How to do a hack squat
Step into the machine with your back flat against the pad and the shoulder pads resting on top of your shoulders.
Place your feet about shoulder-width apart in the middle of the platform, toes turned out slightly.
Stand up to take the weight and release the safety handles.
Bend your knees and lower under control, keeping your back and hips on the pad and your knees over your toes.
Go down until your thighs are at least parallel to the platform.
Push through your whole foot back to the top, stopping just short of locking your knees.
These steps describe common technique. If something hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or clinician.
Common hack squat mistakes
Heels lifting
Move your feet a little higher on the platform, or keep pressing through your heels.
Hips coming off the pad
Stop at the depth where your back stays flat on the pad.
Half reps
Lower the weight until you reach parallel on every rep, so each session compares.
Bouncing out of the bottom
Control the lowering and drive up smoothly.
How to track your hack squat
Log the weight and reps of every set. Over a few weeks, the heaviest weight you lift and your estimated one-rep max show whether you are getting stronger, even when your sets use different rep counts.
Estimated 1RM, Epley formula
100 kg × (1 + 8 ÷ 30) ≈ 127 kg
A set of 8 at 100 kg estimates a one-rep max of about 127 kg.
