We recommend 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps with 65-70% of your 1 rep max. So, although both emphasise the quads, the hack squat works them a lot more than the regular squat. The hack squat can build strength in your knee, but in order to execute this movement properly, you’ll need a decent amount of knee strength initially. When this is done correctly, the torso is upright and the hamstrings are relaxed, allowing the pelvis to remain neutral. It’s performed on an exercise machine that stabilises your upper body and core muscles, allowing the quads to take on the majority of the stress of the movement. Avoiding knee hyperextension will keep the tension of the movement on your quads. However, the fixed range of motion exercised on the machine forces an unnatural movement which can cause joint injuries if you use a lot of weight. Push through your heels to straighten your legs (without hyperextending your knees), until you reach the starting position. You may not even be aware, but a lot of the time the dominant side of your body takes on more of the load of a bilateral exercise (like the regular hack squat) compared to your non-dominant side. Hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads. Contract your quads and slowly flex your knee to lower the footplate back towards the starting position. Another benefit of the machine specifically is that exercising on the machine makes it easy to get the right form. First, we’ve explained how to do regular squats – we know you probably already know this, but we don’t like to cut corners! How can we fix this rounding? But you shouldn’t ignore the hack squat just because the barbell squat has a ton of its own benefits. The hack squat machine isolates the quads, leading to serious benefits for aesthetics and strength. Reduce your range of motion, work to make these two corrections, and go as deep as you are able to while maintaining a neutral spine and pelvis. For this reason, hack squats are a great exercise but definitely not a replacement for barbell squats. With no load and only one limb on the ground, rounding your torso and reaching forward counter balances the weight shifting back. For a hack squat alternative that doesn’t require a big piece of exercise machinery, try barbell hack squats. Position your feet hip-width apart in the middle of the platform and then lift your right foot off the platform. Here's Why, You Can Spend an Entire Offseason 'Working Hard' and Not Get Any Better, How 'Bull Work' Builds Stronger, Tougher Athletes, A Strength Coach's Job is Bigger Than One-Rep Maxes, 13 Female Celebrities With Amazing Weight Room Strength, The Forgotten Muscle That's Key to Being a Better Athlete, 4 Weight Room Techniques for Elite Speed and Power, My Simple Technique for Cleaning Up a Bad Bodyweight Squat, Overcoming Isometrics: The Weird Exercises That Can Instantly Make You Stronger, Get Stronger With This 15-Exercise Outdoor Workout, 4 Awesome Single-Leg Exercises You've Probably Never Tried. Because the upper body remains upright and the lower legs are perpendicular to the ground at the bottom of the movement, the quads remain the main emphasis. Push yourself back up, extending your knees and hips until you are upright. The Single-Leg Squat (a.k.a. The hack squat machine provides the movement with stability and support, so if your quads are strong enough, you can load the machine with a lot of weight. If you’re new to weight training, pick a reasonable weight that you can lift safely, and with proper form for the full set. This is the front hack squat, so step onto the machine and stand on the foot platform with your back facing the back pad. One of the main differences is that the exercise machines like the hack squat machine provide stability for the movement. So that you can weigh up hack squats vs squats and figure out where each of them fit into your exercise routine, we’ve done the comparison for you. To see serious development in the size and strength of your quad muscles, find the hack squat machine in your gym and follow our video guide to executing this movement perfectly. There's no doubt that a well-executed Single-Leg Squat is an impressive display of fitness, but as the movement has become more widespread, the typical quality of the move has decreased. But more importantly, not locking out at your knees will be preventative of injury. But, squatting without the hack squat machine recruits a few more secondary muscles. For a full and rounded leg workout, combine hack squats with a leg press that targets the glutes and hamstrings. The need for stabilising muscles during this back squat contributes to the difference in the hack squat vs squat muscles worked. If you’re looking for an easier or more advanced hack squat alternative, stick with us for all of the best alternatives and variations of this exercise. A perfectly executed deep Single-Leg Squat is incredibly rare for a couple of reasons. To do this, do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets with a lighter weight – we recommend 65-70% of your 1 rep max.