Hack Squat

How to do the Hack Squat

1. Place the back of your torso against the back pad of the machine and hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads provided.
2. Position your legs in the platform using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Tip: Keep your head up at all times and also maintain the back on the pad at all times.
3. Place your arms on the side handles of the machine and disengage the safety bars (which on most designs is done by moving the side handles from a facing front position to a diagonal position).
4. Now straighten your legs without locking the knees. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section).
5. Begin to slowly lower the unit by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up (back on the pad at all times). Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees (which is the point in which the upper legs are below parallel to the floor). Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly.
6. Begin to raise the unit as you exhale by pushing the floor with mainly with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings
Equipment	machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

No machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell

Harder than the Hack Squat

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell Overhead Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the Hack Squat with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift hamstrings Lying Leg Curls hamstrings Seated Leg Curl hamstrings Standing Leg Curl hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Hack Squat work?

The Hack Squat primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, and hamstrings as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Lunge, and Barbell Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Hack Squat?

A Machine. Without a machine, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, Freehand Jump Squat, and Squats - With Bands train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Hack Squat suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Hack Squat is rated beginner. Reverse Band Power Squat, Power Jerk, and Overhead Squat are the progressions from here.

Where should the Hack Squat go in a workout?

Early — the Hack Squat is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift and Lying Leg Curls later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell