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Tiny1102
10-21-11, 12:38 pm
How does the hack squat compare to leg presses?

Solid Dreams
10-21-11, 1:42 pm
I think it's more like squats than leg presses, if that makes sense.

Dorian Yates does hacks and leg presses, and since he's the scientific man and says they work, I assume that at least for him they work.

zubda345
10-21-11, 2:38 pm
I would compare hack squat with squats not with leg presses....

and I have done hack squats a couple of times and quiet frankly I felt like it better than squats for me.

Alas there's no hacksquat machine in my gym I would love to do that

Tiny1102
10-21-11, 4:42 pm
I think it's more like squats than leg presses, if that makes sense.

Dorian Yates does hacks and leg presses, and since he's the scientific man and says they work, I assume that at least for him they work.

If they work for Dorian, then they have to work for me.

Polk17
10-21-11, 9:31 pm
Hacks isolate your quads more... Because you knees shoot out in front of your toes... The Leg Press is more of a compound move, because you get Hamstring work in there too...

Tiny1102
10-21-11, 9:53 pm
Hacks isolate your quads more... Because you knees shoot out in front of your toes... The Leg Press is more of a compound move, because you get Hamstring work in there too...

Thank you very much. Now I just need a better hack squat machine

Polk17
10-22-11, 8:33 am
Thank you very much. Now I just need a better hack squat machine

Ya, a lot of ppl condemn the Hack Squat, becuse it is not a real Squat, but if you put it in with some heavy Leg Press & SLDL's or RDL's... You are going to be getting some good work in... Fact is, if you were healthy you'd Squat, but since you ain't you gotta do what you can, and those fit in nicely... Good luck big man...

Joe J
10-22-11, 12:16 pm
I don't think you can compare the movements, I do both on leg day.

I love hack squats, definitely my favourite leg movement.

Joe J
10-22-11, 12:18 pm
Fact is, if you were healthy you'd Squat

Why is this? I never squat, and I've seen my legs grow and develop very well. If you are coming from a powerlifters point of view I apologise, but I feel too much emphasis is placed on squats in bodybuilding, and I believe there are more efficient movements for training your legs.

Tiny1102
10-22-11, 5:03 pm
Why is this? I never squat, and I've seen my legs grow and develop very well. If you are coming from a powerlifters point of view I apologise, but I feel too much emphasis is placed on squats in bodybuilding, and I believe there are more efficient movements for training your legs.

I can squat using a safety bar, but not using a normal bar. I cannot get my hands back. I think the hack will work good for me.

Polk17
10-22-11, 5:08 pm
Why is this? I never squat, and I've seen my legs grow and develop very well. If you are coming from a powerlifters point of view I apologise, but I feel too much emphasis is placed on squats in bodybuilding, and I believe there are more efficient movements for training your legs.

He's a PL... As far as bodybuildings concerned... Your goal is to be big and ripped and if you can do so without Squats go for it... Squats definitely cause your whole body to grow as much or more than any other exercise...

Solid Dreams
10-22-11, 5:47 pm
He's a PL... As far as bodybuildings concerned... Your goal is to be big and ripped and if you can do so without Squats go for it... Squats definitely cause your whole body to grow as much or more than any other exercise...

Yeah, I understand that the regular squats will make your back, abs, and everything else big and beefy. That's why I try to do them even if I'm terrible!

Polk17
10-22-11, 7:30 pm
Yeah, I understand that the regular squats will make your back, abs, and everything else big and beefy. That's why I try to do them even if I'm terrible!

Athletically there is no better move for total strength, stability, explosiveness, coordination, etc... As far as muscles go, theres nothing that uses more muscles, or causes as much CNS work as the Squat, but some people can't do them for certain reasons... Dorian never used them after his early career because they were no good for his frame... And his Legs were OK...

Carrnage
10-22-11, 7:56 pm
How does the hack squat compare to leg presses?

Hack squats are basically machine squats, and for most people hacks put more tension on the quads which is what we want. And the range of motion of the squat, is the range of motion most important for leg growth.

Carrnage
10-22-11, 7:57 pm
He's a PL... As far as bodybuildings concerned... Your goal is to be big and ripped and if you can do so without Squats go for it... Squats definitely cause your whole body to grow as much or more than any other exercise...

LOL squats wont make your whole body grow. I use to believe in that when I first started training too.

Polk17
10-22-11, 8:04 pm
LOL squats wont make your whole body grow. I use to believe in that when I first started training too.

Guess it depends on how you look at it...

Carrnage
10-22-11, 8:11 pm
Why is this? I never squat, and I've seen my legs grow and develop very well. If you are coming from a powerlifters point of view I apologise, but I feel too much emphasis is placed on squats in bodybuilding, and I believe there are more efficient movements for training your legs.

Bingo!!!

Its all about taking the targeted muscle through its entire range of motion, for quads the range of motion is to fully shorten, fully lengthened, and the range of motion inbetween being fully shorten/lengthened. If you dont understand what im saying, basically its like this....

fully shorten a muscle means full contraction (think of a leg extension)

between fully shorten/lengthened would be considered the mid range of the range of motion (think of a squat/press variation)

fully lengthened would be a muscle in its fully stretched position (think of a lunge)

Take your quads through its full range of motion during every workout, and watch your quads grow to its potential.

You can thank me later.

dannynb
10-22-11, 10:58 pm
Because of my bad back I don't always squat. But I do regularly leg press and follow it up with hack squats. I play around with foot positioning on both and stance width regularly. Only thing about hack squats is after doing them for a prolonged period of time my knees start to hurt.

Back To Basics
10-23-11, 2:28 am
Squatting is the best in my eyes for OVERALL growth, not just your quads. Your Hammies and Glutes - sick hammies and glutes are rare to find guys. Quads are not.

Back To Basics
10-23-11, 2:31 am
Bingo!!!

Its all about taking the targeted muscle through its entire range of motion, for quads the range of motion is to fully shorten, fully lengthened, and the range of motion inbetween being fully shorten/lengthened. If you dont understand what im saying, basically its like this....

fully shorten a muscle means full contraction (think of a leg extension)

between fully shorten/lengthened would be considered the mid range of the range of motion (think of a squat/press variation)

fully lengthened would be a muscle in its fully stretched position (think of a lunge)

Take your quads through its full range of motion during every workout, and watch your quads grow to its potential.

You can thank me later.

Squatting deep, look at the range for your quads. Full contraction. Just like a hack squat.

As I said, squat properly.

zubda345
10-23-11, 6:56 am
Hack squats are basically machine squats, and for most people hacks put more tension on the quads which is what we want. And the range of motion of the squat, is the range of motion most important for leg growth.

Boom! the real explanation of hack squats... Man I sooo wanna do hack squats...