Hack squat: how to do it
Main muscles: Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop). Helpers: Gluteus maximus, Hip adductors (inner thigh). Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Machine
Reps
8–12
Rest
105 s
Muscle group
Legs
How to do it
- Back against the platform, feet at shoulder width in the middle of the plate.
- Lower until the knee is at about 90°, or deeper if the hips allow.
- Press through the whole foot, knees tracking over the toes.
Common mistakes
Lower back coming off the pad, feet set too low and extra load on the knees.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
- Secondary
- Gluteus maximus, Hip adductors (inner thigh)
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Alternatives: similar exercises
Back squat
Barbell · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Goblet squat
Dumbbells · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Bodyweight squat
Bodyweight · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Leg press
Machine · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
Leg extension
Machine · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
Front squat
Barbell · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
GymAssist tracks the load on each of 40 muscles, paints it on a body map and uses double progression to tell you when to add weight.
Free forever for the first 500