NordBench Pro Review – Over 6 Months Of Expert Use
Last updated on January 8th, 2026 at 09:36 am
I have handled every single Nordic Combo Bench on the market over the past 2 years. And I’ve received more questions, comments, and interest on the NordStick NordBench Pro than any of the others COMBINED.
We’ve been testing it for the last several months, throwing everything we can at it, to see where it stacks up against the competition. We know it is cheaper, we know on paper it does just as much and sometimes more than the rest of the options out there… but are you getting a budget beast, or a bust? Let’s find out.
Transparency Note
I reached out to the NordStick team after they first announced the NordBench, to see if they wanted to send one my way. They did. I gave them a TON of feedback, and that all culminated into the NordBench Pro, which they then sent my way as well.
They have given me an affiliate link and a discount code as well. This link and code will track back to me, give me a small kick back, and help fund the things I do here, while saving you some cash.
As always, I am not paid for what I say, nor am I required to share anything but the truth. But I like to be transparent before we dig deeper, so you know what is up.
NordBench Pro Overview
The original NordBench offered what others couldn’t. A lot of options, in a small package, for a CRAZY low price. Nothing else was even close to what this claimed to do. Unfortunately the original had a lot of QA problems, issues with timing around the launch (I don’t think the team expected THAT much interest), and some delivery issues.
They took all of this to heart, fixed it all, and even made phone calls to over 2000 customers to make things right. When I say that NordBench wants to help people, I really mean it.
After all of that the team went to work and launched the NordBench Pro. This was aimed at addressing the original concerns, but keeping to the key idea of making a great Nordic Curl Bench at a budget. Again, their goal here is to help people. The better the price, the more people it can help.
NordBench Pro Specs
NordBench Pro FAQ
What is the Weight Capacity of the NordBench Pro?
The frame is rated to hold up to 500 lbs, even for dips.
For users over 250 lbs or doing heavy back extensions, they recommend attaching the Loading Bar Pro for added ground contact and support.
When will the NordBench Pro Ship?
The first round of pre-orders is expected to ship on August 30th.
How is the NordBench Pro different from the NordBench?
It’s a complete redesign based on customer feedback including:
– Wider, more stable U-shaped base
– Versatile flip footplate
– Built-in dip handles
– 3” contoured Hybrid H-pad for better support
– More full-body training options — all in one compact bench
Shipping & Assembly
The NordBench Pro ships in one box. It also comes almost completely assembled. This is a big improvement over the experience I had with the original NordBench. I didn’t have any shipping damage, and the time spent was about 10 minutes. I didn’t snap any pictures because I was sent a pre-release version, and the final version will look a bit different. You should get a piece that needs a couple bolts assembled, and done.
They do recommend giving every bolt and nut a once over for a good tightening. So if you own one, or are considering it, put this on your checklist. I want to reiterate this… I actually just tightened mine AGAIN this week, so this is something you are going to want to do every so often as it makes a MONSTER difference
What About The Original NordBench?
The OG NordBench was announced at the tail end of 2024. I received one, began testing, and provided a boat load of feedback to the Nordstick team. I was told they were taking that feedback and putting it into their next batch.
What ended up happening, was they took it all, plus customers comments, and put it into the NordBench Pro. From my understanding, the OG NordBench will be discontinued shortly, leaving ONLY the NordBench Pro moving forward. In theory, the NordBench Pro is better in every way, and costs the same. So it is a no brainer to buy the Pro if you are looking at the two.
NordBench Pro Updates
While wrapping up this review I asked Garret, the owner of NordStick, about some of the differences between what is in my gym and what customers would receive if they ordered today. He listed out a ton of changes. So there is a chance that if you order a NordBench Pro now, the majority of my frustrations and feedback that you will see below, will be ironed out and you’ll get a better product. I can not confirm that, but it is what I have been told.
NordBench Pro Performance
Overview, Storage and Mobility
The NordBench Pro is BY FAR the smaller of the options for a Nordic Combo Bench, clocking in at about 46in long, 28 in wide, and just 18in tall. It stores vertically and takes up a LOT less space compared to the Hyper Pro in every way possible.
The wheels on the back are nice and large and spin very well, so we can easily transition from vertical storage to anywhere in the gym. And since it clocks in at around 80lbs, larger athletes can just bear hug it and take it wherever they want.
