Surely you have been working quadriceps during leg day and they have put you in the routine Hack squat. It is a guided machine exercise that favors the growth of the quadriceps because, by having the body more stabilized, you can focus on moving more weight. It is a variant of the common squat that helps you optimize the work on the knee extensor muscles. However, if the technique is not performed well, it can lead to injury.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the Hack squat so that you can perform it correctly and take advantage of its benefits.
What is the Hack Squat
This type of exercise is designed to work the quadriceps in isolation. By having the stabilizer muscles relaxed, as it is a machine-guided movement, we can isolate the quadriceps well in order to increase the loads and pressure we put on it. They are carried out on an inclined plane that has certain benefits that we will see later.
The name of the Hack squat comes from the name of the machine where we do it which is called the Hack press. It is a press that is inclined and has a backrest that moves from top to bottom by means of two moving rails. The weight is deposited on the sides of the lateral supports when backing up. By having the quadriceps isolated, we can work with more weight.
The supports are located on the shoulders which is what will also help to push. It is a fairly effective exercise that brings multiple benefits even if it is not worked with high intensity. It also helps to warm up without putting weight on it., since we can have a complete guided range of motion that helps stimulate the muscle that we are going to work.
How to run it correctly
Performing the correct exercise technique should be a priority for everyone who goes to the gym. If from the beginning we do not give an effort to learn well how to do the exercises, we will be causing the adoption of bad habits that, later, will be more complicated to avoid.
The position we have initially is that of the bent knees. We will lean on the backrest that slides and we will place our feet firmly, shoulder-width apart. The shoulders are fixed to the shoulder pads for good stability. We stretch the arm on each side of the body to lean on the machine and avoid efforts on their part. We look at the front. The indicator that our head is well in front is that it is aligned with the torso.
We carry out the movement upwards until the legs are extended, but not completely. If we extend our legs to lock our knees, we can put great pressure on them and we do not want to injure ourselves. The joints must be taken care of in all cases in which we perform exercises that compromise them. Muscles improve and repair more easily. The joints are somewhat more difficult to heal and will give more discomfort in the long term.
When we finish the ascent, we return more slowly to the original position. Thighs should be parallel to the support platform. Breathing is an important element to take into account in this type of exercise. We catch the air when we go up and exhale when we make the force with the legs. This will help make lifting easier. It is best to breathe in as we go down and breathe out when we go up.
Many people stop a bit when they reach the lowest position. This should not be so. Otherwise, we put a lot of pressure on the knees. The movement should be fast from bottom to top and somewhat slower and smoother from top to bottom, but without stopping. When loading the weights on the shoulders, it is the legs that perform the repetitions.
Hack Squat Variations
There are some variations of this type of exercise to give different stimuli to the muscle.
Reverse Squat Hack
In this case, the exercise is attempted but facing the backrest. This posture helps the muscles in charge of extending the knees work better. In addition, it favors the performance of the gluteus when pushing.
With bar
Another variant is to place ourselves in a bending position and place a bar behind the heels, sitting it with the palms of the hands facing backwards. We must slightly arch the back and contract the abdominal band. The look we have to continue placing it in front and the feet parallel to the width of the shoulders. Breathing and movements will be done in the same way as in the traditional hack squat.
Advantages and muscles involved
The main purpose of this type of exercise is to strengthen our quadriceps so that they work in isolation. It is a fairly safe exercise since we have the support and a guided movement. The back must be supported during the performance to avoid overloading the legs. The spine and pelvis are less likely to move and this makes it a very safe exercise.
This exercise has the advantage that it does not cause movement of the body and does not work the stabilizer muscles as much. The disadvantage is that it is not a multi-joint exercise like the traditional squat is, but it is a good option to complete the exercises of a training routine and make it more complete.
As for the muscles that are involved in this exercise, we obviously have the quadriceps, but the femoral biceps Being a stretching and glute exercise, it also helps during the pushing phase.
Recommended workload is to perform between 3 and 4 series of between 8 and 12 repetitions to work in hypertrophy ranges. Remember that the legs need a little more training volume since they are bigger muscles.
I hope that with these tips you can benefit and do the Hack squat well.