How to do the Barbell Hack Squat
Stand up straight while holding a barbell behind you at arms length and your feet at shoulder width. Tip: A shoulder width grip is best with the palms of your hands facing back. You can use wrist wraps for this exercise for a better grip. This will be your starting position.
While keeping your head and eyes up and back straight, squat until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Breathe in as you slowly go down.
Pressing mainly with the heel of the foot and squeezing the thighs, go back up as you breathe out.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 8–12 | 2 min |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 1 min |
When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 5 kg (10 lb) next session and work back up.
Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
The front of your thighs straightens the knee. Squats, leg presses and lunges with deep knee bend build them; leg extensions isolate them.
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