Back squat is more effective than HS in activating the muscles of the trunk and therefore, arguably more effective in developing trunk strength and stability for dynamic athletic performance. Trunk muscle activation is sensitive to load in both exercises. Reverse hack squats can be performed on the standard hack squat machine simply by switching up your starting position. Despite higher absolute tests loads in HS, TMA was higher in BS. A hack squat machine is excellent in the fact that does it not only guide you through the movement safely, but it also allows you to target different areas of the quads and glutes. Duration increased significantly (p < 0.01) with load in both exercises and both phases. Duration of the eccentric phase was higher (p < 0.01) in HS than BS but not different in concentric phase. Mean HS 1RM and submaximal loads were significantly (p < 0.0001) higher than the equivalent BS loads. Trunk muscle activation increased (p ≤ 0.05) with load in all muscles for both exercises and phases apart from lumbar sacral erector spinae in HS eccentric phase. Back squat TMA was significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) than HS for all muscles and phases except rectus abdominus in concentric phase. That said, I wouldnt rely on Smith hack squats (or any squat variation, for that matter) to develop your hamstringsyou need to do some kind of leg curl and hip hinge to work the backs. Ten males completed 3 test sessions: (a) BS and HS 1RM, (b) HS and BS neuromuscular test familiarization, and (c) neuromuscular test for 3 reps at 4 loads for BS and HS. The Smith machine reverse hack squat is a decent alternative if you want to work your hamstrings because the positioning enables you to stick your hips out. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to compare 1RM in BS and HS and TMA at 4 relative loads, 65, 75, 85, and 95% of maximal system mass. This support, however, may compromise trunk muscle activation (TMA), therefore producing different training adaptations. This can be attributed to the support of the trunk during the HS compared with no support during BS. J Strength Cond Res 33(7S): S60-S69, 2019-The hack squat (HS) is likely to produce a greater 1 repetition maximum (1RM) compared with the back squat (BS). Trunk muscle activation in the back and hack squat at the same relative loads.

Reverse hack squat benefits