The Hack Squat is an often under-utilized tool for leg growth, though we know it can be an incredibly effective tool. The legend Dorian Yates has said, and I quote, “I won 6 Mr. Olympia titles without doing a single free-weight squat.” Dorian built his championship winning legs with leg press and, yup, - you guessed it - the Hack Squat.
If we know that the Hack Squat can be an effective quad-builder, why aren’t you doing it?
Maybe your gym doesn’t have the machine?
Find another gym? I don’t know what to tell you other than: you shouldn’t be working out at planet fitness.
Maybe you don’t know how to use the machine?
That’s what your Uncle Tony is here for, gather ‘round.
Hack Facks
Perhaps the single most common misconception about Hack Squats, is that there is only one way to do them: flat back to pad, squat down. But this isn’t true for everyone.
Hack Fack #1:
Men and woman alike have different joint structures, different lengths of limbs, and varying ranges-of-motion in the hip due to genetics, ankylosis, or inflexibility.
Hack Fack #2:
When engaging in the Hack Squat motion, men derive the majority of their power through their quadriceps femoris. This gives the male musculature a mechanical advantage when engaging in a more traditional Hack Squat technique: Back flush against the pad, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed forward, keep your lower back up against the pad as you lower to quads at a 90 degree angle to shins.
Hack Fack #3:
Women, on the other hand, derive the majority of their power from their gluteus maximus. This gives women the mechanical advantage when utilizing the Reverse Hack Squat.
“This machine smells like neck sweat.”
When performing the Reverse Hack Squat, women concentrate on keeping the shoulders forward, face down, hips back off the pad. When in the “down” position, quads should be at roughly a 45 degree angle to the shins, focusing on keeping an exaggerated arch in the lower back. Compression leg-wear is highly recommended when performing this exercise in order to increase blood circulation to my boner the leg muscles involved.
Here is a video of natural bodybuilder Jodi Miller performing the exercise:
You can tell the glutes are being engaged, by the way her lower back looks like it is about to rupture.
Hopefully you’ve found this information helpful. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more ladies utilizing the Reverse Hack Squat in the future. Let me know if you need a spot.
-Tony “Two Scoops” Muscoli
