V-squat Machine

Settle your body firmly against the shoulder pads and backrest, then place your feet on the platform. Set your foot position first, then brace your abs so your hips and knees are ready to move together.

Bend your hips and knees together as you lower under control. Keep pressing into the platform, track your knees toward your toes, and keep your pelvis from lifting off the pads.

Drive through your entire foot to press the platform away and stand back up. Don't lock out your knees; finish by staying strong through your quads and glutes.

Make sure your quads and glutes are working together. 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 causes your pelvis to tuck or your knees to cave in at the bottom, stress on your lower back and knees increases. Reduce the depth if needed, but prioritize alignment and control on the way down.

Inhale as you lower and exhale as you drive up. 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.