NordBar Review

The NordBar is a single leg roller rack attachment that has more uses than most products in my garage gym.

If you lack space and love being able to do a lot of exercises with one piece of equipment, this is one to add to your home gym.

All I need is a NordBar and a bench to recreate 12+ exercises that normally require a dedicated machine.

It’s a space saver, inexpensive, easy to set up, and comfortable.

Let’s check it out!

Unboxing

The NordBar comes in a small rectangular box.

It’s small but makes a big impact in a home gym.

Here’s everything out of the box…

It has two leg rollers, a metal rod, two top hat adapters, and a nut.

I got two NordBars for more stability and so that I can do more exercises.

I like that the leg rollers are made with molded foam, not the cheap foam that falls apart over time.

Each roller is 8″ long and I can use them together as a 16″ leg roller or split them in half so there’s a roller on each side of my upright.

The metal rod is 21″ long and fits 5/8″ holes by itself…

But the NordStick was smart to add 1″ hole adapters (I’ll show you those soon).

One end of the rod has a flat head so it stops the roller from falling off the rod.

And the other side has threads for the nut to secure it to my weight rack.

Here’s what the nut looks like.

Nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

I’d like to see the NordStick add quick release push button nuts like the ones used on other rack attachments like the Ancore Trainer, Beyond Power Voltra, and the Shogun Flex.

These make it so easy to add and remove the nut without having to turn it from start to finish.

And these are the top hat adapters that allow me to use the NordBar on 1″ holes.

I really like that they added these because my PRx folding rack has both 1″ and 5/8″ holes so now I can use the leg rollers anywhere on the rack.

I’ve used other single leg squat rollers that only fit 1″ holes which limits what I can do with my set up.

Specs

• Padding: Premium closed-cell molded foam

• Metal rod: 5/8″ diameter, 21″ long

• Single pad length: 8″ long

• Double pad length: 16″ long (when both rollers are together on the same side).

• Pad diameter: 3 1/2″ thick

• Compatibility: Works on any rack 2″ to 4″ wide, with 5/8″ and 1″ holes

• Adapter: Top hat adapter allows for use on 1″ holes

• Weight capacity: 500 lbs

What Is The NordBar?

The NordBar is a single leg roller rack attachment made by The NordStick that can be used to recreate many exercises.

I can set it up with two rollers on one side or split it in half to have a roller on each side of my upright.

I’ve done many home gym hacks with these leg rollers and I love how versatile they are with the addition of a weight bench.

Set ups I’ve recreated include a single leg squat stand, Nordic curl bench, decline sit up bench, lower back extension machine, GHD machine, reverse hyper, and more (I’ll show you some later on).

Set Up

Single Side

To set up the NordBar on one side, all I do is keep both leg rollers together, insert the rod through a hole, and lock it in place with the nut.

When I use it on a 5/8″ hole I don’t use the adapters, but I do need them for 1″ holes…

Here’s how I set it up with on 1″ holes.

I add both top hat adapters to the metal rod with one on each side of the upright.

The top part of the hat goes into the 1″ hole on each side of the upright.

Such a simple idea but it’s genius to make the leg rollers work on any rack regardless of hole size.

Other leg roller attachments either work on 1″ holes or 5/8″ holes but not both.

Double Side

For a double sided set up, I just separate the leg rollers so that there’s one on each side of the upright.

Works the same way whether I’m using them on a 5/8″ hole or 1″ hole.

Top Benefits Of The NordBar

Exercise Versatility

I can do many exercises with one leg roller but adding a second one unlocks so many more exercises.

The beauty about leg rollers is that I can get as creative as I want to hack exercises that normally require a dedicated bench.

Space Saving

If there’s one thing about home gyms, is that we run out of space quickly as we get more equipment.

I love that these take up zero extra floor space from my garage gym but add tons of value.

Best Features Of The NordBar

Top Hat Adapter

The top hat adapter for 1″ holes is a game changer for those of us who own racks with multiple hole sizes.

This lets me use the NordBar anywhere along my upright without any restrictions.

Previous single leg roller attachments I’ve used only fit 1″ holes so I was limited to using it at specific heights on my uprights.

Premium Padding

The padding on each leg roller is 3.5″ thick and made out of closed cell molded foam.

This is comfortable, doesn’t compress, and won’t tear, so it’s a higher quality foam that what a lot of other companies use.

Exercises Using The NordBar

Reverse Hypers

The way I set up for a reverse hyper is super basic but it gets the job done.

All I do is set a NordBar one each upright.

I’ve also done this with a spotter arm on one side to place my hands and a leg roller on the other side for my hips.

And here’s what it looks like.

Obviously this is not the same as a plate loaded pendulum reverse hyper, but it’s a gym hack that doesn’t require a space hogging machine.

The other machine I do these bodyweight reverse hypers on is the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro but even that takes up some floor space.

Nordic Curls

I can do Nordic curls in several ways.

