Legs / Intermediate / Compound (multi-joint)

Barbell Hack Squat

A squat holding a barbell behind the legs that emphasizes the quads.

At a glance

Primary

Quads

Secondary

Glutes, Adductors, Hamstrings, Forearms & grip

Equipment

Barbell

Movement pattern

Squat

Level

Intermediate

Type

Legs, Compound (multi-joint)

Loads the knee. Use a load you can control and skip it if it causes pain.

How to do it

1. Stand with a barbell held behind your legs using an overhand grip, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep the chest up and look forward.
3. Squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, keeping the bar close to your legs.
4. Drive through the heels to stand back up.

Tips

• Keep the back straight throughout.
• Let the knees travel forward over the toes.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Feet placed low on the platform with heels lifting.

  Why it hurts: The knees travel far past the toes under a heavy sled, overloading the patellar tendon and the joint behind the kneecap.

  ✓ Instead: Place the feet mid-platform, shoulder-width, and keep the whole foot pressed down.

• ✗ Lower back peeling off the back pad at the bottom.

  Why it hurts: The pelvis tucks under and the lumbar spine flexes under load.

  ✓ Instead: Only go as deep as you can keep the hips and lower back on the pad.

Open in the appGet started