Hack Squat
Machine squat with back support that allows extremely heavy quad loading without balance or stabilisation requirements. One of the best exercises for quad...
Difficulty
beginner
Category
strength
Primary Muscles
Quads
Equipment
Cables
Secondary Muscles
Glutes
How to Perform
- Stand on the platform with your back and shoulders firmly against the pad
- Place feet shoulder-width on the platform
- Unrack the safety handles
- Lower by bending your knees to at least parallel depth
- Press up without fully locking out your knees at the top
Tips
- Keep your back flat against the pad and don’t let your hips roll under at the bottom — this protects your lower back
- No hack squat machine? Leg press, Smith machine squats, or heavy goblet squats provide similar supported quad loading
- Use a 2-3 second descent and controlled press — the machine allows very heavy loading so tempo control is essential for safety
- Placing feet too high and wide turns this into a glute exercise — keep feet low and narrow on the platform for maximum quad emphasis
- Feel the quads burning intensely, especially the outer sweep (vastus lateralis) — this is one of the best machines for building quad shape
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