The NordBench Pro, being so small, COULD have some of the issues we faced with other Nordic Benches. But we have the ability to extend the base out and make this a MUCH larger unit. So, we get a compact footprint for storage and mobility and get the benefit of more length for stability.
The padding and vinyl are VERY similar to the Hyper Pro. That same smooth but sticky vinyl, with padding that is firm but enough give to be comfortable. The NordBench Pro feels like a good sweet spot between a dense pad that will last and enough give to not be uncomfortable.
We’ve got a number of adjustments, magnets, pop-pins and more that we’ll dig into as we go as they impact the overall movements themselves.
Nordic Curls
The NordBench Pro has regression angles for Nordic Curls that include 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 15, 8, and then finally flat. This is missing a couple of regression options compared to the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro, but mostly gets the same job done. It also doesn’t have the decline options, but I have yet to use those, so I don’t think they are a huge missing piece for most people in their Nordic Curl training.
The entire regression process works off a ladder system, opposed to pop pins. The nice thing here compared to the Hyper Pro, is that they are quick to adjust without the need to loosen and tighten pop-pins. The 15 and 8 degree regressions use a secondary stability process. You can see the black pegs for those.
For smaller athletes, this thing knocks it out of the park. It is easy to get working, easy to adjust through the majority of angle options, even back and forth for different athletes. And it is rock solid stable.
For larger athletes, we have a few things to consider. You absolutely need to extend the frame out before performing basically any exercise. There are a number of extension options, but I would go ALL THE WAY for bigger athletes as the difference is definitely noticeable. I made the mistake ONCE of not extending it out for a Nordic Curl and managed to bend the mainframe of the machine.
I’ll clarify here, if it is used correctly, this will not happen. But if you forget, like I did, it is going to be a problem. Luckily I remembered for 6 months and forgot while doing the final video clip for my YouTube review. Such is life.
I don’t have the loading bar, but if you consider yourself a larger athlete, anyone over maybe 200lbs, I would recommend you get it to take the stability up an extra notch.
If you’ve watched the Hyper Pro review, you might remember me talking about how it being longer meant we could get a little more OOMPH on Nordic Curls because we had something to push off. The NordBench Pro, because you can adjust the pad itself, lets you train Nordics with support, or get spicy and train them with NO support which is a stricter Nordic Curl. My ego prefers the support method.
The NordBench Pro has only one roller for the footplate. In my experience, two rollers, like on the Hyper Pro, is better as it locks you in tighter. One other issue here, is that Nordbench Pro roller, because it can be adjusted up and down, as well as front to back for other exercises, as well as the footplate having multiple adjustments, means we have a LOT of play here. Not ideal when we want stability.
Overall, Nordic Curls are much better here for smaller athletes than for larger athletes. It is far from the best Nordic Curl option I’ve used, but also far from the worst. As a budget option, especially with the loading bar, it gets a passing grade but sits squarely in the C+ range.
Glute-Ham Developer
The concept is that this pad being rounded on the backside, gives you access to a Glute-Ham Raise. I’m not personally buying this. There are two reasons.
First, getting access to a Glute-Ham Developer unlocks GHD Sit-Ups. The GHD Sit-Up is one of my favorite core exercises because of the huge range of motion and monster stretch. You can’t do that here.
Second, is that with a true GHD, you have a large crescent shaped pad that supports you from the bottom all the way to the end range as your thighs press firmly into it. The NordBench Pro curved pad is about half of the height of the pad on the Hyper Pro for reference. So you get a little support on the front of the knee at the beginning, but then it turns almost entirely into a Nordic for the rest of the movement.
To me this is similar to the Hyper Pro claiming Reverse Hypers. This just isn’t a true Glute-Ham Developer, and I’m not calling this a Glute-Ham Raise.
Back Extensions
For Back Extensions, you have the same adjustment options and set-up, but also have the ability to adjust the hip pad in and out for different sized athletes. This is a crucial piece that the other Budget Nordic Combo Machine, the BaseBlocks Nord Plus, did not have.
Because back extensions don’t have that same EXPLOSIVE movement as Nordics, we aren’t getting the same instability in the frame. So, the loading bar isn’t quite as necessary here, even with my bigger frame and handling some heavy dumbbells.
