Hack squats have long been a favored exercise for their quad-building effects. They’re a beginner-friendly movement that provides stabilization and support that lets lifters target lower body muscle growth. Additionally, taking the upper body out of the equation lets lifters move through an extended range of motion.
Hack squats aren’t for everyone. Use these hack squat alternatives to adapt your program without detracting from your gains.
What Are Hack Squats?
Hack squats are a movement that’s completed on the machine of the same name.
The benefit of a hack squat is that the machine takes stability out of the equation. This reduces the chance of an injury by putting less onus on form, allowing the squatter to push their depth without focusing on the upper body. It also allows squatters to change their positioning safely for muscle targeting, as well as incorporating single-leg movements.
Why Do You Need Hack Squat Alternatives?
The primary reason for needing a hack squat alternative is a lack of equipment. If your gym doesn’t have a hack squat machine, but your programming includes hack squats, finding a replacement helps you stay on track to reach your goals.
Another reason you might want some options for hack squat substitutes is good, old-fashioned gym intimidation. If you’re just starting out or don’t have a trainer to teach you how to use the machine, don’t worry— there are lots of other options.
Here are some of the most effective hack squat alternatives to add to your training.
1. Barbell Back Squats
Hack squats are often viewed as one of the best barbell squat alternatives. However, it works both ways.
Traditional squats with a barbell target the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core in a powerful compound movement. The main difference between the hack squat and barbell squat is that you’ll need to focus on upper body stability and hip engagement. With a hack squat, you’re moving on a fixed angle, and your hips mobility is limited.
How To:
- Load your barbell into a back rack position, resting it across your upper back and rear delts, keeping your elbows pointed down.
- Carefully step back and place your feet slightly outside of shoulder width. You may have to adjust your stance based on your body and mobility.
- Brace your core and hinge back through the hips, keeping your chest facing up.
- When you reach parallel or below, drive up through the heels to complete the movement.
Due to the stability and core strength required for a barbell back squat, you’ll likely be forced to use a lighter weight than you would with a hack squat. Barbell back squats also put more compressive force on your spine, making them unideal for people with previous injuries.
2. Barbell Front Squats
Front squats are an often overlooked alternative to hack squats. With a front squat, the barbell is loaded anteriorly across the shoulders and chest, with the arms in a front rack position. Like the hack squat, the front squat offers a more targeted quad exercise that can help lifters build muscle mass and strength.
Learn more: 9 Benefits of Front Squats (You Won’t Want to Miss)
How To:
- Load your bar into a front rack position, with the barbell resting across your upper chest and elbows held high in front of you. Your hands should be there to stabilize the bar, not gripping tightly.
- Brace your core and hinge your hips back to lower into a squat, keeping your chest and elbows high.
- Once you’ve passed parallel, drive upward, forcing your knees out and engaging the glutes to complete the movement.
Like the back squat, core engagement is an essential component of the front squat. This is a beginner-friendly lift that allows squatters to safely drop the weight if they are at risk of failing the lift.
3. Safety Bar Squats
If you have access to a safety squat bar (SSB), it’s worth using it as a hack squat substitute. This barbell has cambered ends and two front-facing handles. Squatting with an SSB is like a hybrid between front and back squats. While the bar is loaded posteriorly, it allows for a more upright angle and trunk stability. As a result, there’s significantly less pressure on the lower back than with barbell back squats.
How To:
- Load your barbell into a back rack position, resting it across your upper back and traps. Your head should be between the two handles. Grip the handles gently— your hands are for stability.
- Carefully step back and place your feet slightly outside of shoulder width. You may have to adjust your stance based on your body and mobility.
- Brace your core and hinge back through the hips, keeping your chest facing up.
- When you reach parallel or below, drive up through the heels to complete the movement.
It’s important to note that while using an SSB engages the upper back more than a hack squat; it results in 15-17% less hamstring activation and 9% less hamstring activation than a back squat.
4. Leg Press
The leg press offers the most similar motion to the hack squat. With the hack squat, you push the weight upward while the feet stay on a fixed platform. With the leg press, you push the weight away from you while your back rests on the fixed stand. Many gyms have a combination hack squat and leg press machine.
