Before going to Hack Squat vs leg press you must know that what is hack squat. Hack squat is a full body exercise that mainly targets the muscles of hips, hamstrings and also strengthens the bones, ligaments throughout lower body.

There are two methods to perform hack squat i.e with barbell and with hack squat machine. Let us discuss how to perform both version of this exercise.

Hack Squat Machine

This is specially for them who wants to build their legs efficiently.

1. Place the back of your torso on the back pad of the machine and hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads provided.
2. Position your legs on the platform without locking them and stand with your feet in shoulder width apart with toes slightly pointed out.
3. Ensure that your head is in upright position.
4. Place your arms on the side hands of the machine and move the handles from front position to diagonal position.
5. Straighten your legs without locking your knees. This would be your starting position.
6. Now, begin to slowly lower the unit by bending the knees while inhaling.
7. Maintain the straight posture with head up and back on pad at all times.
8. Continue down until the angle between upper leg and calves becomes slightly less than 90 degree.
9. The began the raise unit as you exhale while pushing floor mainly with heel of your foot.
10. Straighten the legs again and go back to the staring position.
11. Repeat the exercise as per schedule.

Barbell Hack Squat

The Hack Squat Exercise with barbell is basically a lower body strength exercise. Major emphasis of this exercise is on hips by which force and strain on spine is reduced. In fact, it is classic gym exercise that can help you build a bigger legs.

Here is how you can improve your quad size by incorporating hack squat barbell in your workout.

1. First of all load the barbell with suitable weight.
2. Stand straight up while holding a barbell behind your back with your feet at shoulder width.
3. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip with your palm facing backward. Make sure you grip the barbell using the shoulder width grip. This appears to be starting position.
4. Now, keep your head up, eyes forward and back straight.
5. Then slowly lower down yourself while inhaling until your upper legs are parallel to the floor.
6. Finally, press with heels of your feet and then while exhaling get back to starting position.
7. Repeat as per recommendation. But don’t let barbell bounce off the floor in each repetition. Control it during all movements.

Leg Press Exercise

Leg press is weight training exercise in which weight or resistance is pushed away using legs.

1. To perform leg press with machine begin by placing your back on the seat.
2. Place your feet in center of the iron plate just in front of your knees.
3. Press the machine up with straight legs. Push up the plate with your heels.
4. Then inhaling bring your knees closer to you chest in such a way that your upper legs and lower legs are in 90 degree angle.
5. Stop for few seconds and then again drive the plate up with your heels while exhaling.
6. Repeat as per recommendation. And then leave the machine after locking the rack.
   

Hack Squat Vs Leg Press

Since leg press also targets lower body strength and it is very similar to the hack squat exercise. As main muscles targeted in both the exercise are quadriceps muscles and secondary muscles targeted are gluteus maxims, adductor, magnus, soleus, hamstrings, gastrocnemius. However, in hack squat various other secondary muscles are targeted along with these such as erector spinae, trapezius middle, trapezius upper, devator scapulae, rectus abdominis, obliques. And there are some other difference also as written below:-

• Leg press is one of the best quadriceps exercise. Whereas hack squat exercise is an alternative for development of quadriceps.
• Weight used for leg press is artificially high. In-fact it is only quadriceps exercise that allows to lift thousands of pounds without any excessive strain on back, neck and shoulder. However, in case of hack squat exercise maximum 5-12 pounds weight advised to be used.

I think now you must got aware about hack squat vs leg press and how to do hack squat exercise while using different types of equipment’s with proper posture. In case of any query about hack squat exercise you may ask in commenting section and if you like this article please share with others also.