"Hack Press"

My gym has this "hack press" and not a conventional hack squat machine. Anyone know if the two have the same effect? This thing looks and feels more like a leg press to me.....

We have it too. I use to hate it but if you keep your feet lower and actually lean forward like the back rest puts you in you feel it a lot better and in the knees like a hack press does.

i actually prefer these machine versus the other hacks where the back support swings an "arc" and is unnatural movement...i'm also one who keeps feet lower on platform much like how Frank Zane does his leg presses...i feel even though i'm only using 4-6 plates a side on any given workout that i'm getting much more development and leg sweep by hitting those fibers in more of a stretch not unlike old school sissy squats did

Interesting device. I have never seen this particular one.

I can't decide if I like it or not. It's great for my wife; her shoulders are too narrow for the conventional hack squat machine, it hurts her. This she can do no problem. I used to like to use the conventional machine 'backwards' sometimes, it got my hamstrings pretty good that way, and used normally gave me a great pump in my quads. This thing, I feel it mostly in my hamstrings. I'll have to fool with foot position and see what I can do changing it up that way.

One thing about it: I always have to be very careful with conventional hacks not to hurt my knees. The right foot position (usually pretty far out in front) generally takes care of that. This thing doesn't seem to strain my knees at all. Wonder if that's why it was developed.......

EMW14 said:

I can't decide if I like it or not. It's great for my wife; her shoulders are too narrow for the conventional hack squat machine, it hurts her. This she can do no problem. I used to like to use the conventional machine 'backwards' sometimes, it got my hamstrings pretty good that way, and used normally gave me a great pump in my quads. This thing, I feel it mostly in my hamstrings. I'll have to fool with foot position and see what I can do changing it up that way.

One thing about it: I always have to be very careful with conventional hacks not to hurt my knees. The right foot position (usually pretty far out in front) generally takes care of that. This thing doesn't seem to strain my knees at all. Wonder if that's why it was developed.......

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Irish2003 is right, Zane kept foot placement narrow from what I've always seen in pics and videos and conventional or Hack press it is much easier on my knees. I like this machine, took a long while to figure out what positioning works best for me though. The more I lean forward the more positioning I lay like a vertical leg press and feels great on the hammies.

Lately I've been doing leg exercises mostly with feet wide apart, though often I alternate, one set close together, the next set wide apart.

As far as low or high on the platform, my knees are generally happiest doing hack squats (conventional) with feet high on the platform and making sure I push from my heels. That's the only way I've tried it on this machine. Years ago there was an ancient hack squat machine where I first started training, and I guess the platform angle was all wrong for my knees. I hurt my knees so badly on that machine! Ever since, I'm extremely careful doing hack squats. I've never had an issue on any other machine as long as I find the right foot position but that one old machine would kill me if I ever tried it no matter where I put my feet.

Whatever stance you use, just make sure your feet aren't so low that your knees extend over your feet at the bottom of your rep.

Depending on foot position you can still get a similar workout, however I find the conventional hack squat easier to get more depth and puts less pressure on hips. Personal preference I think! You can ulter almost any exercise to target the muscle/s your focusing on, sometimes i also do reverse hack to target glute and hams more.