How to Hack Squat for Leg Mass & Strength

The hack squat will not be as well-liked with energy coaches because the barbell squat, nevertheless it’s a hidden gem for constructing lower-body dimension and energy.

Not like common squats, the machine hack squat locks in your kind, supplying you with a quad-focused exercise that’s best for constructing mass and boosting athletic efficiency—all with out the joint pressure or spinal stress of a barbell squat.

On this knowledgeable information, you’ll discover ways to grasp the hack squat, why it’s so efficient, how foot placement influences your outcomes, and extra.

What Is A Hack Squat?

The hack squat is a lower-body energy coaching train involving a hack squat machine. Right here’s the way it appears:

Initially, weightlifters carried out the hack squat by inserting a loaded barbell behind their heels, squatting down, gripping the barbell, then standing up. In truth, that is how the train bought its title—”hack” comes from the German phrase “hacke,” which interprets to “heel.”

These days, nevertheless, most individuals want the machine hack squat to the barbell hack squat. As such, the machine hack squat is the variation we’ll deal with on this article.

The way to Hack Squat

One of the best ways to be taught hack squat kind is to separate the train into three elements: arrange, descend, and squat.

1. Arrange

Load the hack squat machine with the specified quantity of weight, then place your ft shoulder-width aside on the footplate together with your toes pointed barely outward, your shoulders in opposition to the shoulder pads, and your again in opposition to the backrest.

Seize the protection handles, then straighten your knees and use the handles to launch the burden. 

2. Descend

Take a deep breath into your abdomen and brace your abs, then whereas maintaining your again pressed in opposition to the backrest, decrease your physique by bending your knees. Enable your knees to maneuver ahead in the identical route as your toes. 

Decrease your physique till the angle between your calves and thighs is 90 levels or barely much less.

3. Squat

Drive your ft into the footplate and straighten your knees to return to the beginning place. 

Right here’s how correct hack squat kind ought to look once you put all of this collectively:

Hack Squat Advantages

Builds Decrease Physique Muscle

Many gymgoers assume the hack squat is simply good for quad development, nevertheless it’s really an all-around lower-body builder. Whereas it’s a wonderful quad train, the hack squat additionally targets your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, and even trains your core and decrease again to a lesser diploma.

Light on Your Joints

Research present that the hack squat locations much less stress in your backbone and knees than different squat variations, making it best for these managing again or knee points. So, if free-weight squats really feel uncomfortable, the hack squat is commonly a extra joint-friendly possibility.

Enhances Athletic Efficiency.

Analysis exhibits that the hack squat develops lower-body energy, energy, velocity, and agility, so it’s a wonderful train for athletes who want to leap, dash, or change route at velocity. 

A standard perception amongst gymgoers is that adjusting your foot placement on the hack squat machine dramatically shifts which muscle tissue you’re employed. Whereas there’s some fact to this, it’s possible overstated.

Presently, there’s no analysis particularly on hack squat ft place and its impact on muscle development. 

Nevertheless, research on related workout routines, just like the leg press and barbell squat, provide some clues. These research counsel that inserting your ft larger on the footplate will increase glute and hamstring activation, whereas a decrease foot placement emphasizes the quads.

That stated, the distinction in activation is slight. And since extra muscle activation doesn’t all the time imply extra muscle development, it isn’t clear how a lot altering the peak of your hack squat foot placement impacts your long-term outcomes.

In relation to stance width and foot orientation, analysis can also be blended. 

Most research present that muscle activation stays related no matter how large your stance is or the way you level your toes, although some squat research counsel {that a} wider stance emphasizes the glutes and hamstrings, whereas a narrower stance targets the quads extra.

Once more, although, the variations are negligible and doubtless received’t drastically have an effect on your long-term muscle features. 

With this in thoughts, probably the most secure, efficient, and cozy hack squat foot placement for most individuals is one which locations your ft midway up the footplate, just a little wider than shoulder-width aside, and together with your toes pointing barely outward.

RELATED: The way to Do the Leg Press: Advantages, Kind, & Options

Muscle tissue Labored within the Hack Squat

The principle muscle tissue labored by the hack squat are:

Quadriceps (quads)
Hamstrings
Glutes
Calves

It additionally trains the core and decrease again to a lesser extent, too.

