NordBench vs Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension

NordBench vs Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension V2: Which nordic bench is best?

One of them is about half the size of the other and can even be hung from a wall so it’s space friendly.

The other has a longer frame giving me more leg room for reverse hypers.

I’m gonna give you all the details so you can decide which nordic curl bench is best for you…

Reviews

NordStick NordBench Review

Read my in-depth NordBench review and see everything this compact Nordic curl bench can do.

One thing that makes it unique is it’s folding footplate that can be used as a slant board.

No other Nordic bench has this unique feature which I’ll show you in more detail later on.

Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension Machine V2 Review

Read my Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension V2 review for all the details on this bench.

Although it’s long so people of all heights can use it, I’m still able to store it vertically so it doesn’t take up much space.

NordBench vs Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension: Similarities

First I’ll show you the similarities between the NordBench and Tib Bar Guy, then I’ll give you their differences.

Nordic Curls

Both benches are adjustable Nordic curl benches that allow me to regress a Nordic curl starting at 45 degrees.

The bigger the incline angle on the bench, the easier the Nordic curl feels since I’m not fully fighting gravity like if I was doing a flat Nordic curls.

With that being said, both benches offer 8 total positions that allow me to slowly progress to flat.

Notice the NordBench has one set of pads whereas the Nordic Back Extension has two pads.

This is because the NordBench uses a knee pad for Nordic curls that also doubles as the hip pad for lower back extensions.

So it’s using less material to achieve the same movements which I like because there’s less to move around.

The Tib Bar Guy’s knee pad is shorter so the hip pad on top is there to support my upper body at the end range of a Nordic curl.

Both benches work well when it comes to Nordic curls but when it comes to transitioning from Nordic bench to lower back extensions, Tib Bar Guy’s takes a little bit more work.

You’ll see more of that when I show you the differences between the two…

Split Squats & Hip Thrusts

I’m able to do splits squats and hip thrusts on both benches.

With the Tib Bar Guy bench, I use detachable leg rollers and attach them to the front of the bench like you see above.

I can adjust the height of the leg rollers with a pop pin and set them to a height that fits me.

The leg rollers are stable and roll so my feet move in a fluid motion.

That same set up works for hip thrusts too.

Above I’m showing you the hip thrusts with a medicine ball but with a weight capacity of 550 lbs, I can do barbell hip thrusts easily.

Here’s how I set up the NordBench to use the leg rollers for split squats and hip thrusts.

I can also do them on the opposite end of the bench (with my feet on the hip pad) but I prefer them on the leg roller end.

Here’s what they look like…

I incline the bench to move the leg roller forward a bit and flip the footplate down so my knee doesn’t hit it.

From this same set up, I can hip thrusts.

The NordBench has a 500 lbs weight capacity so I can go heavy with this bench too.

GHD Sit Ups & Reverse Hypers

GHD sit ups on both benches are nearly identical.

The NordBench has one set of rollers but that’s enough to do any leg supported exercises.

And here’s the GHD on the Nordic Back Extension machine.

With two sets of leg rollers my legs are locked in but the exercise feels the same on both benches.

Since the NordBench is compact, I have to modify the way I do reverse hypers on it.

I have to bend my legs at the bottom of the movement so my feet don’t hit the floor.

Then I can extend my legs while holding on to the leg rollers.

None of these benches are able to do pendulum reverse hypers but I can still get a good burn with bodyweight reps.

The Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension machine sits higher at its tallest position.

When I let my legs hang, they have about a foot of space before I touch the floor.

I took off the knee pad so I can hang on to the metal frame then kick my legs back for the reverse hypers.

They do feel better with my legs fully straight than bent so the decompression on my lower back is better with the Tib Bar Guy.

RELATED: Freak Athlete Hyper Pro vs Nordbench

NordBench vs Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension V2: What’s Different?

NordBench

Adjustable Footplate

The NordBench has an adjustable footplate that doubles as a slant board and a leg for vertical storage (plus a low row footplate hack I came up with).

This is unique to the NordBench and no other Nordic bench has this feature.

There’s 3 settings on the NordBench’s footplate…

This allows me to use the footplate as a slant board and do exercises like heel elevated squats to target my quads.

And calf raises for my gastrocs.

Here’s the hack I mentioned earlier…

With the footplate in the second position, I set the bench in front of my Voltra cable machine and use it as a low row footplate.

This is something I struggled with for years with my set up and this works perfectly so I can push off to counteract the cable machine’s weight.

Resistance Band System

The NordBench has several spots on the frame where eye hooks can be bolted on to attach resistance bands.

There’s two in the back legs…

Two on the front legs…

Three on the middle of the frame (two on the sides and one on top).

And two more on the footplate (one on each side).

So it’s obvious these are strategically placed to hit different angles for resistance band exercises.

I think it’s a smart move by the NordStick to include all these anchor points to get more value from the NordBench.

Landmine Attachment

The NordBench’s landmine attachment is held down by the bench to fit any Olympic sized barbell for even more exercises.

If you’re into landmine workouts, this may a good attachment to pick up.

