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usafpimp85
01-18-07, 8:47 am
i have heard that they are bad for your knees, true or false? also, i dont have a hack squat machine in my gym, is there any other way to do them? thanx guys.

Mule83
01-18-07, 12:40 pm
Do it with a straight bar. Stand in front of the bar and grip it behind your legs. It takes a while to get used to but once you do you'll never do a hack machine again.

BigNate
01-18-07, 1:24 pm
I think that Hacks are second only to squats for quad development. They are a staple in my leg routine. Hacks are just like regular squats regarding knee injuries... if you have shitty form you will have problems. I go down the entire way until my ass touches my calves w/o any knee issues. Be smart and train hard.

king1
01-18-07, 9:35 pm
I always do the machine and go down till it hits the bottom, i get a great workout. Are barbell hack squats superior? ive never even heard someone mention doing them until here

NickSP
01-19-07, 12:36 am
Free weight all the way, hacks are awesome. I've gotten some looks for that one

usafpimp85
01-19-07, 1:36 am
thanx guys. im going to try them tonight when i do legs. lata.

violator
01-19-07, 3:37 am
yo,

check out my reply to nashs knee injury.
hacks dont work for ME, and thats the key word - ME, for other cats its the best quad development exercise next 2 squats. Just b carefull!, if u feel pressure behind the kneecap on the way up then it might not be 4 u either, listen to what ur legs r saying, screamin pain in the quads is one thing, but screaming in the doctors office as they sedate u for surgery is another.
just go with what works 4 u, fuck the norm, quads can be built thru many exercises - seek n ye shall find.

peace

Mauricio
01-19-07, 4:08 am
Good advice violator, I don't do hack squats anymore but every smart lifter should try different things in order to really understand what exercises work for his legs. As always the same shit for us, good form, and a weight your legs can really handle. Later.

The Closer
01-19-07, 5:00 am
I know how good Hack squats are for you and they are in my routine every week. However everytime I do them, my lower back cramps up after doing my heavy sets. I have tried positioning my feet differently but didn't get any better. Basically I have a really tight lower back for about 15-20 min after. I figure I will just do HAC squats last unless anyone has a suggestion. Thanks

Mule83
01-19-07, 10:56 am
I know how good Hack squats are for you and they are in my routine every week. However everytime I do them, my lower back cramps up after doing my heavy sets. I have tried positioning my feet differently but didn't get any better. Basically I have a really tight lower back for about 15-20 min after. I figure I will just do HAC squats last unless anyone has a suggestion. Thanks

Sounds like you are doing it mostly with your back. Points I try to remember when doing them is:
#1 - Wear a belt
#2 - Flex my abs as hard as I can.......Take some of the heat off your lower back.
#3 - Push through my heels.......This keeps my weight back so I can keep my back as straight as possible.
#4 - Keep my chest out and focus on dropping my hips and not bending over at the waist.
#5 - Helps to do them in front of a mirror to see your form.

This usually works for me. Hope it helps

gsb239
01-19-07, 11:07 am
My old gym had the hack squat, new one doesn't. I miss it. I'm wondering if you guys know the major difference between the hack squat and the "v-squat". It's a plate loaded Hammer Strength machine. Here's link to a picture of it:

http://us.commercial.lifefitness.com/resources/category/1/1/5/2/images/popup.full.HAMMERSTRENGTH-HS-VSQUAT-01CPR.jpg

xtonymarsx
01-19-07, 11:33 am
I don't know about hacks. I tried them last night for the first time in years. (They were never a stable part of my workout anyways). I just used the machine, tried keeping my abs tight, tried different foot positions, and different weights...but it still hurt the fuck out of my lower back. And that sucks because I've been really focusing on developing a stronger lower back now.

Maccabee
01-19-07, 11:41 am
I do machine Hack Squats and it feels great, but the thing with the barbell i never tried but i will soon. Thanks for the tip

cjjanik
01-19-07, 11:48 am
Just like with an incline leg press, don't let your lower back roll off the sled as you come down on the machine. Try to keep a slight arch in your back and maintain contact with the sled. If your feet are too far forward, this tends to happen easilly. Keep your feet as far back as confortable and experiment with foot position. IF you are doing it right, you wil REALLY feel it in your outer quads and buttocks. If your lower back is buring, something's wrong.

I prefer the machine but will do the bar hack squats at home. Be cafefull with the bar becasue you may tend to go lower than you do with the machine (45's may touch the floor).

