The hack machine gained great popularity as soon as the category “fitness bikini” came into fashion. A number of trainers even write that you can’t get sane buttocks without doing a hack squat. But stubborn kinesiologists insist that people squat without machines just long enough until the equipment stops working. Is it really impossible for beginners to squat in a hack and what is the catch with this common exercise?
Execution technique
Initial position
- Stand on the platform of the machine in a stance that is comfortable for a regular squat. It should be possible to move your knees in alignment with your toes to the sides and lower your pelvis if you squat, pressing your back to the back;
- Next, the back is positioned against the back, the levers rest on the shoulders. It is necessary to activate the press, pulling it inward a little, but not completely removing the natural deflection of the spine;
- The head rests on the pillow with the back of the head, the shoulders are under the levers, and the restraints are removed by hand.
Movement
- It is necessary to begin to lower by bending the knee joint;
- The movement continues as long as it is possible to bend the knee and the feeling is comfortable;
- Some people squat parallel, others lower, it depends on the condition of the hip and knee joints. If there is no discomfort in them, the heels do not come off during movement, there is no reason not to squat to full amplitude;
- During movement, the hands hold the handles;
- From the bottom point, you should smoothly straighten your legs at the knee and hip joints, and then stand in the starting position;
- The number of repetitions is determined by the plan; if possible, the athlete should perform all repetitions using the same technique.
It's HACK SQUATS, baby!
Attention
- Amplitude and technique are highly dependent on the athlete's anthropometry. People with a long thigh and short lower leg are not recommended to squat on a back-to-back hack machine. They can do this facing the back, strongly moving the pelvis back to avoid injury to the knee joint. These people should ideally have their barbell squat technique established before they perform any bodybuilding variations. Requires the ability to control the body with muscles, and completely avoid overloading the spine;
- You can train your feet in different ways, but all this is for those who use relatively light weights in training and a reasonable approach. Any positioning of the feet will affect the knee ligaments and may contribute to their injury if this positioning is not natural for the person. It’s easy to determine what’s natural - you need to jump off a support or from a bench and look;
- It is also important how an athlete can squat with a barbell. If the amplitude in the joints does not allow you to sit with the mobile apparatus so that the pelvis is below the knees, perhaps this movement should not be performed at all.
- It is not recommended to lift your back from the back of the machine;
- You should not bend your lower back too much;
- It will be better if the heels also do not move and come off during the exercise.
What is a simulator device?
The hack squat machine consists of an incline bench set at an angle of approximately 35 degrees (deviation from the vertical axis of 15 degrees) and a free-rolling sled for back support. Fixation is performed due to the tight fit of the back to the simulator and the presence of shoulder pads. An additional weight is attached to the sled, the size of which depends on the level of training. The legs are placed on a special bench that is integral with the main bench. Modern exercise machines are equipped with an additional stopper for convenient weight lifting. Hack squats are usually performed from a standing position. Do not take the maximum weight, it is better to increase the number of repetitions. A significant number of repetitions at the initial stage allows you to strengthen your knees.
Advice. Be careful before starting exercise. The trainer must first be unlocked. After completing the exercises, put the lock in place.
Some machines have the ability to perform weighted reverse squats. In this case, the athlete lies back on what would otherwise be a footstool, lifts his legs up onto a weighted sled, and then flexes and extends his legs to lift the weight. The advantage of this method is that the load on the veins of the legs and knee joints is reduced. This method is ideal for vascular diseases and for the prevention of problems with veins. To start training, set the minimum weight, regardless of your personal fitness level.
Stop placement and load
The high and narrow position of the feet transfers the load to the biceps of the thighs and buttocks, but only people whose thigh is approximately the same length as the lower leg can safely squat in this position. If you are not one of them, you should be more careful in selecting exercises. It is better to take the option with your back to the gym, and not to the back of the machine;
“Sumo” allows you to shift the load to the medial heads of the quadriceps, but in most cases this technique also includes the adductor muscles;
The anatomical stance distributes the load between the quadiceps and biceps relatively evenly.
Leg exercises. Hack squats.
Reverse hack squats
This type of exercise can only be performed on those simulators that have shoulder supports in their design.
it is very important to bend your lower back and keep your back as straight as possible.
Legs should be placed wide, feet turned at 45 degrees. You can also perform the exercise with a narrow stance.