EXPLORE MORE: Freak Athlete Hyper Pro

Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension Machine V2

Lower Back Extension

The set up for lower back extensions on the Nordic Back Extension takes an extra step since there’s two pads involved.

Above, I took off the knee pad so I can have space to slide down the hip pad for back extensions.

Once I slide it down, it looks more similar to the NordBench.

Both benches allow me to slide the pads up and down to a position that fits my height.

Adjustment Mechanism

Adjusting the incline angles on both machines is different.

The NordBench using a step ladder approach whereas the Tib Bar Guy uses a telescoping mechanism.

Here’s the NordStick’s way of doing it.

It uses a kick stand that I move from one angle to the next and stays in place with my weight pushing down on it.

This is how the Tib Bar Guy does it…

It uses a pop pin and telescoping mechanism to slide a tube up and down to the angle I want.

Both work, just different ways of adjusting angles.

Padding

When it comes to padding, the NordBench’s padding is thicker by about 1/2″.

Tib Bar Guy’s pads are 2″ thick and the NordStick’s pads are 2.5″ thick.

Both pads feel good and my knees and hips but I do like the additional padding on the NordBench.

The leg rollers on the NordBench are also thicker than Tib Bar Guy’s.

I don’t know much about upholstery but the one on the NordBench seems like better quality.

NordBench vs Tib Bar Guy: Comparing The Footprint

Size wise, the NordBench is the smallest Nordic bench I’ve ever tested.

It telescopes down to about the size of a suitcase for storage and expands when in use for better stability.

Above you can see the Nordic Back Extension (top) is almost double the size of the NordBench.

Here I extended flipped the NordBench’s pads out of the way to show you the frame.

I set the NordBench bench to its full length and it’s still smaller than Tib Bar Guy.

Here’s what it looks like when I flip the pads back down.

I can extend the pads further up but it’s still smaller than Tib Bar Guy’s.

Storage

As far as storage goes, both benches have the ability to stand up vertically which is always good for home gyms and garage gyms.

This reduces the floor space they take up when not in use by a lot.

What I like about the NordBench though, is that I can hang it up on my wall so it takes up ZERO floor space.

This is one advantage the NordBench has over all Nordic benches on the market.

NordStick NordBench Pros & Cons

Pros

• Compact: I can store this on my wall, under a bed, stands up vertically, or in a closet

• Versatility: With the bench itself I can do a lot of exercises, adding the landmine attachment and resistance bands makes it a full body machine

• Comfortable: Premium foam (3″ thick) on the pads and leg rollers (5″ diameter) make it super comfortable

• Price: Compared to other Nordic benches, this is one of the most affordable ones that maintains high quality and versatility

• Footplate: I love that the footplate doubles as a slant board which is something other Nordic benches like this one don’t do

• One size fits most: This works for people from 4′ tall all the way to 6’8″ and has a weight capacity of 500 lbs so most people can use it

Cons

• Base lock: Lining up the pin that locks the base would be streamlined if it had line markers (I used a sharpie to make it easier for me).

• Handles: When rolling the Nordbench, the handles touch the floor depending on the angle I hold it. Smaller, upward curved handles could solve that.

• Hip pad knob: Knob is right below the hip pad so to adjust it, I have to get my hands into a tight space. Smaller knob would work better.

Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension V2 Pros & Cons

Pros

• Versatility: I can do a lot of exercises with all the different set ups

• Comfortable: Premium foam on the knee pads and leg rollers make it super comfortable

• One size fits most: This works for people from 5′ tall all the way to 6’8″ and has a weight capacity of 550 lbs so most people can use it

• User friendly: Easy to change configurations

Cons

• Narrow footplate: I can’t place my feet wide which reduces the amount of glute involvement I can create (less hip abduction & external rotation)

Prices

NordBench Price & Discount Code

The NordStick lists the base price for the NordBench at $599 but currently have it discounted at $399.

Depending on the attachments you want to get with it, the price can go up to $599 with everything included.

Click the red button below to get an additional 10% discount code.

Tib Bar Guy Price & Discount Code

The price of the Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension V2 is currently $499 which is a very good price for a bench this versatile.

But I’m gonna hook you up with a 10% discount code so you can knock off $50 more.

Click the red button below to reveal your discount…

Other Alternatives

Freak Athlete Hyper Pro

The Freak Athlete Nordic Bench is a 9-in-1 nordic bench combo.

One feature this one has over other Nordic benches is the ability to elevate the rear part which opens up more exercises.

Freak Athlete also has a leg developer attachment to add lower body isolation exercises.

With that being said, it is $800 for the base product and can go over $1000 when all attachments are included.

NordBench vs Tib Bar Guy Nordic Back Extension V2: Which One Should You Buy?

I’ve given you all the similarities and differences between both benches…

Now it’s up to you to determine which one fits your training style, workout space, and how much you want to invest.

Whichever one you go with, both benches offer a lot of versatility in a space saving design.

And you get a lot of bang for your buck compared to buying all the machines they replace separately.