Mix hacks in with back and fronts for good leg "shock therapy!"

Later

CJ

Mule83
01-19-07, 1:43 pm
Am I the only one that take it 45's to the ground????

BigAnt
01-19-07, 5:00 pm
i have heard that they are bad for your knees, true or false? also, i dont have a hack squat machine in my gym, is there any other way to do them? thanx guys.

A physical therapist view...hacks are only bad if YOU have previous knee pain-injury. As always, warm up good, treadmill-bike for 5 minutes, stretches and 1-3 sets of your first exercise with very light weight. Hacks are very good to develope the "tear drop" ( medialis) muscle in the quads...And some degree of that muscle is genetic. If you dont have the "teardrop" appearance after working out a while, you will never have it in proportion to the rest of your leg. Pointing toes inward or outward is only asking for an injury sooner or later. Please just follow the biomechanicaly natural movement patterns and let it grow where it will.

TheNaturalG
01-19-07, 7:38 pm
A physical therapist view...hacks are only bad if YOU have previous knee pain-injury. As always, warm up good, treadmill-bike for 5 minutes, stretches and 1-3 sets of your first exercise with very light weight. Hacks are very good to develope the "tear drop" ( medialis) muscle in the quads...And some degree of that muscle is genetic. If you dont have the "teardrop" appearance after working out a while, you will never have it in proportion to the rest of your leg. Pointing toes inward or outward is only asking for an injury sooner or later. Please just follow the biomechanicaly natural movement patterns and let it grow where it will.

I completely agree with this and just wanna add something to it. When I first started using the Hack Squat machine I thought my form as perfect, I was going all the way down, pushing with my heels, etc.. I could not figure out why I had knee pain on these. Then I realized you really have to try out different stances on the machine to try and fine a comfortable one on your knees. I never would have thought having my feet low on the platform instead of high would actually feel better. So next time you use these mess around with different stances until you find the most comfortable one.

spartan300
01-19-07, 8:30 pm
It is very possible that where you place your feet on the platform(higher/lower) could have a profound affect on the knee pain.

usafpimp85
01-20-07, 2:02 pm
i did them today and they worked out well but one thing...i could feel my upper back pulling. i had a belt on and i was looking straight up to keep my back straight so i was kind of confused. any advice or is it just one of those things i need to fix in my form? thanx guys.

Geronimo
09-04-09, 5:50 am
Hi guys, i understand that the hack squat is used to train the lower part of the quat.
In my qym we don't have hacksquat machine. Is there any way to train the lower part of the quat whithout using the hacksquat machine?
Thank in advance!!

Maccabee
09-04-09, 6:56 am
Hey,

ATG Squats, ATG Front Squats, Barbell Hack Squats. Peace

violator
09-04-09, 6:56 am
yeah...back squats & front squats....cant beat em....

Vinny G
09-04-09, 7:03 am
Hey,

ATG Squats, ATG Front Squats, Barbell Hack Squats. Peace

what is ATG?

Hollow
09-04-09, 7:39 am
what is ATG?

Ass To the Grass.

sanga
09-04-09, 8:04 am
Arse to the ground here, lol

Wasteland
09-04-09, 8:37 am
Hi guys, i understand that the hack squat is used to train the lower part of the quat.
In my qym we don't have hacksquat machine. Is there any way to train the lower part of the quat whithout using the hacksquat machine?
Thank in advance!!

What about the hack lift? It's an old time lift few do anymore (at least I never see it) but it can definitely target the lower front portion of the quads specifically.

BigAnt
09-04-09, 8:44 am
front squats and sissy squats.....

Wasteland
09-04-09, 8:45 am
front squats and sissy squats.....

Sissy squats are another old time lift for sure. Great for isolating the front quads as well. When was the last time you ever saw anyone doing the sissy squats?

Geronimo
09-04-09, 8:48 am
Thanks bros! I never done the front squat so I am gonna give it a try tonight.
i'll let you know how it went..

C.Coronato
09-04-09, 9:20 am
As Wasteland said -- Original Hack Squat / Hack lift

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBHackSquat.html

BigAnt
09-04-09, 12:00 pm
Sissy squats are another old time lift for sure. Great for isolating the front quads as well. When was the last time you ever saw anyone doing the sissy squats?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some gyms have a machine for this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiLcco7m788


WHO WS THAT HUGE-HANDSOME GUY? Hahahahah

But you can also do them with a hugging a plate, across your chest, using the other arm-hand to stabalize your body by holding onto something stationary....