- If in the first option (with a wide stance of the legs), the feet should be placed as close as possible to the upper edge of the platform;
- then in the second option (with a narrow stance of the legs), the feet should be lowered lower, approximately to the level of the center of the platform.
Reverse squats in the Hackenschmidt simulator are just another “trend” in the modern sports world, and nothing more. This exercise involves engaging the gluteal muscles, hamstrings and stabilizers, while the quadriceps are less loaded. Thus, without providing a stable support for the back, the core muscles are forced to hold the torso in the correct position.
What muscles work
The main movers here are the quadriceps and hamstrings. With a good amplitude, the gluteal muscles are included in the movement. The calves and soleus also work in this squat variation. It is a mistaken belief that the Hack squat is for beginners. An ordinary person with an office job does not have the necessary mobility in the ankles and hip joints and therefore should not squat in the Hakka.
The error occurs because the simulator turns off the abs and back. Many people find it easier to squat this way. However, such a squat is not natural for a person. In everyday life, we sit down and stand up with a slight tilt of the body forward with contracted back muscles. We need to activate these muscles to maintain balance.
The back is turned off not to prevent injury or for rehabilitation, but in order to achieve bodybuilding goals. With the help of the Hack squat, they want to “turn on” the legs and “turn off” the transverse abdominal muscles and latissimus dorsi muscles as much as possible from the process. This is necessary in order to get a load that does not increase the width of the waist. This is all true only for professional athletes, their training volumes and means of recovery. But an ordinary amateur who came to strengthen his muscles and improve his appearance, but not become a bodybuilder, should not worry about this. He is still not destined to “swing his waist” with ordinary strength exercises.
How to do the exercise
Press your back as tightly as possible against the surface of the machine. There should be no back bends or gaps. Proper technique for performing the exercise also promotes good posture. Arching your back increases the load on the intervertebral discs and can lead to injury.
For women who do not have developed abdominal muscles or are recovering after childbirth, a corset is also desirable. You can start exercising on exercise machines approximately 2-3 months after giving birth. The frequency of training for women on the Hack simulator should not exceed 1-2 times a week.
Make sure the shoulder pads lie flat and fit snugly against your body. Modern exercise machines have soft and dense pads made of plastic or silicone. On old or homemade exercise machines, the shoulder pads may simply be metal. Place a towel.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/hQI1HuNVpFA
Positioning of the legs when performing the exercise
Place your feet correctly. In the classic version, the feet are parallel to each other, at a short distance. If we were not talking about bodybuilding, it would be worth saying shoulder width apart. The distance between the feet is about 30 cm. In this case, the load on the quadriceps femoris muscle is maximum.
For hack squats, positioning of the legs is also allowed with pointed toes. In this case, the participation of the calf muscles and buttock muscles increases. On the other hand, with this method of positioning the legs, fatigue increases, the number of repetitions decreases, and the development of the complex quadriceps muscle worsens. Once you have taken the correct position on the machine, you can remove the stopper and start moving. An inclined foot platform is needed in order to keep your heels off the surface. Keep an eye on this.
Movement
The hack squat exercise requires a soft and smooth continuous movement. Do not reach either the lower or the upper limit when performing the exercise and do not stop. Try to bend your legs so that your knees do not extend beyond the standard foot area. A half squat is enough. The angle of bending of the legs at the knee should not exceed 90 degrees.
If your knees give way and move closer together, stop doing squats. This means that the knees are not ready for the exercise. Reduce the weight to the minimum or remove the weight completely. Exercise your knees and stretch your muscles. There may be an injury that you forgot about or didn't pay attention to. You can’t exercise “through pain.”
Number of repetitions up to 20 times. You can perform 4-5 approaches in one lesson. With an individual training system, adhere to your own regime established by the trainer.
Breathing while performing squats
The technique of doing hack squats requires special breathing. Squat as you inhale and straighten your legs as you exhale, holding your breath slightly at the bottom. Try to avoid oxygen starvation, which causes muscle pain. Consult with a trainer, since choosing a different breathing method is an individual decision.
Performing squats facing the machine
In some cases, hack squats are performed facing the machine. Women who dream of quickly developing their gluteal muscles are especially keen on this. In a normal position, with your back pressed against the machine, the work of the gluteal muscles is minimal, and the deflection of the spine is difficult. When positioned facing the machine, allow for arching in the lower back and deep work of the gluteal muscles.
