Hack Squat Machine

Lean securely into the shoulder pads and back pad, and place your feet on the platform. Set your foot position first, then brace your abs to prepare your hips and knees to move together.

Bend your hips and knees together as you slowly lower. Keep pressing into the platform, let your knees track toward your toes, and keep your pelvis against the pads.

Drive through your whole foot to stand back up. Do not fully lock out your knees; finish by staying strong through your thighs and glutes.

Make sure your thighs and glutes are working at the same time. Even with the machine guiding the movement, brace your torso and press through your whole foot to keep the target muscles loaded.

If the load makes your pelvis tuck or your knees cave inward at the bottom, stress on your lower back and knees increases. Even if you reduce the depth, prioritize alignment and control your lowering speed.

Inhale as you lower, and exhale as you rise. Maintaining your breathing makes it easier to keep your abs braced at the bottom.

Hack squats, pendulum squats, and V-squats move differently from machine to machine, but the principle is the same. Set your foot position during the first set, then match the same depth and tempo on every rep.