A barbell hack squat places the bar behind the legs and uses knee and hip extension to emphasize the quadriceps while standing up from a squatted position.
How to do the Hack Squat (Barbell)#
- Stand with the barbell positioned behind your legs and reach back to grab it with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
- Brace your core, keep your chest upright, and bend at the hips and knees to descend into a controlled squat.
- Drive through your heels to extend your knees and hips and lift the bar back to a standing position.
- Lower the bar with control back to the start and prepare for the next repetition.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Quads
- Secondary: Glutes, Adductors, Hamstrings, Lower back, Forearms
Common mistakes#
- Pulling the bar with your arms instead of driving through your legs.
- Leaning the torso forward and losing an upright posture.
- Rising onto the toes instead of keeping weight through the heels.