Rules
Be sure to start by working your legs and buttocks without weights and carry your body weight without a machine for at least 2 months before starting training on the machine. Keep your feet on the stand. Don't stand up on your toes. The support is performed on the heels.
Table for performing hack squats for buttocks
| Training time | Discipline | Number of executions | Number of approaches | Class time | Notes |
| 1 Week | Body transfer, preparatory exercises | About 10 | 3-5 | 3-4 times a week | Preparatory exercises can be performed at home. |
| 2 week | Break, rest | Foot massage, sauna, swimming pool. | |||
| 3-8 week | Preparatory exercises with body transfer | 10-12 | 5 | 2-3 times a week | Proper nutrition with mandatory protein foods, massage, swimming pool - additionally. |
| 9-10 week | Hack squats in the usual way | 8 | 3 | 3 times a week | Massage, continue strengthening exercises on free days. |
| From 11 weeks | Squats facing the machine | 8-10 | 4-5 | 2 times per week | Standard training regimen. |
Pros and cons of the hack squat
Typically, such questions are asked by people who study without a coach or with an inexperienced instructor. The free weight squat is fundamentally different from the hack machine in terms of biomechanics. In the squat, the weight of the barbell is distributed relatively evenly between the back and hips, especially in a technique that is safe to lift.
In a hack machine, it completely puts pressure on the shoulders, is projected onto the hips and puts quite a significant load on the knees.
The pros and cons of gakka can be summarized as follows:
- The variation is good for bodybuilding purposes. Allows you to load your legs with reduced “recoil” to the back, and get a fairly high-quality workout without the use of huge weights and the metabolic stress that accompanies such practice;
- The exercise can be used for those who are trying to master the squat with a vertical back, but cannot maintain balance with a barbell placed on top of the trapezius. At the same time, such a person can bend his hips and knees in principle, and sit in a full squat with a low barbell;
- The movement is suitable for those who need something to “finish off” their legs after regular squats, but the leg press is not suitable due to an unstable lower back position or some other similar factor;
- The machine is considered safer for performing drop sets and supersets, but is not intended for squatting with rubber shock absorbers. Although for a version of the squat with a rubber shock absorber around the hips, the hack is more suitable than the barbell, as it allows you to activate the hip;
- A significant disadvantage of Hakka is that it cannot replace squats with a barbell on the back and chest, but it is often used as a replacement, so people who practice such things rarely achieve significant progress. They may suffer both because of their ignorance and because the trainer convinced them of the need to “isolate the legs and exclude the back from the movement.” Let us remind you that you should do this only after your back muscles have strengthened. It is absolutely not necessary to perform Hakka squats with huge weights, the same applies to the barbell. But harmonious development of the body is achieved only by combinations of basic movements with free weight and exercises in simulators.
Tips for pumping up the quadriceps
Interesting fact: Tom Platz, a famous bodybuilder and actor, performed squats with a barbell, took a weight of 260 kg and squatted until his leg muscles completely failed. With a body weight of 104 kg, Tom squatted 286 kg 15 times, 158 kg 52 times and held 225 kg for 10 minutes on straight legs.
Thomas Steven Platz, nicknamed “Kvadrobatya”
For the development of the quadriceps, front squats with a barbell and hack squats are considered the most effective. Let's evaluate these exercises.
- A front squat with a barbell requires strong back muscles, otherwise the bar will collapse, and the back gets tired quickly, even before the legs begin to pump. Therefore, the result is achieved by correctly selecting the number of approaches, alternating load with rest and pre-exhaustion of the quadriceps before starting the barbell squat.
- The hack squat allows you to isolate the quadriceps and thereby build an impressive front of the thighs. In this case, the question of back fatigue does not arise, because the weight of the bar falls not on the shoulders, but on the legs. Therefore, it is believed that hack squats have advantages over front squats.
Preparing for the exercise
Ideally, a student should be able to squat without a barbell into a full squat, perform a goblet squat, and squat with a barbell on the front and back. The first exercise in the Hakk plan happens only in one case - a person is engaged in bodybuilding, not fitness, and came to purposefully pump up his legs without including his back.
If the Hack squat is the first exercise of the plan, you should actively warm up. First you need to roll out your hips and buttocks on a foam roller, after MFR you need to walk on a treadmill or pedal an exercise bike. And only after this you need to start doing a special warm-up.
