HACK
SQUAT
MPEG: Hack Squat
CORRECT FORM
1)
Assume a seated position in the hack squat machine. Your back should
be against the back pad. Get your back/pelvis into a neutral position.
To maintain an upright, erect posture. Place
your feet on the platform, shoulder width apart with your toes pointed
slightly outward. Your feet should be in front of your body on the
platform. Keeping them directly under you will force too much strain
on the knee joints.
2) Release the
weight with your knees in an unlocked position. Begin to lower the
weight by bending at the hips. Do not let your back rise off of
the seat. Doing so will only place added stress on your lower back.
3) Lower the sled until your thighs are parallel
with the sled your feet are on. Do not go further than this. You
may need to contract your abdominal muscles to keep your lower back
from bending.
4) As you explode upward, push through and straighten the hips.
Push straight upward and keep your back/lower spine straight the
entire time.
5) Inhale as you descend, exhale as you push back up.
6) The hack squat can also be done with one leg only on the sled.
In this case, bring the foot toward the center of the sled but only
slightly inward from the position it would be in if you were using
two legs.
MUSCLES USED
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS/PRECAUTIONS
The hack squat
is often considered a very safe alternative to the squat, however,
this is only partially true.
What
the hack squat truly allows for is your that your upper back be
allowed to relax, and to keep you from having to worry about falling
backwards.
The key to performing
a hack squat correctly is to bend from the hips, keep your back
and pelvis straight, and begin with your feet forward. Do not let
your pelvis tilt forward just to go through more range-of-motion
on this exercise or you will place excessive strain on your lower
back structures.
If you begin
with your feet planted under your shoulders, as in a standing
squat, you will find that your hips cannot bend effectively
(the back pad gets in the way). This is a striking example of how
a squat can be bad for your knees. If you have ever tried
a hack squat in this manner, you would felt some significant stress
and pain under your patellae (kneecaps).
Another misunderstanding
is the optimal position of the foot. There is no research to suggest
that the position of the foot will force you to use your inner or
outer quadriceps anymore than keeping your feet pointed slightly
outward. In fact the research shows that you will get more
overall quadriceps muscle activity if your feet are in neutral or
slightly pointed outward (1-3)
What turning your
feet excessively inward or outward WILL do is place an unusual amount
of stress on your knee ligaments, which could stretch them out and
make it more likely for you to injure them later.
EFFECTIVENESS
Although
not as effective in terms of overall carryover and functional use
as the squat, the hack squat can be a very good leg strengthening
exercise. It allows the muscles of the thigh and hip to be maximally
loaded which is important in developing good leg strength.
HELPFUL
WITH TRAINING FOR
Vitually
every sport can be enhanced by performing a hack squat since nearly
all sports require good leg strength. REFERENCES
1.
Signorile JF, et al: Effect of foot position on the electromygraphical
activity of the superficial quadriceps muscles during the parallel
squat and knee extension. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
1995, 9(3): 182-7.
2. Ninos JC, et al: Electromyographic analysis of the squat performed
in self-selected lower extremity neutral rotation and 30 degrees
of lower extremity turn-out from the self-selected position. JOSPT
May 1997, 25(5): 307-15.
3. Signorile JF, et al: The effect of knee and foot position on
the electromyographical activity of the superficial quadriceps.
JOSPT July 1995, 22(1): 2-9.
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