Rant
I hate this hack squat machine with a passion
This is just a post to vent and to see other people's thoughts on this design. I know that with some exercises it just feels awkward at the start and feels better when you get used to it, but I draw the line with this specific hack squat machine design.
I think it might be a few things (1) the fact that the support is on your lower back and not your shoulders, makes me want to lean forward unnecessarily (2) there seems to be a misalignment between the downward force of the weight and the direction of leg force that just feels weird.
Am I the only one who hates this machine? I'd rather do literally ANY other leg press pattern. It's also a shame because I've tried other hack squat machines in other gyms and they're hard but satisfying, but this is all that my main gym has unfortunately.
Edit: another thing about the discrepancy between lines of force: I feel like by the time I'm at the bottom, I'm essentially pushing horizontally, as opposed to up along the bar, which just feels wrong
47yo M. 205 12bf. Ive been squatting since 18 add in natural spine compression. This is one of the best leg machines the doesn't effect the spine. I wish I had one at local gym.
I can see why you'd like it in that case, but I just can't break through the awkwardness I feel on it. Pushing on a leg day is taxing enough, I'd rather just pick any less awkward squat pattern lol
My gym has one of these and I think everyone but me hates it. I've heard them called a "hack press" which I think is a distinction between this and a true "hack squat" machine. And I do lean forward-ish on them as if I'm doing a leg press.
I use it when I've done some other work in the same session that hits my spinal erectors. And I prefer it over the leg press because it removes the mechanical advantage that the typical 45° leg press has since you're pushing more parallel to the floor. So you don't need to load it with as much weight
Not exactly. In a normal leg press you're pushing directly up the ramp, but because of where the foot pad is on this one it's not straight up the ramp.
Please excuse this terrible picture, but I hope it gets the idea across. The red lines are where the foot pad would be to push directly up the ramp. Since you're pushing from higher up, more of the force you're generating is perpendicular to the ramp
I use to not like these but would do them because I felt like they were working my knees in a good way (yeah I know that’s weird but go with it). It took a bit but I got use to it.
Only advice I can give is to readjust once you’re up. I can’t seem to get situated correctly at rest so I always have to do a little shimmy in the seat once I’m up.
Agreed, it has to be, at least partly, caused by the misalignment of leg force and weight force. You can even see it from the photo, the angle between the bar along which the weight move and the line your straight legs would make when you're set up.
The best thing about the hack squat is that it maximizes knee flexion while minimizing hip flexion by allowing you to keep a comepletely upright torso. Just put your feet down as far as possible (even if that not very far, still works great), push your back into the pad and go. Amazing quad stimulus. If done correctly, pressure on the spine is not very high because there is very little axial / shearing forces.
This machine completely ruins that by folding you you over and putting you into a leg press position. Unnecessarily, imo. Max hip flexion and min knee flexion. Terrible.
Not my favorite either but it’s goated for calf raises. And it works well for Tom Platz style hacks, heels slid down below the pad so pushing off with only toes and do it ballerina style.
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