The machine is quite heavy on its own, so beginners will have to rule out the option of immediately moving into the machine and starting to squat. Their task is to squat for a couple of sets without weight, and only then start working on the machine.
Otherwise, it is not recommended to immediately start with working weight; you need to do 1-4 warm-up approaches. The greater the working weight, the longer the warm-up will be. If submaximal weights are used, and this is not the first exercise, warm-up approaches should still be done.
Common mistakes
Of course, all people make mistakes
However, mistakes in the gym can lead to serious injuries, so we advise you to pay attention to the following points when performing squats with a barbell on a machine:
You cannot place your knees in such a way that they look inward. This position of the legs risks torn ligaments or cartilage damage.
To prevent such injuries, it is important to turn your knees so that they are parallel to your feet, that is, pointing in the same direction as your toes. Do not fix your pelvis during squats
Such laxity can result in a diagnosis such as intervertebral hernia. To stay healthy, press your gluteal muscles against the back of the machine.
Incorrect head position affects the curvature of the spine. Under no circumstances should you look at the ceiling or floor to cope with physical activity. The best option is to look ahead. Thus, the spine will be as smooth and natural as possible and will be able to withstand the small load that is placed on it during the exercise.
Heels coming off the platform. This error can be caused by two reasons. The first is not stretching well enough. The solution is simple: spend more time stretching your muscles, and only after that start exercising. The second reason is related to individual anatomy. In this case, you will not be able to stretch your muscles, and the best solution is to use the leg press.
Incorrect breathing. It may seem like it doesn't affect anything, but it doesn't. If at the moment when you inhale air, you straighten up, then the level of blood pressure in the lungs may increase, which negatively affects the functioning of the entire body. Therefore, breathe correctly during squats: inhale when you lower and exhale when you rise.
Choosing shoes. We are talking not only about the most comfortable sneakers in which you will be able to exercise comfortably, but there is also no need to choose separate shoes for the exercise machine. It’s just that shoes with low, that is, low, soles are best suited for sports. It is important that the sole is hard. This will ensure your feet are stable on any machine. It is also worth remembering that sneakers must be completely enclosed to protect the foot from damage.
Important! In rare cases, increased pressure in the lungs coupled with heavy physical activity can lead to rupture of the organ.
Inclusion in the program
Many people believe that auxiliary exercises in the plan are not needed, and that it is enough to do one base. This is not true.
Working in a hack trainer can:
- Help with the development of lagging legs if the athlete squats with significant involvement of the back;
- Strengthen your quadriceps and hamstrings;
- Improve the neuromuscular connection and accustom the person to the movement itself - bending the legs at the knee joint. This is practiced if a person does not have problems with flexibility, but does not sit up due to the lack of neuromuscular connection
Like any other work in simulators, the hack is included in training as needed, that is, in order to achieve a specific goal - improve the squat or load the legs more.
A variation of the exercise is the reverse Hack squat, that is, a movement in which the pelvis is pulled back and the face is directed towards the back of the machine. For many, this exercise is more reminiscent of a forward bend with a barbell, but it is often used as a staple in women's training.
Squats in the HAKK-simulator: technique and nuances
Foot placement options
The position of the legs determines which muscles the exercises are aimed at. There are 4 installation options in total.
- The feet are on the lower edge of the platform. The emphasis is on the front of the thighs.
- The legs are placed in the center and next to each other. This is how the lateral bundle of the quadriceps muscle is pumped.
- The feet are brought together and located at the upper edge of the platform. The exercises work the buttocks and hamstrings.
- The legs are spread apart at shoulder width, the toes pointing in different directions. The hip adductors feel the load during squats.
Leg training including hack machine
Attention – working “in failure” is recommended only for those who are engaged in bodybuilding and can use a variety of recovery means. For amateurs and beginners, conventional set-repetition schemes are sufficient.
Such training usually includes minimal isolation. The athlete starts with a barbell squat, then moves on to the Gakku, then performs 1 isolation exercise for the hamstrings and quadriceps.
If the workout is focusing on the back of the thighs, it is recommended to start with the deadlift version, and then turn on the hack machine.
Interesting fact! The simulator was invented by the Russian athlete and trainer Georg Hackenschmidt and the machine became one of the first leg simulators known to mankind.
