Hack Squat Machine vs Pistol Squat
Maximizing Your Leg Workout Plan
Contents
Planfit users log Hack Squat Machine more often — 5,707 sessions vs 86. Compare Leg form, muscles worked, and when to use each.
Customize Your Leg Workout: Explore the Benefits of Hack Squat Machine and Pistol Squat for Better Comparison.
Planfit Users' Choice about Hack Squat Machine vs Pistol Squat : Which is Better?
Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Hack Squat Machine more often — 5,707 sessions compared to 86 for Pistol Squat.
Popularity is not the whole answer. Hack Squat Machine and Pistol Squat differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.
How Hack Squat Machine and Pistol Squat Differ
| What differs | Hack Squat Machine | Pistol Squat |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | a machine | bodyweight only |
| One side at a time | No | Yes |
| Difficulty | 2 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Sessions logged by Planfit users | 5,707 sessions | 86 sessions |
How to Hack Squat Machine
Hack Squat Machine muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Tighten your abdomen and keep your waist straight, then bend at the hip joint to lower your hips down.
- 2. Lower yourself until your knees naturally bend and your thighs are vertical to your body.
- 3. Push strongly through the center of your feet to rise up.
- 4. As your hips rise, straighten your knees and hip joints in sequence, and return to the starting position.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to lean your upper body excessively forward.
- 2. Keep your chest up and engage your core to avoid bending your waist.
- 3. Don't excessively bend your waist while trying to keep it straight.
- 4. Please do not push your hips too far back.
- 5. Make sure your feet do not come off the ground.
- 6. When standing up, please ensure your knees do not come together.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Hack Squat Machine, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Hack Squat Machine Guide page of our blog!
How to Pistol Squat
Pistol Squat muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Lower your leg lifted off the ground until it is parallel to the floor.
- 2. As your hips rise, straighten your knees and hip joints in sequence, and return to the starting position.
- 3. Proceed one side at a time or alternately.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to excessively lean your upper body forward.
- 2. Keep your chest up and engage your core to avoid bending your waist.
- 3. Don't excessively bend your waist while trying to keep it straight.
- 4. Please do not stick your hips too far back.
- 5. Make sure your feet do not come off the ground.
- 6. When standing up, please ensure your knees do not come together.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Pistol Squat, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Pistol Squat Guide page of our blog!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for Leg, Hack Squat Machine or Pistol Squat?
Planfit users log Hack Squat Machine more often — 5,707 sessions against 86 for Pistol Squat. Both train Leg, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.
What equipment do Hack Squat Machine and Pistol Squat need?
Hack Squat Machine needs a machine, and Pistol Squat needs bodyweight only.
Which is easier to start with?
Hack Squat Machine is the easier place to start. Move to Pistol Squat once your form holds up.
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