Back extensions, compared to Nordics, were not compatible with our smaller athletes though. My daughter isn’t quite long enough to get her foot set on the platform and be able to get her hips over the pad at the top.
For adults, the machine is a little less in the way due to the frame, so we can leverage some barbells and other movements, but I did struggle to get a good cable set-up here.
The NordBench Pro opted to have the pads split at all times at the top to make room for the man parts, opposed to the Hyper Pro that combines together for Nordics, and splits apart for Back Extensions. So this is one less adjustment.
Overall, back extensions were solid, adjustable, and worked well for all but our smallest athletes.
Slant Board
This is one of the standout design changes that really caught a lot of attention. The ability for the back footplate to fold down and be used for a slant board is really creative. They also included grip tape on the footplate, which helps with the feet from sliding around.
I wear a size 11.5 shoe, and have a very wide foot, and I’ve got enough space on here to do what I need to do. The grip tape is enough to keep me there, without tearing up my shoes. And if I choose to go barefoot, I’d be good as well.
Key note for owners – you need to drop the slant board down PAST the bottom pop-pin so it sits snuggly and firmly on the floor. They added the pop-pin hole to accommodate carpet and turf users.
I was easily able to hit goblet squats with 80lb dumbbells here, even loaded up a trap bar with 150+lbs. Add in my 250lb frame, and this board is ready for some work. The only real thing missing compared to say my Prime Solos, is the lack of ability to angle your feet and easily integrate into other exercises and situations.
This gets a solid passing grade.
Hip Thrusts & Split Squats
You can technically perform BOTH Split Squats and Hip Thrusts on the front and back of the NordBench, using either the roller or the front part of the pad. In testing, I would probably recommend that you use the roller for Split Squats, and the front portion of the pad for Hip Thrusts.
The roller is more comfortable and easier to dial in the right setting for Split Squats. BUT, because there is so much movement in the roller itself, it makes Hip Thrusts pretty sketchy. And if you plan to grab their Band System, you are going to want to perform Hip Thrusts off the front of the NordBench Pro anyway.
Split Squats and Hip Thrusts, at least at lower resistance levels, can be performed with a LOT of different pieces. Whether we want to use a bench, Booty Sprout, rack roller, or even a couch.
So these fall into the… they work, but you probably aren’t buying the NordBench Pro because of these two movements.
Forward Step-Down
The Step Down function is definitely added in based on Garret’s PT background, as the ability to step down and control that eccentric portion is a key piece to knee rehab.
Since there is zero progression here, this isn’t like having a step up platform. You get one height, and done. This does do the job. But there isn’t much to it. You can also 100% do this from a platform, a plate, or anything that is a few inches off the ground.
As a powerlifter, bodybuilder, or general athlete of any kind, this isn’t something I’d ever use. If I was a very untrained individual, or again, recovering from a knee injury, bingo!
I feel like it is a bit of stretch to count this as a machine replacement, even if it technically works.
Sit Ups
Another one that feels like a bit of a stretch, is sit-ups. Typically, we are looking at a decline sit-up option for most benches. This is more of an incline sit-up.
I will say that as I did them, there was a pretty good stretch in the hips, something you don’t actually get with the decline sit-up. I’m not a huge fan of decline sit-ups, I find them awkward to get into and out of. This was easy. I might actually take this over a decline sit-up. I’d take a good GHD Sit-Up over both… but this was actually better than I had thought.
As much as I don’t think this “counts” as a machine for a number of reasons, this was better than I originally thought. If you have almost any other options in your gym, this isn’t going to make it into the rotation. If you put this in your front room, it might be a good addition.
Dips
A pretty unique concept, adding Dips off the front of the NordBench Pro. Unfortunately, this one didn’t land well for me.
The handles have rubber grips that spin freely, like, can completely come off. The last thing I want in a dip is for my hand to rotate. The bench isn’t very tall, so unless if you are on the very short side, you are going to need to pull your knees up to perform dips. The handles are also fairly wide with no adjustments at about 24 inches in width. My daughter tried to do dips here and they were just way too wide for her.
And the killer, was that I could not get this to be stable. I’ve watched videos from other reviewers, from NordBench’s own YouTube, and they all seem to nail it. Even after a fresh tightening of everything, this thing just didn’t want to play nicely. I was constantly afraid that it was going to fall forward on me. I had my wife who weighs about 160lbs test drive it as well, and it was MUCH better than with me, but still far from what I could call good.
