The hack squat will not be as well-liked with energy coaches because the barbell squat, however it’s a hidden gem for constructing lower-body dimension and energy.
Not like common squats, the machine hack squat locks in your type, supplying you with a quad-focused exercise that’s ultimate for constructing mass and boosting athletic efficiency—all with out the joint pressure or spinal stress of a barbell squat.
On this skilled 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 actual fact, that is how the train acquired its title—”hack” comes from the German phrase “hacke,” which interprets to “heel.”
These days, nonetheless, most individuals want the machine hack squat to the barbell hack squat. As such, the machine hack squat is the variation we’ll give attention to on this article.
The right way to Hack Squat
One of the best ways to study hack squat type 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 along with your toes pointed barely outward, your shoulders towards the shoulder pads, and your again towards 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 holding your again pressed towards the backrest, decrease your physique by bending your knees. Permit your knees to maneuver ahead in the identical course 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 type ought to look while 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, however it’s truly 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.
Mild on Your Joints
Studies present that the hack squat locations much less stress in your backbone and knees than different squat variations, making it ultimate 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.
Research shows 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 course at velocity.
A typical perception amongst gymgoers is that adjusting your foot placement on the hack squat machine dramatically shifts which muscle tissues you’re employed. Whereas there’s some fact to this, it’s doubtless overstated.
Presently, there’s no analysis particularly on hack squat ft place and its impact on muscle development.
Nevertheless, research on comparable workout routines, just like the leg press and barbell squat, provide some clues. These studies counsel that inserting your ft larger on the footplate will increase glute and hamstring activation, whereas a decrease foot placement emphasizes the quads.
That mentioned, the distinction in activation is slight. And since extra muscle activation doesn’t always mean extra muscle development, it isn’t clear how a lot altering the peak of your hack squat foot placement impacts your long-term outcomes.
Relating to stance width and foot orientation, analysis can also be blended.
Most studies show that muscle activation stays comparable no matter how vast your stance is or the way you level your toes, although some squat studies suggest {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 possibly received’t enormously have an effect on your long-term muscle positive aspects.
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, a little bit wider than shoulder-width aside, and along with your toes pointing barely outward.
RELATED: How to Do the Leg Press: Benefits, Form, & Alternatives
Muscular tissues Labored within the Hack Squat
The principle muscle tissues 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 primary muscle tissues 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 modification in place shifts the emphasis to your posterior chain (the muscle tissues on the again of your physique), making the reverse hack squat a wonderful possibility for these seeking to construct their glutes and hamstrings greater than their quads.
2. Barbell Hack Squat
The barbell hack squat trains the identical muscle tissues because the machine hack squat, so it’s a stable various for those who don’t have entry to a machine. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that utilizing a barbell is extra taxing in your decrease again, grip, and core and requires extra steadiness and coordination, so that you typically have to start out with mild weights and achieve energy extra step by step.
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 entire lower-body muscle tissues, making it a viable possibility for those who don’t have entry to a machine or need to swap 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 supplies stability and management just like the common hack squat, permitting you to coach the identical muscle tissues successfully.
5. Entrance Squat
Whereas not strictly a hack squat variation, the entrance squat is a precious free-weight various that targets the entire similar lower-body muscle tissues. It’s an excellent 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 by means of a larger vary of movement, making it barely simpler for quad improvement than the leg press. Nevertheless, the leg press is much less taxing in your decrease again and usually causes much less fatigue, making it a superb possibility for these with lower-back points or for ending a leg exercise while you’re already drained.
In fact, there’s no want to decide on just one—the very best strategy for most individuals is to incorporate each the hack squat and leg press of their program. For example, you would possibly do the hack squat for 8-to-10 weeks, take a deload, after which swap to the leg press for the subsequent 8-to-10 weeks.
This alternating strategy is how I like to arrange my coaching as a result of it’s a easy option to benefit from the distinctive advantages of every train. It’s additionally the strategy I define in my books, Bigger Leaner Stronger and Thinner Leaner Stronger.
FAQ #2: Hack Squat vs. Squat: Which Is Higher?
Considering of the hack squat vs. squat as an either-or alternative misses the complete image—each workout routines carry precious advantages relying on what you need to obtain.
Each the hack squat and again squat successfully prepare all of your leg muscle tissues. The distinction is that the again squat trains extra muscle tissues all through your physique, and is thus higher for gaining whole-body energy.
The hack squat, however, requires much less mobility, steadiness, talent, and coordination and locations much less stress in your backbone and joints, making it extra appropriate for novices, 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 for those who’re already fatigued.
RELATED: How to Do the Back Squat: Form, Benefits, and More
FAQ #3: Are you able to do a hack squat with no machine?
Sure. The perfect 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 rise up.
FAQ #4: The place can I study methods to use a hack squat machine?
To study methods to use a hack squat machine, observe the directions above. Or, for those who’d want extra hands-on instruction, converse to a coach at your health club. They need to be capable to present you methods to use your health club’s hack squat machine and clarify methods to carry out correct hack squat type.
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 tissues in barely alternative ways all through the vary of movement.
Due to this distinction, it doesn’t make sense to match the pendulum squat vs. hack squat—every gives distinctive advantages, and incorporating each into your routine is greatest for creating proportional leg muscle and energy.
RELATED: How to Do Pendulum Squats for Quad Growth
Scientific References +
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- Schwarz NA, Harper SP, Waldhelm A, McKinley-Barnard SK, Holden SL, Kovaleski JE. A Comparison of Machine versus Free-Weight Squats for the Enhancement of Lower-Body Power, Speed, and Change-of-Direction Ability during an Initial Training Phase of Recreationally-Active Women. Sports. 2019;7(10):215. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7100215
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- Da Silva EM, Brentano MA, Cadore EL, De Almeida APV, Kruel LFM. Analysis of Muscle Activation During Different Leg Press Exercises at Submaximum Effort Levels. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2008;22(4):1059-1065. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181739445
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