Squats in a hack simulator (machine) with a barbell, reverse, leg press, for the buttocks

Hack squats are a type of bench press.... The movement is carried out in a special simulator located at an angle to the plane of the floor. This sports equipment allows you to diversify your leg muscle training.

What muscles do the hack squat work?

Hack squats work all the muscles in the lower body and abdominals.

The main target group is quads:

• Lateral thigh muscle... This broad muscle occupies almost the outside of the upper limb. At the top, it attaches to the greater trochanter of the intertrochanteric line and the median lip of the rough thigh line. The lateral head creates the appearance and volume of the leg.
• Rectus muscle... It is the longest muscle in this group. It starts from the anterior inferior spine of the supracostal groove. In the upper part, the straight head of the quadriceps goes to the back of the thigh and helps the biceps muscle in bending the leg.
• Medial muscle... Becomes visible in the lower thigh and occupies the middle position. Attaches to the medial lip of the rough thigh line. In trained athletes, this head is clearly visible as a drop hanging over the knee.
• Intermediate wide... This is the weakest quadriceps muscle. Located between the lateral and medial head. At the highest point, it is attached to the anterior surface of the femur.

All the bundles of the quadriceps muscle at the lowest point are attached to the great tendon, which covers the kneecap and joins the tibia. From the place and nature of the attachment of the bundles of the quadriceps muscle, it follows that the main function of the quadriceps is to straighten the leg in the knee joint. This is the essence and main idea of ​​the hack squat.

When exercising in this simulator, the work includes:

• The back of the thigh (biceps and gluteus muscles).
• The muscles of the inner thigh.
• Muscles stabilizers of the middle part of the body (long extensors of the lumbar spine, oblique abdomen, rectus abdominis).
• Calf muscles (soleus, gastrocnemius).
• Muscles of the foot.

The static load falls on the deltoids, muscles of the arms and upper back. There are many variations of this exercise. They shift the load more from one large muscle group to another. Depending on the position of the legs on the platform of the simulator, the adductor and abductor muscles of the thigh can be activated.

In this case, the load is removed from the lateral head of the quadriceps. In addition to the quadriceps, the weight of the weighted projectile is taken over by the gluteal muscles. This occurs when the feet are closer to the rear edge of the platform.

Technique for performing hack squats with a barbell without a simulator

Hack squatting allows the athlete to reduce the axial load on the spine.This is due to the location of the guides and the movable platform at an angle to the horizon.

However, such equipment is not found in every gym. In order to minimize the load on the spinal column, you can perform squats with a barbell behind the back and in front of the athlete's chest.

Behind the back

Technics:

• The projectile with the required load is placed on a flat surface. The athlete turns his back to him.
  
• Squatting, the athlete fixes the bar with a straight grip (hands look at the bar). The thumbs wrap around the bar and connect with the index fingers in the lock. It is not allowed to grip the bar with the "monkey" open grip.
• Next, you should begin the process of straightening the body at the knees and hip joint. It is important to move smoothly, without jerking.
• The process of lowering the bar is carried out until the moment at which the thighs become parallel to the floor.

The entire cycle of the described actions is 1 full repetition. The number of repetitions is determined by the athlete based on fitness and training goals.

In front of the chest

Technics:

• The barbell is fixed at the level of the shoulder girdle and rests on the athlete's hands or deltoid muscles. The location of the projectile at this level allows you to deploy the shoulders and bring the shoulder blades together. This creates additional protection for the spine.
• Lowering from the upper position should be carried out smoothly. At the lowest point, the thighs are parallel to the floor.
• The ascent to the starting point occurs without jerks.

The movements discussed are one complete repetition.

Technique for performing squats in the simulator

The Gakkenschmidt simulator is an inclined frame with a leg plate and a movable platform for installing additional weights. Most often, the platform guides are fixed at an angle to the floor plane. For this reason, many athletes make the mistake of calculating the total load. It is equal to the weight of the projectile.

