Muscles Used • Exercise Type • Form Instruction • Tips and Techniques • Recommended Reps • Common Variations • Substitutions • Equipment Needed
 |  |
| Top | Bottom |
Primary Mover(s) | Muscles Used: | Secondary Mover(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Quads |  | Glutes Hams |
| Other Mover(s) | ||
| Calves, Abs, Traps, Low Back |
See all the exercises at the:
Weight Training Exercises Database
– Barbell Hack Squats –
AKA: Rear Deadlifts
Exercise Type:
Compound Exercise, Push Movement
Form Instruction:
Squat down and grasp barbell with an overhand grip behind your legs. Raise up by thrusting the hips forward. Lower back down until your thighs are parallel or just below parallel to the floor.
Tips and Techniques:
You can also start the exercise from a low squat rack if available. This is perhaps most desirable as you can start with the eccentric and finish with the concentric portion of the exercise.
The key to effectively and safely performing this lift is to focus on moving the hips forward as you raise. Don’t let the hips stay back and put unnecessary stress on the back. When you are lowering move the hips back as though sitting in a chair.
Keep the bulk of the weight on the heels. Make sure the knees are following the direction of the toes toes as you raise and lower.
Arms should be hanging straight and not working. The barbell can travel lightly up and down the back of your legs as you do the exercise.
Keep the chest out, shoulders back and the back still and straight as much as possible. You are bending at the waist only.
Keeping to good and safe form can be nearly impossible for some people. Barbell Hack Squats are not an exercise that everyone is built to do. Shorter limbed people won’t be able to do them effectively. That isn’t a big deal, this isn’t necessarily an important exercise, just another way to hit the quads.
Even those long limbed people who have no problem doing the exercise should spend some time practicing with light weights. It can be an awkward movement on your first attempts.
Recommended Reps For Muscle Building:
6-12 the majority of the time, trying higher or lower reps on occasion.
Common Variations:
- Machine-Based Hack Squats
- Smith-Machine Hack Squat – Done the same way but with the smith machine.
- DeadLifts
Substitutions:
Due to the awkwardness and difficulty doing Barbell Hack Squats as mentioned above, Machine Hack Squats are the more commonly used exercise. They make a good alternative. Barbell Hack Squats are often called Rear Deadlifts and so the Deadlift is an obvious alternative. And then, of course, for quad development, you have the “Big Daddy” of all exercises: Squats.
Bodybuilding Equipment:
Barbell, Weights
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