Barbell Hack Squat
Chasing muscle you built on purpose? Barbell Hack Squat uses heavy bilateral barbell loading to get there.
How to do Barbell Hack Squat
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell behind your legs, resting it on your upper thighs.
- Lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Hack Squat Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Common Barbell Hack Squat Mistakes
Loading the bar unevenly or skipping the collars
Match the plates side to side and clip collars on every set.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Adding weight faster than technique can absorb it
Hold a weight until every rep looks identical, then move up.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Hack Squat
Swap Barbell Hack Squat For
Barbell Hack Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Hack Squat?
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned out. Hold the barbell behind your legs, resting it on your upper thighs. Lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Hack Squat work?
The Barbell Hack Squat primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Hack Squat should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Hack Squat good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic legs patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Hack Squat?
Try the Potty Squat With Support, Lever Reverse Hyperextension or the Trap Bar Deadlift. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