First option is using a single NordBar split down the middle with leg rollers on each side of the uprights.

I can use a bench so my knees are resting on the back pad.

Or I can do them on the floor with an AbMat for my knees.

The other option (my favorite) is by using two NordPads so that my legs are fully supported above and below (feels more stable).

I can do these with the NordBar leg rollers together on one side or split in the middle.

Decline Sit Ups

The decline sit up set up feels great.

I slip both legs in between four leg rollers…

Set up my weight bench to incline and go to work.

Low Back Hyperextensions

Here’s how I set up to do 90 degree lower back extensions.

I set up two NordBars, my bench, and a sandbag.

The sandbag is there to add height so that I can get more range of motion at the bottom of the low back extensions.

Here’s what it looks like when I’m doing them.

Simple set up that replaces a one use machine.

The set up for 45 degree lower back extensions is even more simple.

I set up the NordBar just below hip level, anchor my heels to the wall, and go at it.

With a weight capacity of 500 lbs, I can even use a dumbbell or other forms of resistance.

GHD Sit Ups

For GHD sit ups, I use the same set up as 90 degree lower back extensions except I’m facing the opposite direction.

Once my legs are locked in, I lean back until I touch the floor and come back up.

This is another movement I do frequently on the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro but this is an easy alternative.

Lat Pulldown Lap Bar

I use one leg roller to keep me down while doing heavy lat pulldowns with my cable machine.

Because it’s 16″ long, it’s not long enough to completely cover both my laps but it’s good enough to keep me from lifting off my bench.

With a half rack set like I have, I have to do it off to the side but that’s the beauty about these leg rollers.

I can get creative with them and use them in many ways with what I got.

Hip Thrusts

Hip thrusts are not something I do on the leg rollers often but I’m throwing it out there for those of you who like doing these.

Split Squats

I can use these as a single leg squat stand for split squats or to stretch my quads.

Dumbbell Preacher Curls

The NordBar is also a good alternative to a preacher curl pad.

I grab a dumbbell, rest my arm on the pad for support, and go to work.

Sissy Squats

I can’t do this on my squat rack because I don’t have horizontal crossmembers, but you could also do sissy squats.

One leg roller sits at the bottom to support the front of your legs and the other is set higher to support your thighs

NordBar Pros & Cons

Pros

• Padding: Super comfortable and durable padding

• Rack compatibility: I like that I can use it on both 5/8″ and 1″ holes on my rack and fits uprights between 2″ and 4″ wide

• Versatility: The amount of exercises I can recreate without buying dedicated machines is well worth the price

• Stability: Two NordBars add solid stability above and below my legs

• Multiple configurations: I can set both rollers on one side to make them longer or split them in half for more balanced support on each leg

Cons

• Length: With a length of 16″, it doesn’t fully cover both of my laps when doing lat pulldowns but it gets the job done. For a bigger person wanting to do body supported exercises like 45 degree lower back extensions and reverse hypers, this might be too short to support your entire midsection.

NordBar Price

The NordBar retails for $79.99 for one…

And you can also buy one and get another at 50% off.

Whether you go with one or two NordBars, I think it’s a fair price for the amount of exercises you get out of this product.

NordBar Discount Code

And you know I’m always looking for ways to hook you up whenever I can.

So I’ve negotiated a 10% discount on the NordBar and any NordStick product on their website.

Click the red button below to reveal a coupon code…

NordBar Alternatives

Surplus Strength Rack Rollers

Surplus Strength rack rollers are similar to the NordBar except they only work on 1″ holes.

These have a 4.5″ diameter and have a usable length of 16 1/4″.

Unlike the NordBar, this roller can’t be split in half so it can only be used on use side of your rack.

Rogue Fitness

The Rogue Monster single leg roller 2.0 has a diameter of 4.25″ and 16″ long.

So it’s the same length as the NordBar, comes with a knurled nut, and the foam is covered in vinyl.

Rep Fitness

Rep single leg squat roller has a diameter of 4.8″ and 15.4″ long.

This one uses a cotter pin at the end of the bar.

Titan Fitness

The Titan rack mounted leg roller is the thickest and longest out of these attachments.

It connects to the rack with a J-cup like bracket and has an extended arm that takes up more space.

The roller is 18″ long and 5″ in diameter.

My Experience Using The NordBar

I’m a big fan of getting the most bang for my buck out of equipment so this is right up my alley.

There’s so many exercises I can hack with a pair of leg rollers and a bench as I’ve shown you above.

And best of all, the leg rollers don’t eat up any garage gym floor space.

Conclusion: Should You Buy The NordBar?

If you like home gym hacks and getting the most out of every piece of equipment you own, this one does just that.

It’s made with quality closed cell foam (not the cheap kind) and a metal rod with a weight capacity of 500 lbs so it’s made to last.

And it provides a ton of value at a very affordable price when you compare it to all the machines it replaces.