Right here’s how the principle muscle tissue labored by the hack squat look in your physique:

The Finest Hack Squat Variations & Options

1. Reverse Hack Squat

The reverse hack squat is just like the common hack squat however you carry out it dealing with the machine as an alternative of away from it. This transformation in place shifts the emphasis to your posterior chain (the muscle tissue on the again of your physique), making the reverse hack squat a wonderful possibility for these trying to construct their glutes and hamstrings greater than their quads.

2. Barbell Hack Squat

The barbell hack squat trains the identical muscle tissue because the machine hack squat, so it’s a strong various when you don’t have entry to a machine. Keep in mind, nevertheless, that utilizing a barbell is extra taxing in your decrease again, grip, and core and requires extra stability and coordination, so that you typically have to start out with mild weights and achieve energy extra progressively. 

3. Landmine Hack Squat

The landmine hack squat is a hack squat variation that makes use of a landmine attachment and barbell instead of a hack squat machine. Just like the machine model, the landmine hack squat works your whole lower-body muscle tissue, making it a viable possibility when you don’t have entry to a machine or need to change up your routine.

4. Smith Machine Hack Squat

In case your health club doesn’t have a hack squat machine, the Smith machine hack squat is a dependable various. The Smith machine offers stability and management just like the common hack squat, permitting you to coach the identical muscle tissue successfully.

5. Entrance Squat

Whereas not strictly a hack squat variation, the entrance squat is a worthwhile free-weight various that targets the entire identical lower-body muscle tissue. It’s an amazing substitute for individuals who want utilizing free weights and need to construct leg energy.

FAQ #1: Hack Squat vs. Leg Press: Which Is Higher?

Evaluating the hack squat vs. leg press doesn’t do both justice—each workout routines provide distinctive advantages relying in your targets.

The hack squat trains your quads via a better vary of movement, making it barely more practical for quad growth than the leg press. Nevertheless, the leg press is much less taxing in your decrease again and customarily causes much less fatigue, making it a great possibility for these with lower-back points or for ending a leg exercise once you’re already drained.

After all, there’s no want to decide on just one—the most effective strategy for most individuals is to incorporate each the hack squat and leg press of their program. As an illustration, you may do the hack squat for 8-to-10 weeks, take a deload, after which change to the leg press for the following 8-to-10 weeks.

This alternating strategy is how I like to prepare my coaching as a result of it’s a easy technique to benefit from the distinctive advantages of every train. It’s additionally the tactic I define in my books, Greater Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger.

FAQ #2: Hack Squat vs. Squat: Which Is Higher?

Pondering of the hack squat vs. squat as an either-or alternative misses the complete image—each workout routines deliver worthwhile advantages relying on what you need to obtain.

Each the hack squat and again squat successfully prepare all of your leg muscle tissue. The distinction is that the again squat trains extra muscle tissue all through your physique, and is thus higher for gaining whole-body energy.

The hack squat, alternatively, requires much less mobility, stability, talent, and coordination and locations much less stress in your backbone and joints, making it extra appropriate for inexperienced persons, these with restricted flexibility, or individuals working round accidents.

Because it’s typically much less taxing, the hack squat can also be a good selection for doing additional leg quantity (units) close to the top of a exercise when you’re already fatigued.

RELATED: The way to Do the Again Squat: Kind, Advantages, and Extra

FAQ #3: Are you able to do a hack squat with no machine?

Sure. One of the best various to the hack squat that doesn’t require a hack squat machine is the barbell hack squat. To carry out the barbell hack squat, place a loaded barbell on the ground behind your legs, squat down and grip the barbell, then arise.

FAQ #4: The place can I discover ways to use a hack squat machine?

To be taught tips on how to use a hack squat machine, observe the directions above. Or, when you’d want extra hands-on instruction, communicate to a coach at your health club. They need to be capable to present you tips on how to use your health club’s hack squat machine and clarify tips on how to carry out correct hack squat kind. 

FAQ #5: Pendulum Squat vs. Hack Squat: What’s the Distinction?

The pendulum squat is a lower-body train that makes use of the pendulum squat machine. Right here’s the way it appears:

One key distinction between the pendulum squat and hack squat is their “resistance curve.” Merely put, every train challenges your muscle tissue in barely alternative ways all through the vary of movement.

Due to this distinction, it doesn’t make sense to check the pendulum squat vs. hack squat—every provides distinctive advantages, and incorporating each into your routine is greatest for creating proportional leg muscle and energy.

RELATED: The way to Do Pendulum Squats for Quad Development