How To:
- Load the desired weight onto the machine and position yourself on the backrest.
- Place your feet at shoulder width on the platform.
- Extend your legs and unlock the weights.
- Slowly lower the weights toward you until you reach 45 degrees, then extend powerfully to push the weight upward. Do not fully lock out your knees.
Like the hack squat, the leg press takes the stabilizer muscles out of the equation. Again, this allows for targeted growth of lower body muscle mass.
Of course, there’s a good chance that if you don’t have access to a hack squat machine, you likely won’t have access to a leg press either.
Learn more: Leg Press Vs Hack Squat: The Quest For Maximum Quadriceps Hypertrophy
5. Barbell Hack Squat
The barbell hack squat— sometimes referred to as a reverse deadlift— is a quad-scorching workout that bodybuilders love. While the motion is similar to a conventional deadlift, it takes place behind the legs. This change in position puts stress on the quads, rather than distributing it across the glutes and hamstrings.
How To:
- Load the barbell with the desired weight and position it on the floor behind your calves.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Reach down and grab the bar with a pronated grip, keeping your torso as vertical as possible.
- Brace your core and engage your lats, then drive upward through your feet until you reach full extension.
- Lower back into starting position with a slow and controlled movement.
With this hack squat alternative, you’ll feel the burn in your thighs. For this movement to work properly, you’ll want to elevate your heels with lifter shoes or by standing on weight plates.
6. Free-Weight Squats
If you’re working with limited equipment, there are a variety of free-weight squats that will effectively target your quads. Dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands are must-have implements to take bodyweight squats to the next level.
How To:
- Plant your feet at shoulder width or slightly wider— you may need to adjust based on your body type.
- Hinge your hips backward, keeping your chest up and core engaged.
- When you reach parallel or below, drive upward through your heels until standing.
To squat with free-weights, hold a single dumbbell or kettlebell in your hands in front of your chest for a goblet squat. You can also hold two dumbbells or kettlebells in a front-rack position with the weight resting on your shoulders. Adding a resistance band can increase muscle activation and help boost your lower body strength over time.
7. Belt Squat Machine
Like a hack squat, the belt squat machine takes the upper body out of the equation. As a result, you can still push the weights without worrying about your spine and shoulders. Despite the change in weight distribution, there is little difference in muscle activation between a belt squat and barbell back squat.
How To:
- Load the desired weight on the bar of the belt squat machine.
- Step onto the platform and secure the connected belt around your waist, adjusting the height as needed.
- Get into a squat stance with feet at shoulder width or slightly wider.
- Use the lever to engage the weights— this functionality will vary from machine to machine.
- Hinge your hips down into a squat and drive upward through the heels to complete the movement.
With the belt squat machine, you stand on a fixed platform and secure a belt around your hips. When you’re in position, you release the weights and squat as you would with a bar or hack squat machine.
If you don’t have access to a belt squat machine, you can replicate the movement with a weight belt, weight plates, and elevated surfaces. With a wide stance, put one foot on each elevated surface and the plate hanging from your belt, focusing on stability and muscle activation as you squat.
8. Lunges
Lunges are another effective strength training exercise that targets the quadriceps. This is a versatile exercise that you can do anywhere, loading weights as you see fit. You can load your lunges using a barbell, kettlebells or dumbbells.
How To:
- Place your feet hip-width apart.
- With a strong, vertical back, take a step forward.
- As you step forward, allow the back knee to drop toward the floor. Your leading leg should be perpendicular to the floor with the knee stacked over the ankle.
- Drive up with your forward leg until standing to complete the movement.
Practicing proper form is fundamental with this movement. Ensure that your knees don’t extend over your feet to prevent injuries.
Variations to this movement include: walking lunges, curtsy lunges, back lunges, and forward cross lunges.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of strength training exercises that work as effective hack squat alternatives. To be successful in the pursuit of your fitness goals, you must be able to adapt to your environment. Use any of these exercises to target the lower body muscle groups effectively.
