Hack Squat vs. Squat: What is the Distinction?

Have you ever seen someone doing squats on a machine at the gym and wondered, “What the heck is that?” More than likely, they’re using a hack squat machine.

If you’ve never heard of this contraption, you’re not alone. But you may want to listen up: Hack squats are a fantastic squat variation that’ll strengthen your lower body and keep you from getting bored of your regular old squat routine.

But you don’t have to ditch the bodyweight squat just yet—it’s a classic for a reason. We chatted with trainers about the hack squat versus bodyweight squat, how you can maximize the benefits of both, and which option may be best for you.

Hack squats

With the machine hack squat, you stand on a platform with your back supported against the padded frame. A weighted pad goes on your shoulders for resistance as you squat.

A hack squat can also be done using a barbell for resistance instead of a machine. For this variation, you hold the barbell behind your back and pull it up from the floor, explains Tim Landicho, CSCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and Tonal strength coach. “This is typically what is meant when people say ‘barbell hack squat.’”

How to do it

Landicho demonstrates how use the hack squat machine and do a barbell hack squat, below.

Hack squat machine: 

1. Add weight to the machine, starting light and then adding more weight as you get comfortable with the machine.
2. Step onto the platform and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your feet toward the middle of the platform to emphasize your quads more. Place your feet toward the top of the platform to emphasize your hamstrings and glutes more.
3. Rest your back against the back pads and place your shoulders under the padded weights. Grab the handles on either side of your shoulders, palms facing in toward your body.
4. Bend your knees as you squat down. Try to squat down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle or as far as you can comfortably go, staying within your pain-free range.
5. Push through your heels as you extend your legs back up into the standing position.
6. Repeat 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

Barbell hack squat: 

1. Stand in front of a barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend your knees to squat down behind you and grab the barbell with your palms facing away from your body.
3. Push through your heels as you extend your legs to come up to a standing position, lifting the barbell behind you at the same time.
4. Repeat 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

Muscles worked

The hack squat primarily targets the quadriceps muscle, but also works many muscles of the lower body. The muscles worked in a hack squat include:

• Quadriceps (front of thighs)
• Hamstrings (back of thighs)
• Gluteus maximus (largest butt muscle)
• Adductor magnus (largest inner thigh muscle)
• Soleus (lower calf muscle)
• Gastrocnemius (upper calf muscle)

Because you don’t have the support of the machine, a barbell hack squat also works your core and arms because you’re holding the barbell.

The barbell hack squat “is somewhat of a combo between a squat and deadlift, so the biggest benefit is that it’s a full-body movement,” Landicho says. “It works the lower body, but also the upper body. Specifically, the upper back muscles, [including the] traps, rhomboids, and lats.”

Benefits

If your goal is to build muscle mass and strength, the hack squat is a great choice. “The extra benefit of using the machine is a controlled path that allows you to push even more weight than you normally could on a landmine or back squat,” explains Joe Rodonis, CPT, a certified personal trainer and Tonal strength coach.

In addition to the strength benefits, Rodonis says the hack squat also gives your body more support, allowing you to focus on building mass and strength. “The machine will control the range of motion, which can be beneficial for maintaining form and minimizing joint stress. This also limits lower back involvement, which could be great if you want to squat but you are experiencing any discomfort in your low back.”

If you don’t have access to the machine, give the barbell hack squat a try. It gives you the lower-body benefits of a squat, while also incorporating your upper body and core. “A benefit of this move is that it doesn’t require any other setup beyond a barbell on the ground—no squat rack or machine necessary,” Landicho says. “So if all the squat racks at the gym are full, or if someone has a more bare bones gym set up, this version still allows someone to squat with a barbell.”

Drawbacks

Because the hack squat machine supports your trunk, “it won’t challenge your balance or stability the way free weights will,” Rodonis says. “This is a more focused exercise, predominantly meant to isolate the quads. The drawback is less involvement from other areas of the lower body, like your posterior chain and stabilizing muscles.”

A small 2019 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared the back squat to the hack squat in activating the core muscles. Researchers concluded the back squat is more effective than the hack squat in activating the trunk muscles, and is therefore a better exercise for developing trunk strength and stability.

As far as the barbell hack squat, it can be difficult to maintain proper form if you don’t have mobility in your upper body. “This is the most complex of the hack squat variations, so if someone doesn’t have the proper mobility, it can be easy to do it wrong and feel it predominantly in the low back rather than the quads,” Landicho says.

Who a hack squat is best for

“Because the machine makes the movement pattern so straightforward, it’s really easy to isolate the quads if that’s what someone wants to target,” Landicho says. “The biggest benefit of this variation is that because it’s so stable—the machine makes it more stable compared to balancing a barbell on your back—it’s easier to really load up this movement with weight.”

