barbell hack squat: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of barbell hack squat

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out.
Step:2 Hold the barbell behind your legs, resting it on your upper thighs.
Step:3 Lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
Step:4 Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
Step:5 Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
Step:6 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Barbell Olympic barbell
Body part: Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Quadriceps Gluteus maximus
Secondary muscle: Lower back Hamstrings Calves Adductors

Hypertrophy grade

Good7 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The Hack Squat with a bar places a strong strain on the quadriceps thanks to a free load, but postural stability and the grip under the bar sometimes limit the maximum overload compared to a guided or machine squat. The movement also recruits the glutes and posterior chain, but tension at the bottom can be compromised by core or mobility constraints. For pure isolation of the quadriceps, the machine variant offers more safety and consistency, however this exercise remains an excellent alternative for those who want a technical challenge, provided you master its execution well.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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barbell hack squat

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