J-Dawg
09-04-09, 12:06 pm
As Wasteland said -- Original Hack Squat / Hack lift

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBHackSquat.html

Nice TTL. These are very effect for hitting the quads esp. when you don't have access to any kind of special machines.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some gyms have a machine for this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiLcco7m788


WHO WS THAT HUGE-HANDSOME GUY? Hahahahah

But you can also do them with a hugging a plate, across your chest, using the other arm-hand to stabalize your body by holding onto something stationary....

That's one handsome devil in that vid, hahaha. Haven't see that device before.

Wasteland
09-04-09, 12:06 pm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some gyms have a machine for this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiLcco7m788


WHO WS THAT HUGE-HANDSOME GUY? Hahahahah

But you can also do them with a hugging a plate, across your chest, using the other arm-hand to stabalize your body by holding onto something stationary....

Yes, I'm familiar with that piece of equipment--though as you said, you don't need equipment. Nice vid, lol.

Geronimo
09-08-09, 2:51 am
Last Friday it was leg day, after almost a year of not training legs due to numerous injuries during my kickboxing training.
I did:

warm-up with leg extensions : 3 x10 with 66lbs (nice and slow and really squeezing at the top)

then back squat: 5 x 8 ass to floor with only 110lbs
after that: leg press 3 x 8 with 200lbs (explosive until I started to get dizzy)
leg curls: 3 x 12 with 66lbs
Some sissy squats (great excersise, guys!)
and then some seated and standing calf series until they just cramped up and I could think straight anymore.

Shit, saturday was ok....i felt my legs, but nothing bad...but Sunday and Monday I couldn't even sit up. It felt like my quads would get torn apart!!
I hurt just thinking about my quads!! Nice, nice work out!

Survivor831
09-08-09, 8:24 pm
I've done the Barbell Hack Squats before with great success. I've also done these with ten pound plates under my heels. The elevation seemed to really help isolte the lower quad. Definatley worth a try.

JimiZs
01-31-10, 1:51 pm
My gym doesnt have a hack squat machine. I need a good replacement exercise for it or a way to do a similar movement with a smith machine or free weights.

sodapop
01-31-10, 2:02 pm
You don't need a machine.
Check out this link:

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBHackSquat.html

Shows you exactly how to do it.

mcbeast
01-31-10, 2:04 pm
Good link. Barbell hack squats are a very taxing exercise. Perfect addition to any leg day.

JimiZs
01-31-10, 2:32 pm
appreciate it yea ill throw it in there next week tried doin it on a smith machine with havin my feet out more forward than normal but it just put too much stress on my lower back

ORDER 22
01-31-10, 2:39 pm
just free weight squats get under some heavy weight

mcbeast
01-31-10, 2:50 pm
just free weight squats get under some heavy weight

Agreed, to an extent. Ive done both heavy barbell back squats and hacks in the same workout. Barbell hacks will put a burn in your quads like no other. This exercise is just a bit difficult if you have large glutes/hams. Ha.

JimiZs
01-31-10, 3:05 pm
oh yea dont get me wrong. barbell squats are a staple of my routine. i do it on my leg strength day. hacks were assigned on the hypotrophy day and like i said we just dont have the machine.

Deathride
01-31-10, 3:13 pm
Behind the back barbell squats are the way forwards :-) And when they become too easy do them standing on a couple of inches tall box for an extra burn. Works wonders for me!

ORDER 22
01-31-10, 3:35 pm
barbell squats never become too easy and if they do add some more weights everytime i do squats the nite and the next 2 days are just painful to do anything but sleep

Goliathus
01-31-10, 5:10 pm
I did a variation of a Hack on the smith at my gym

I used a raised step plate, kind of like what you would do weighted step-ups on.
Set it where I would set my feet when I do hacks, out in front of my body, and did squats that way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIkNWI10AcE

kind of like that
except I used the box, and I was farther in front of my body

RK
01-31-10, 9:41 pm
up at school i have the same problem. Ive tried BB hack squats multiple times and im just not made for it. i bounce the bar off my ass and skin my heels more than anything. So in my case i do front squats with a BB or on the Smith. And yes i also do regular squats on the same day.

Just a suggestion if the hack squats dont work out.

xman
02-04-10, 6:07 pm
i LOVE REVERSE HACK SQUATS. i get on the machine and face the pad that your neck is supposed to touch. the burn on the quads is unreal . its one of my favorite machines for quads.