Hack Squat Machine

Muscles Hack Squat Machine Works

Main muscleWith your back and shoulders against the pads, press the platform away and stand up as your knees and hips extend together. The main muscles are your quads and glutes. Your quads straighten your knees, and your glutes extend your hips to drive your body up the machine.

Supporting musclesYour hamstrings assist hip extension, your core keeps your torso pressed into the pads, and your hip abductors help keep your knees from caving inward.

How it should feelAs you press through your whole foot, your quads and glutes should tighten together. Near the top, your glutes should help finish the rep.

Signs you're offIf your knees cave in or your lower back lifts off the pad, leg tension can break down and your back may take more stress. If you press only through your toes, your knees may feel overloaded.

Remember thisKeep your back on the pad and press through your whole foot to extend your knees and hips together.

Muscles used

• Quadsfront of the thighs from above the knees toward the hips
• Glutesthe large muscles that make up your butt
• Hamstringsback of the thigh from the glutes to behind the knee
• Coremuscles around the abs, lower back, and pelvis
• Hip abductorsouter hip muscles that help keep the knees tracking outward

Setting Up for Hack Squat Machine

Setup orderAdjust shoulder pad height → Check Safety handle position → Attach equal plates to both sides

• Shoulder pads

  Set it like thisAdjust the height of the pads so that both Shoulder pads rest comfortably on your shoulders when you stand inside the machine.

  How to checkThe Shoulder pads should not press against the neck and should touch the shoulders at the same height on both sides.

• Safety handle

  Set it like thisBefore starting, check where the lock handle or Safety device is located.

  How to checkMake sure you can grab the handle properly and see the location of the lock.

• Plates

  Set it like thisIf it is a machine that uses plates, place plates of the same weight on both racks.

  How to checkThe number and quantity of plates on both sides must be the same, and the plates must be inserted all the way into the stand.

Watch out forAvoid starting with Shoulder pads press against the neck, you start without knowing the location of the Safety handles, or the weights on both sides are different.

Stance for Hack Squat Machine

Foot widthPlace your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width in the middle of the footplate, with your knees and toes pointing in the same direction.

Where your weight goesPress the whole sole of each foot into the footplate, and keep your shoulders and back against the pads.

Upper body positionPlace your shoulders and back against the pads, and keep your feet from sliding on the footplate.

Why it mattersIf your foot position is unstable, your knees or torso may wobble as you lower and press up.

How to Grip for Hack Squat Machine

Grip typeHold the handles below the shoulder pads with both hands.

Grip widthHold the same position on both handles, so one hand is not higher or lower than the other.

How hard to gripPlace the handles in the middle of your palms and wrap your thumbs around them.

The Key Point for Hack Squat Machine

Press your back and buttocks against the pad, and push off the footplate with your entire soles to go down and come back up.

Think of it like thisThe back is on the pad, and the feet are whole.

Before the fixMy heels lift off the pad, or my buttocks slip off.

After the fixThe strength is evenly distributed to the thighs and buttocks, and the body stays securely attached to the pad.