The Barbell Hack Squat is a great "old school" exercise that targets the quads strongly...IF you can do the exercise properly, that is!

If my memory is correct, this was originally used as a way to perform squats and work the legs before power racks were invented.

I've used the Barbell Hack Squat but could never get it to feel quite right for my body structure. My back would end up rounding over and I could never build up to any meaningful weight that would actually have an effect on growth or strength.

That's where THIS version comes in. It's going to allow you to do a Barbell Hack Squat type of movement without the awkward positioning that characterizes the exercise.

And if you train at home without a rack, this is going to allow you to hit your legs HARD without having to worry about somehow safely getting a loaded bar on and off your back.

 

How to Do It

You'll need two barbells and some weight plates to do it...and something solid to brace them up against (a wall, a machine...pretty much anything solid so that the bars don't slide). It's going to allow you to follow the same movement pattern and general loading pattern as a barbell hack squat only without having to maneuver the bar around behind your back.

To set this up, just load one end of each bar with the same number of plates. The other empty end of the bar should be braced up against that solid surface (wall, machine, etc.).

You don't need to load the non-working end as you'll be on the other side of the weight plates...those will keep the bar end down. If you were BETWEEN the bar end and plates (like with a barbell T-bar row type movement), THAT is when you'd need to load the pivoting end down.

Stand in between the loaded ends of the bars, with the ends of the bar approximately in line with your shins...you will have to play with foot placement to find what feels most natural to you. Grab onto the ends of the bars and get into the bottom of a "deadlift" position (yeah, I know I called it a hack squat..the movement LOOKS like a deadlift but the movement pattern and resistance placement behind you is a hack squat).

And just so you know up front, this is going to challenge your grip strongly...you're gripping on the fat ends of the bars where the weight plates usually go. So the first time you do this, start conservatively with maybe just one plate on the end, to see how it feels. Then increase from there. You could potentially use straps as well, to improve grip...hooks aren't going to work as they're designed for the regular circumference of the bar where you would normally grip it.

Now stand up with the weight. Because the plates are behind you, this actually throws more tension onto the lower quads, with less tension on the glutes. I find this to be an excellent exercise for targeting the Vastus Medialis (the teardrop shaped part of the quads down by your knee).

Come all the way up.

Lower back down under control then repeat.

I like to perform this exercise for 2 or 3 sets with heavy weight for 3 to 5 reps in a set. Then I'll reduce the weight and go for higher rep ranges for a couple of sets (e.g. 8 to 12 rpes).

As I mentioned, if you train at home and don't have a rack to do squats in, this is a GREAT movement for working the legs.

 

Facing Forward - Glutes and Hamstrings

You can also take this same setup and turn it around, facing FORWARD instead backward, basically leaning into the weight as you lift it.

This targets the hamstrings and glutes strongly, with a focus on the hip extension function of both muscle groups.

The basic "deadlift" type of movement applies here as well. As you lift the bar, focus on pushing with your heels to activate those posterior chain muscles.

Bottom line, this simple two-barbell setup makes for a very simple "machine" for leg training. It's perfect for home gym use, though it can be used very easily in a gym setting as well.

If you're looking to target your "tear-drop" quad muscles (the Vastus Medialis) very specifically, definitely give this exercise a shot. The positioning of the resistance really forces the tension on that specific area of the quads.

Want to get more unique leg exercises like this?

Then you need this...

I packed this book with 150+ cool, new leg exercises just like this one, covering quads, hams, glutes and calves.

If you've grown a stale with your leg training, you're going to LOVE this stuff.

Nick Nilsson
The "Mad Scientist of Muscle"

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