In addition, the support of the machine makes it a good choice for those with back, knee, or other joint issues. “It’s a great muscle-building variation for someone who has mobility restrictions that might make traditional barbell squatting a little more challenging,” Landicho says. “This can allow someone to bypass those challenges in the short-term while still getting a really powerful muscle-building stimulus.”

Bodyweight squats

A bodyweight squat is an exercise in which you bend your knees to lower yourself into a sitting position, and then stand back up, using no equipment. Landicho demonstrates how do a bodyweight squat, below.

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, with your toes turned slightly out. Extend your arms out in front of you.
2. Bend your knees as you push your hips back to lower toward the floor as if you were lowering your body to sit on a chair.
3. Keep your chest up and core tight as your lower yourself down into a squat.
4. Try to lower yourself down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. If you have pain or can’t maintain proper form, stop. Only squat down as far as your body allows.
5. Push through your heels to straighten your legs to stand back up in a starting position.
6. Repeat 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Muscles worked

The squat works your lower body similarly to the hack squat machine. However, because you’re free-standing, the bodyweight squat also strengthens your core muscles. They work as stabilizers to keep your body upright and stable. The specific muscles worked in squats include:

• Quadriceps (front of thighs)
• Hamstrings (back of thighs)
• Glutes (all three butt muscles: maximus, minimus, and medius)
• Adductors (inner thighs)
• Calves
• Erector spinae (back muscles)
• Abdominal muscles

Benefits

The bodyweight squat has many benefits to earn a spot in your exercise routine. “It’s a very versatile movement to help improve mobility, strength, and conditioning,” Rodonis says. “Most importantly, [the squat] builds foundational strength in the lower body, helping with everyday tasks like standing and sitting.”

Because there are so many variations of the squat, it can be used in many different ways. “The bodyweight squat is incredibly versatile,” Rodonis says. For example, it can be used in contrast training, which is when you do a strength exercise followed by a power movement similar to the strength movement. Think: a bodyweight squat followed by a jump squat.

Bodyweight squats are also “low impact and feel great on the body,” Rodonis says. “This is a movement every human must master to improve quality of life.”

Landicho agrees: “It’s a great way to safely introduce someone to the squatting pattern and learn form, especially if they’re hesitant to use weight.”

You don’t need a gym membership or special equipment to do the squat. “It can be done anytime and anywhere, allowing someone to stay consistent with a routine even without access to equipment,” Landicho says.

Bodyweight exercises like squats can also help build and maintain healthy bones to prevent osteoporosis, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Drawbacks

The main drawback of a bodyweight squat is the lack of added weight to challenge your muscles. “Once someone has a pretty decent grasp of good form, if they’re looking to make more significant physical changes—whether that’s muscle gain or better athletic performance—the movement will have to be loaded with weight at some point,” Landicho says. “That external resistance is what will force the body to adapt.”

If you have mobility or balance issues, the support of the hack squat machine may provide better support than a regular standing squat.

Who a bodyweight squat is best for

The bodyweight squat is ideal for anyone wanting to strengthen their legs and core. According to Rodonis, the bodyweight squat is a great exercise for building a strong foundation. “You can practice form safely, improving your range of motion and mobility, as well as building confidence and strength. For the seasoned lifter, it’s a great way to continue practicing form and building muscular endurance. There are great ways to include them in your lifting program,” he says.

In addition to squats being great for bodyweight workouts when you don’t have access to weights, Landicho says you can use bodyweight squats several ways in your workout routine. Some examples he gives include timed intervals, supersets with another bodyweight move, including them in bodyweight circuits, and different rep scheme formats like ascending or descending rep schemes.

Hack squat vs. squat: the bottom line

Both the hack squat and bodyweight squat are great exercises to include in your strengthening routine. The hack squat machine allows you to load up the weight so you can build muscle mass and strength in your legs, especially your quads. Because your body is supported, however, it doesn’t work your core muscles or challenge your balance like the bodyweight squat can.

The bodyweight squat works your lower body and core, which increases your stability and balance. However, your body can plateau with the bodyweight squat unless you add weight, such with a barbell or dumbbells. You can also do other squat variations, such as the back squat, split squat, and jump squat to further challenge yourself.

“The main drawbacks of the hack squat machine are that it requires less overall stability—meaning, less demand on the core— compared to other hack squat variations or other barbell squats in general,” Landicho says. “This can be a great thing if someone is just looking to isolate the quads without loading the spine too much, but there’s also utility in learning how to tolerate a heavy load on the spine—as long as it’s programmed properly—and someone could be missing out on this if all they do is the hack squat machine.”

But you don’t necessarily have to choose one exercise over the other. Incorporating both hack squats and bodyweight squats into your routine gives you the best of both worlds.