As you know, the weight of the body is not equal to the mass, but is defined as its product by the sine of the angle between the guides and the floor (approximately sin45 = 0.7).

The movable part of the equipment is equipped with a soft back and shoulder supports. The weight of the inventory falls on the deltas. The simulator is equipped with special handles for fixing the hands. There are some modifications in which the main supports are absent, and the weight of the platform has to be held on the hands.

Any athletic exercise should begin with warm-ups and lightweight preliminary sets.

After that, you can start performing the working approaches:

• Place the platform at a suitable height and crouch under it.
• The back and shoulders should be pressed firmly against the appropriate panels and bolsters.
• Place your feet in the middle of the bottom plate with your heels slightly in front of your imaginary body line.
• The feet are placed shoulder-width apart.
• You need to look directly in front of you. It is not allowed to look down or look aside.
• Remove the platform from the supports, creating tension in the leg muscles. The movable stoppers must be moved to the side and smooth downward movement begins.
• The squat is performed until the angle between the thigh and lower leg reaches
• Upon reaching the indicated position, you should go up without pause.

When doing squats in a hack machine, it is important to monitor the correct breathing. Inhalation is carried out while moving down. During this period of time, the diaphragm experiences less stress and is easier to stretch. Exhale - when moving up.

Reverse hack squats for the buttocks

The Hackenschmidt machine is easy to use. A beginner athlete can master exercises in the simulator. This becomes possible due to a clear fixation of the trajectory of movement. The trainee is only required to work evenly with the legs and control the position of the back.

However, these features of the sports equipment create a number of difficulties for experienced athletes. The Hack Trainer is designed to train the muscles of the front of the thigh. This means that with the standard execution technique, it will not work to load the gluteal, abductor or adductor muscles of the thigh.

To train the gluteal muscles in the hack machine, the method of reverse positioning of the body is used during the exercise. The student is turned towards the moving platform and its guides. This allows the pelvis to be pushed back with emphasis when lowering and lifting. Such changes in the technique of movement shift the emphasis of the load on the athlete's gluteal and hamstrings.

Leg positioning options

Hack squats can be performed with 4 basic leg positions, following the classic movement technique. The position of the feet and the distance between them may differ depending on the anatomical features of the athlete. But the general guidelines and techniques used remain unchanged.

Benefits of Hack Squats

The Gackenschmidt Squat is a complete basic exercise. During the movement, all muscles of the lower body, back and abdominals are involved. This suggests that exercising in the hack machine, like squatting with a barbell on the shoulders, promotes the production of growth hormone.

As a result, functional hypertrophy of the quadriceps and muscles of the whole body occurs. Unlike classic free-weight squats, the hack squat allows you to emphasize the load on individual bundles of the quadriceps muscle. And also include in the work of the gluteal, biceps thighs and adductor muscles.

This becomes possible due to the absence of the need to maintain balance during movement and the possibility of varying the position of the legs. Classes in the Hackenschmidt machine allow you to safely operate with large working weights. The tilt of the platform reduces the axial load on the spinal column.

Movable multi-level supports make it possible to train until a failure state in the muscles is reached without using an assistant.

The platform moving along the guides allows beginners to easily master the technique of performing the exercise. Soft support rollers and anatomical backrest provide a comfortable position for the athlete in the sports equipment.

Disadvantages of exercise

Classes in the hack machine have 2 significant disadvantages:

• During the execution of the movement, with any setting of the legs and body position, a large load falls on the knee joint. For this reason, hack squats are not recommended for people with injuries in this area of ​​the body, arthritis and arthrosis.
• Unable to control the weight of the burden. Barbell squats prevent overuse. A beginner will not be able to perform a repetition with a weight that significantly exceeds his work. Since the auxiliary and main muscles of the athlete are not prepared for such a load, the risk of injury from the wrong choice of the mass of the projectile is excluded. The hack simulator makes it possible to work with large weights, since the role of stabilizers in the process of performing a movement is minimized.

