Exercise · form guide
Hack Squat (Reverse Stance)
- Primary muscle
- Glutes
- Also works
- Hamstrings (posterior chain emphasis)
- Equipment
- Hack Squat Machine
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Tempo
3-1-2-0
Standing facing the pad turns the hack squat into a brutal posterior-chain builder. Niche, devastating, growth-rich.
Sets & reps
General programming defaults by goal — not specific to this lift. Pick the row that matches yours.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–6 | 3–5 | 8–9 | 3–5 min |
| Hypertrophy | 3–5 | 8–12 | 7–9 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–4 | 15–25 | 6–8 | 45–60 s |
Form
Cues
- Face the pad, chest pressed against it
- Feet flat on platform, shoulder-width
- Sit hips back, full depth
- Drive up through heels
Common mistakes
- Lifting chest off pad
- Cutting depth
Injury notes
Posterior-chain alternative for those who can't deadlift.
Progression
Add 5–10kg when 10 reps stay clean.
Indian gym reality
Machines vary wildly across Indian gyms — the same exercise on a different brand can feel completely different. Trust the movement pattern and target muscle, not the sticker on the machine.
If your gym doesn't have this equipment
- Use the free-weight version of the same pattern; the machine's guidance is convenience, not necessity.
Home & hostel version
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts with a filled water bottle in each hand — same hinge pattern, no bar needed.
Nutrition & recovery around this lift
Isolations recover fast — 24 hours is usually enough. You can hit the same muscle again the next day with a different exercise. For an Indian lifter, land 30–40g of protein within 90 minutes of finishing — 200g paneer, 4 whole eggs, 150g chicken, or a whey shake all work.
Frequently asked
What muscles does Hack Squat (Reverse Stance) work?
Primarily Glutes · Hamstrings (posterior chain emphasis). Load and rep range shift the emphasis — heavy triples bias the primary mover, sets of 12+ bring more of the secondaries in.
How many sets of Hack Squat (Reverse Stance) per week?
For hypertrophy, 10–20 direct working sets per week across all exercises for that muscle. This exercise usually contributes 3–8 of those sets, depending on where it sits in your program.
My Indian gym doesn't have this machine — what do I do?
See the "If your gym doesn't have this equipment" section above — every variant listed is a legitimate substitute, not a compromise.
How often should I do Hack Squat (Reverse Stance)?
Most intermediates do best with 2× per week frequency on any given lift — one heavier session and one lighter, or two matched sessions with different rep ranges. Beginners can add a third if recovery holds up.
Get Hack Squat (Reverse Stance) programmed for you
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