Muscles worked
What the hack squat trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Load the sled. Put the plates on the horns with the safety handles engaged. Start light; machine numbers do not match your free squat.
- 02
Back on the pad. Step in and lean back so your whole back, from hips to upper back, is flat against the pad and your head rests on it.
- 03
Shoulders under the pads. Set your shoulders snug under the yokes. If the machine adjusts, pick the height where you can straighten your legs a little to unlock it.
- 04
Place your feet. Feet about shoulder width, in the middle of the platform, toes turned out slightly. Your whole foot stays flat for every rep.
- 05
Release the safeties. Brace, push the sled up an inch to take the weight, and turn the safety handles out of the way.
Step by step
How to do the hack squat
- 01
Brace. Take a big breath into your belly and press your back into the pad before you move.
- 02
Lower. Bend your knees and hips together and let the sled ride down under control, knees moving forward over your toes.
- 03
Hit depth. Go until your thighs are about parallel to the platform or a little deeper, as long as your hips and lower back stay on the pad.
- 04
Drive up. Push through your whole foot, heels down, and press the sled back up along the track without bouncing out of the bottom.
- 05
Stop short of lockout. Finish with your legs nearly straight and your knees soft, not snapped back, then start the next rep.
- 06
Rack it. After the last rep, straighten your legs to raise the sled, turn the safety handles back in and lower the sled onto them before you step out.
Cues to say in your head
- Back flat on the pad
- Knees over toes
- Whole foot pressing
- Control the sled down
- Drive the platform away
- Soft knees at the top
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Hips peeling off the pad at the bottom
Stop the rep at the depth where your hips and lower back stay flat. If you keep losing the pad, lighten the load or try a slightly wider stance with your toes turned out a little more.
Heels lifting
Keep the whole foot planted. If your heels still rise, place your feet a bit higher on the platform until they stay down.
Knees caving in
Push your knees out so they stay in line with your toes on the way down and up.
Cutting the depth short
Lower until your thighs reach about parallel. Quarter reps let you load more but leave most of the range untrained.
Slamming into lockout
Stop just short of locking out with your knees soft. Snapping them back hard puts the load on the joint instead of the muscle.
Dropping fast and bouncing
Lower under control and change direction without a rebound off the bottom.
Stay safe
Keep the safety handles engaged until you are set and braced, and turn them back in before you step out. Before your first heavy set, learn how your machine catches the sled: many have bottom stops you can set just below your working depth. To end a rep you cannot finish, lower the sled under control onto those stops and slide out, or have a spotter help you press it up to the safety handles; if your machine has no adjustable stops, finish sets a rep or two short of failure. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knees, hips or lower back rather than muscle effort, and get it checked if it keeps coming back.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 4 to 6 | 80–88% 1RM | 2 to 4 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 67–80% 1RM | 1.5 to 3 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 | 50–65% 1RM | 1 to 1.5 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
145–173lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 3 min rest. Where the hack squat shines. Take sets close to failure with full depth.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Hack Squat questions
What muscles does the hack squat work?
Mostly the quads, with the glutes as the other main mover and the adductors and hamstrings helping. The calves and abs keep you steady.
Where should my feet go on a hack squat?
Start with feet about shoulder width in the middle of the platform. Lower and closer together puts more on the quads; higher on the platform tends to bring in more glutes and keeps your heels down more easily.
How deep should you go on a hack squat?
Aim for your thighs about parallel to the platform or deeper, stopping where your hips and lower back stay on the pad. Full depth trains the quads through more of their range than short reps.
Is the hack squat better than the leg press?
Neither is better; both are machine leg lifts. The hack squat keeps you in a squat position with the load on your shoulders, while the leg press is seated with nothing on your shoulders or spine. Many leg days use one as the main lift and the other for extra volume.
What is a pendulum squat?
A pendulum squat is a machine squat where the sled swings on an arc from a pivot instead of running on a straight track. It feels like a hack squat with a deeper, more upright bottom position and is used mainly to train the quads.
What is a V squat machine?
A V squat machine is a machine squat where your shoulders sit under pads and the sled runs on an angled track. On most models you face the machine with no back pad, so your hips move back more like a free squat; keep your whole foot pressing and squat to about parallel or deeper.
Train in Protocol
Log your hack squat by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.