Hack Squat vs. Barbell Squat: Which Makes You Stronger?

If you’ve been in the gym for some time now, you know that everyone has their favorite squat variation.

Maybe you’ve chosen one that you prefer yourself.

But not all squats are created equal. In fact, certain techniques zero in on some leg muscles more effectively than others.

Although ultimately, the best squat is the one you’ll do consistently every leg day, we have some thoughts on which squat type: hack squats vs. barbell squats are more effective for building strong legs.

We’ll see which muscles these moves work, plus understand the pros and cons of hack squats and barbell squats alike.

Hack Squats— Benefits

Quad Isolation

Hack squats help to efficiently target and isolate the quadriceps.

If you’re training for aesthetics, have stubborn quads that won’t grow or have injuries to the other leg muscles (glutes, hamstrings) to the point where you want to reduce load on those muscles, it can help to isolate your quads.

Less Stress on Hip Joints

If you experience hip pain while squatting, the hack squat variation could benefit you over a barbell squat.

In a hack squat, you plant your torso against a backpad to keep your form. This allows you to keep your trunk in a more upright position.

Because of this, you don’t hinge as much at the hip joints. In other words, they are at a shallower angle of flexion than they would be in a barbell squat.

In a study on improving function in people with hip-related pain, researchers found that hip-related pain is a leading cause of disability and is especially common in active individuals.

Hip-related pain can be caused by conditions like femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome, and acetabular dysplasia. However, it can also simply develop from being too sedentary or sports-related injuries.

Hack Squats— Disadvantages

Less Functional

Hack squat machines don’t prepare you for real-world movements or for athletics as well as back squats do.

Think about it. This machine follows a strict path of motion. Although it’s a great way to work your quads to the limit, there’s no outside scenario where you’d be performing the same path of motion as you do in hack squats.

Because barbell squats don’t follow a guided path, they’re more natural for weightlifters and help replicate situations and positions you may find yourself in while playing sports.

Barbell Squats— Benefits

Stability

Compared to a hack squat machine the barbell back squat requires extra stability. Because your body is unsupported, most people will require stronger stabilizer muscles in order to perform this squat variation.

Strength

The barbell back squat is one of the most well-rounded squat progression exercises.

And if you’re looking to train for overall strength gains, we recommend the barbell back squat over the hack squat machine.

Why? Hack squats are a more specialized form of training. Basically, they serve a specific purpose that some people with targeted goals in the gym are looking for: attaining quad hypertrophy.

This can be useful if you suffer from slow-growing quads. People with musuclar imbalances in the legs may benefits from a more quad-dominant approach to hack squat training like the Smith machine hack squat, barbell hack squat or machine hack squat.

But if you want all-around strong and balanced legs, the barbell back squat lets you pay equal attention to all your leg muscles to help get them toned and feeling stronger.

Balance

Barbell squats require you to hold yourself up using your balance. The stabilizer muscles of your core and legs help you stay upright so you don’t fall over.

Barbell Squats— Disadvantages

Injury Risk

Barbell squats put you at a higher risk of injury than squatting with a machine.

This apparatus requires you to squat totally unsupported unless you are squatting with a spotter.

Muscles Worked

Hack squats and barbell squats work the same muscles but in different proportions.

Hack squats target your quadriceps muscles. Although they do work the other muscles in your legs, the hack squat is a great way to train if you’re hoping to isolate your quads.

During hack squats, the working muscles include:

Quadriceps

Your quadriceps femoris muscles (“quads”) flex your knees. When you get to the bottom of your squats, you’ll need a deep bend in the knees to help your body descend into the squat. Engaging your quadriceps will help you get there, so it’s important to make sure they’re strong.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings sit on the backs of your thighs. These muscles extend your hips at the top of a squat. They also help with knee flexion when you descend. This makes hamstrings an integral part of your squat. Always stretch your hamstrings after you squat. It’s a good idea to warm them up too.

Active workouts like high knees or leg swings will help prepare these leg muscles for healthy hack squats. Many people have tight hamstring muscles due to increasingly sedentary lifestyles. The effect of hamstring tightness includes inhibiting your stability and agility.

Because the hamstrings serve a double purpose of hip extension and knee flexion, they’re extra susceptible to injuries. Stretch, stretch, stretch and really make sure your muscles are ready to go before you get your hamstrings into deep squat positions.

Glutes

The gluteal muscles (your butt muscles) help keep the pace of your movement as you drop and come back up in your squats. This muscle group is made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.

These are some of your strongest lower body muscles. It’s a good idea to engage your glutes at the top of a squat. Not only is this proper form, but it can be one of the best exercises for a round butt.

Calves

Your calves keep your body stable and connect you to your feet to stay grounded. The calf, made up of the soleus muscle and the gastrocnemius, helps you to plantarflex your foot (point your toes downward).

After you come to the bottom of your squat, your calves will engage to help you drive up through the heels and feet to bring yourself back up to a standing position.

Can I Replace Barbell Back Squats With Hack Squats?

You can if you’re focused on hypertrophy training for your quads or if you have injuries or other concerns that prevent you from squatting with a barbell.

However, for most gymgoers we recommend trying to work back squats into your training, at least occasionally if you’re capable.

The squat is the “king of exercises” for a reason.

Barbell back squats are among the best ways to grow strong, powerful legs while getting a total body workout. Because of the added stability demands you meet when you keep yourself balanced in a back squat, they’re better at targeting your stabilizer muscles than a hack squat machine would be.

The Takeaway

For most weightlifters, barbell back squats are one of the best moves you can do to maintain a strong, functional lower body.

Although hack squats and barbell squats are both highly effective for getting you those toned and sexy legs that it takes to build the body of a Greek God with your workouts, we have to give a slight edge to the barbell back squat.

It’s not called “the King” for nothing. This baby is truly the Elvis of exercises. For optimal stability, stong and toned legs and better core strength, the barbell squat is an absolute beast when it comes to crushing your leg days.

But wait. Does this mean you should eliminate hack squatting from your leg routine?

If you’re training for quadricep hypertrophy, there’s no reason you can’t hack squat too! If you’re struggling to grow stubborn quads, recovering from injury, or entering a competition where you need your quads to look aesthetic, the hack squat is a great move to add to your routine.

It’s a good idea to add both traditional barbell squats and hack squats to your routine.

But if you do tons of core training and are getting your abs in shape in other ways, there’s no reason you can’t hack squat more frequently.

All in all, keep your fitness goals in your sightlines when you decide between hack squats vs. barbell squats. Both moves are great to try for strong and powerful legs.

References:

Enseki, K., Harris-Hayes, M., White, D. M., Cibulka, M. T., Woehrle, J., Fagerson, T. L., Clohisy, J. C., & Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (2014). Nonarthritic hip joint pain. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy, 44(6), A1–A32. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2014.0302

Kemp, J. L., Mosler, A. B., Hart, H., Bizzini, M., Chang, S., Scholes, M. J., Semciw, A. I., & Crossley, K. M. (2020). Improving function in people with hip-related pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of physiotherapist-led interventions for hip-related pain. British journal of sports medicine, 54(23), 1382–1394. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101690

Schwarz, N. A., Harper, S. P., Waldhelm, A., McKinley-Barnard, S. K., Holden, S. L., & Kovaleski, J. E. (2019). A Comparison of Machine versus Free-Weight Squats for the Enhancement of Lower-Body Power, Speed, and Change-of-Direction Ability during an Initial Training Phase of Recreationally-Active Women. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 7(10), 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7100215