price: Get the same benefits as a full size Nordic bench without the high cost
- Build: Built mostly out of metal, it’s made to last
- Comfort: Both the ankle rollers and knee pad are supportive yet comfortable
Cons
- Storage: Even though the Nordic Mini is compact, it’d be great if it could stand up vertically for better space utilization. It can be laid on its side but vertically would save more room. (See update above, the new Nordic Mini Pro can now be stored vertically).
Freak Athlete Discount Code
Here’s how to get a 10% discount on the Nordic mini.
Click here and use coupon code SHREDDED at checkout for the discount.
Freak Athlete Nordic Mini Review
I really like what Freak Athlete has done with the Nordic Mini and other Knees Over Toes Guy equipment.
With it’s space saving design, it’s a great alternative to the bigger and more expensive Nordic benches on the market.
It has great stability, it’s comfortable on the knees, and secures your ankles tightly.
And those Nordic curls destroy your hamstrings like they should.
Check Out The Freak Athlete Nordic Mini
Freak Athlete Nordic Mini
Garage gym athlete, gym hacks, DIY gym projects, and garage gym equipment reviews