The Hack Squat is a beginner machine squat that primarily trains the quads, with the glutes and hamstrings assisting. It is useful for building lower-body strength through a squat pattern.
Primary muscles
quads
Secondary muscles
glutes, hamstrings
Equipment
machine
Difficulty
beginner
TARGET AREA
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
quads
Secondary muscles
glutes, hamstrings
THE MOVEMENT
How to perform
Set the shoulders and back against the machine pads and place the feet where the knees can track comfortably.
Release the safeties, brace, and keep the whole foot loaded.
Descend by bending the knees and hips until you reach a controlled depth.
Drive through the platform to stand without letting the hips or feet shift.
IRONYOU / CORE
Core cues
Keep pressure balanced through the whole foot as you descend and stand.
Let the knees and hips move together instead of forcing one joint to do all the work.
Use the deepest range you can repeat while keeping the torso and feet controlled.
STAY SHARP
Common mistakes
Losing foot pressure or letting the heels lift.
Changing depth dramatically from rep to rep.
Adding load before you can keep a consistent brace and bar/body path.
YOUR PROGRESS
Your strength
Use your best set to calculate your current IronYou rank and see what comes next.
IRONYOU RANK CALCULATOR
127 exercises. One ladder. Your first rank is free.
Published reference points from the production IronYou rank system.
IronYou has 13 strength ranks: Copper I–III → Silver I–III → Gold I–III → Titanium I–III → IRON. IRON is the highest IronYou rank. The public standards tables show the estimated 1RM required to enter Silver I, Gold I, Titanium I, and IRON. Standards vary by sex and bodyweight.
Logged load: machine or cable stack load. Public value: total stack/load.
Hack Squat Strength Standards — Male
Male
Published estimated 1RM thresholds by bodyweight. Load is recorded as total stack/load.
Hack Squat estimated 1RM strength standards by bodyweight and IronYou rank — Male.
Bodyweight (kg)
Silver I
Gold I
Titanium I
IRON
50 kg
98.6 kg
130.6 kg
162.6 kg
229.2 kg
60 kg
109 kg
144.3 kg
179.7 kg
253.3 kg
70 kg
118.3 kg
156.6 kg
195 kg
274.9 kg
80 kg
126.6 kg
167.6 kg
208.7 kg
294.2 kg
90 kg
134 kg
177.4 kg
220.9 kg
311.4 kg
100 kg
140.6 kg
186.2 kg
231.8 kg
326.9 kg
110 kg
146.5 kg
194.1 kg
241.6 kg
340.6 kg
120 kg
151.8 kg
201.1 kg
250.3 kg
352.9 kg
Hack Squat Strength Standards — Female
Female
Published estimated 1RM thresholds by bodyweight. Load is recorded as total stack/load.
Hack Squat estimated 1RM strength standards by bodyweight and IronYou rank — Female.
Bodyweight (kg)
Silver I
Gold I
Titanium I
IRON
40 kg
51.5 kg
68.2 kg
84.9 kg
119.7 kg
50 kg
69.2 kg
91.7 kg
114.1 kg
160.9 kg
60 kg
80.8 kg
107 kg
133.2 kg
187.7 kg
70 kg
88.3 kg
116.9 kg
145.5 kg
205.2 kg
80 kg
93.2 kg
123.4 kg
153.6 kg
216.5 kg
90 kg
96.3 kg
127.6 kg
158.8 kg
223.9 kg
100 kg
98.4 kg
130.3 kg
162.2 kg
228.7 kg
IronYou-specific standard; resistance can vary between machines/equipment.
Values are estimated 1RM thresholds required to enter the named IronYou major rank tier.
Standards are derived from the production IronYou Rank V1 model.
IronYou-specific standard; resistance can vary between machines/equipment.
KEEP EXPLORING
Variations
Related variations: Back Squat, Front Squat, and Leg Press.
Choose the version that matches your equipment, joint comfort, and the movement you can repeat consistently.
EARLY ACCESS
Track Hack Squat in IronYou.
Keep your last session, progress and next target with you when you train.