Hack Squat

Muscles worked: Quads (assisted by glutes).

How to do it

1. Place the back of your torso against the back pad of the machine and hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads provided.
2. Position your legs in the platform using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out.
3. Place your arms on the side handles of the machine and disengage the safety bars (which on most designs is done by moving the side handles from a facing front position to a diagonal position).
4. Now straighten your legs without locking the knees.
5. Begin to slowly lower the unit by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up (back on the pad at all times).

Coaching cues

The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:

• Heels flat, back against the pad
• Deep as your knees allow, drive evenly

Logging it

IronPack suggests working in the 6 to 10 rep range, progressing in 5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Loading the bar? Use the plate calculator, and check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.

Related exercises

• Sumo Deadlift - glutes, quads
• Trap Bar Deadlift - quads, glutes
• Barbell Back Squat - quads, glutes
• Front Squat - quads

Photos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.