Common Hack Squat Mistakes

Up to 90% of all errors when performing squats in a hack simulator are made due to incorrect selection of the weight of the projectile.

A load that does not match the athlete's capabilities leads to the following violations:

• Separation of the heels of the feet from the support plane... An error occurs in a situation where the power of the quadriceps is not enough to climb to the top point. In this case, the body of a novice athlete tries to include additional reserves in the form of the gluteal and back muscles.
• Reducing the knees... The quadriceps femoris is the strongest group in the lower body. This is especially true for untrained athletes. With a high load, there is a displacement towards the strong muscles and the knees of the practitioner are brought to the center so that the lateral head can perform a greater volume of work.
• Separation of the lumbar spine from the support platform associated with the body's need to include additional fibers in order to cope with the exorbitant weight of the burden. Also, this error can occur as a result of insufficient flexibility of the athlete in the hip joint or the anatomical features of the attachment of the muscles of the back of the thigh.
• Uncontrolled downward movement. Often combined with incorrect upward thrust. During the exercise, the foot should fully rest on the platform, and the load should be distributed over its entire surface. In the case when the weight of the burden exceeds the permissible limits, the athlete is not able to control the position of his own body, both in the negative phase and in the positive.

A number of mistakes arise among novice athletes associated with ignorance of the basics of human physiology and the nuances of the simulator design:

• Rest at the bottom or top of the trajectory. In the first case, the load on the knee joint increases significantly. The second is a waste of time.
• Head turns. The spine runs through the entire human body. Although at the time of the hack squat, he is not subjected to axial load, the muscles of the upper body are subjected to strong static stress. The slightest sudden movement can lead to injury.
• Bad breath.
• The back is not pressed tightly against the back of the machine. In this case, the main advantage of the simulator is lost and the spine begins to experience significant deformations.

Quadriceps training tips for girls

Training the front of the thigh for women should be done using the split system. Since the lower part of the female body is more developed relative to the male, the set of exercises for the quadriceps muscle should be selected according to the following principles.

They are:

• The inclusion of basic movements. Multi-joint exercises can be beneficial for any athlete. But due to the fact that women's legs are distinguished by a high degree of endurance, girls can only achieve results by performing hard workouts.
• Maximum load in the middle rep range.
• Alternating exercises in a training split. The high strength endurance of the female legs provides a quick adaptation to the standard training program. You can avoid stagnation by constantly changing the exercises used.

Safety recommendations

It is important to start squats in a hack machine with warm-up sets. This will help preserve knee joints and ligaments. Do not forget about joint gymnastics. Particular attention is paid to the lower body. Rotational movements will help warm up the junction of two bones, and the joint capsules will fill with lubricating fluid.

Before starting training in the Hackenschmidt machine, it is recommended to perform several approaches in the hyperextension simulator. This will help tone the back extensor muscles and create additional support in the lumbar spine.

During the execution of the movement, it is required to carefully monitor the position of the pelvis relative to the rear supporting surface of the equipment. If you are not flexible enough, your lower back may start to come off.In this case, it is necessary to reduce the amplitude to the level at which it is possible to observe the correct technique for performing the exercise.

What can replace hack squats?

You can replace squats in a hack simulator:

• Leg press... This option is a complete alternative to the hook machine. The simulator is an inclined frame located at an angle to the floor plane. In this case, the upper body of the athlete is motionlessly located on the stationary support of the equipment. During the exercise, the movement is carried out by the athlete's legs.
  
• Dumbbell or Barbell Squats behind the back or in front of the chest.

Squats in the Gackenschmidt car can diversify the training program for both experienced and novice athlete. The absence of load on the spine and the ability to work with large weights makes the simulator an effective tool for the formation of large and strong muscles of the front of the thigh.

Hack Squat Video

GAKK machine for girls squats: