The Chairman's Fitness Challenge Blog

I should clarify, the program calls for barbell hack squats, not the machine-type hack squats I used to do back when I was intimidated by big barbells.  I really don't see the link between them - the machine hack squats never struck me as all that different than the leg press, with the exception of using body weight in addition to the plates loaded up on the machine.

But barbell hack squats - those are a different beast altogether.  I understand they target the quads a little more than "regular" squats, and definitely load up the upper back because of the arm position behind the legs.  I found that they went OK - I did more weight than front squats, and it was pretty much automatic to keep the back aligned upright instead of leaning forward and risking all sorts of nasty damage.  On the other hand, it seemed like my failure mode was in my grip more so than my leg muscles - on the third set, just hanging on was as tough as the squat itself.  In the true test, the next day me legs and butt felt pretty good, a little sore, but my upper back and shoulders felt like they had gone through one hell of a workout.  It took two days for them to recover - just in time for my next chest/back/abs workout.

I'm committed to the hack squats for the next 11 weeks as I work through the Hard-Body plan, but I'm thinking I'll find a place for them in my routine even after the program wraps up.  Especially if my grip gets stronger and I don't run the risk of dropping 200+ pounds on my heels!