For me, in my experience, I’m giving the dips an overall failing grade.
Hybrid Bar + Bands
I have the Hybrid Bar and Band set. This works with the footplate to give you a pretty wide variety of exercises. The Hybrid Bar has a VERY passive knurl, enough to not just fall out of your hands, but it also is nothing compared to a typical barbell. It breaks in half as well for easy storage.
I wanted to see how strong these bands were. For frame of reference, I recently hit a 632lb trap bar deadlift. I made my way through most of the bands fairly easily, then started to add them together.
I was surprised that I actually had to strap up and toss on my belt to be able to lift every band together. I got there, but much more difficult than I thought. I will say that the platform was a little sketchy here.
Band System
I think the same person who should buy the Hybrid Bar should buy the Band System.
If you plan to go all in on the NordBench Pro as the center piece of your home workouts, get them both as you’ll add a LOT of options. For people with a decked-out gym, you are going to have more options, so go ahead and skip them both.
Loading Bar Pro
If you are above 200lbs, grab it. This is an easy one.
Leg Attachment
Their most recent attachment is their Leg Developer for leg extensions and standing leg curls.
The downside here, is that you need weights. So while the band system is going to be awesome for those inside building their gym around this as the key piece, the leg attachment requires more of a typical home gym build out to work.
Wall Mount Pro
They have a Wall Mount as well. Since the NordBench Pro is so easy to store vertically, I don’t think it is a huge need, and most people can probably skip.
Should You Buy The NordBench Pro?
I mentioned that I’ve received more questions and comments on the NordBench Pro than any other Nordic bench I’ve used. Well, not all of that was positive. On my current NordBench Pro post on r/HomeGym there are a LOT of comments of unhappy customers. More than I’ve ever seen on any other product I’ve ever posted. And I share some of the concerns.
Things like how the pop-pins can’t fully tighten the screw in place and have it engage properly. So, you have to play this game of finding the right balance every single time you use it. The main frame is FAR from smooth when it comes to adjustments and sometimes just completely sticks.
They have a magnet to hold up the regression bar to the frame, which is great so it doesn’t wildly fly everywhere. BUT the lower angle support bar is stainless steel, which doesn’t play nice with magnets. So the machine doesn’t actually stay together. We already saw some of my issues with the Dip Handles some of the stability issues, you get it.
With the launch of the OG NordBench, tons of feedback that turned into the Pro, and now multiple revisions of the Pro, it feels like the Nordbench has been a perfect example of building the plane while flying it, which can be extremely frustrating to reviewers like myself, and customers alike.
Please Note – According to NordStick, the VAST majority of the noted issues have been addressed for future customers.
Who Should Buy the NordBench Pro?
I think it is the best budget option for SMALLER athletes with a SMALL space looking to mainly focus on Nordics and Back Extensions, maybe with some Hip Thrusts and Split Squats tossed in.
You are going to need to focus on that word BUDGET, and look past a lot of the issues. But you can add their leg attachment and every other accessory for the NordBench Pro and still come in cheaper than the base model of the Hyper Pro and add some quality movements to your workouts.
The other option, is for those who are going to really use this as their entire gym. Because it is so small, has the bar and bands and various accessories, you could easily shove this into some tight spaces and make it disappear entirely.
You could have a fairly well-rounded workout, essentially hitting every major muscle group, for around $500 and a very limited space commitment.
Other Options On The Market
I’ve put together an entire article on my experiences with every Nordic Curl Bench on the market. If you are looking to snag one, this will give you my recommendations and let you dig as far as you want.
Wrap Up
I spent several months with the NordBench Pro, using it with my family, friends, and my daughters Sunday crew. We had very mixed feedback overall. In our gym, we are going to keep the Freak Athlete Hyper Pro. I’ve got a buddy that bought a NordBench Pro and sold it that very same week. But I can definitely see some gyms where it would be the perfect fit. It just comes down to whether that is YOUR gym, or not.
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Joe Gray
My name is Joe Gray - aka Gray Matter Lifting - and I've been lifting at home since 2013. In that time I've built a badass gym, deadlifted over 600lbs, helped grow r/Homegym to over 1 Million subscribers, created the Garage Gym Competition and written a ton of posts here on this site. I love the Garage Gym Community... If you do too, I hope you stick around.
