Thanks Chad. We recommend placing your feet a little further from you (higher on the platform). This way you can create a longer and safer knee flexion without putting so much stress on your toes. We want to keep as much weight in the heel as possible. Another good way is to start with light weight and go as low as possible. Hope this helps.
@violet 😂that's what happen to me the very first time! The one at your gym is another brand and we actually ordered one just like how you are describing it. Unless it is the v-squat also from the hammer strength brand. Start with whatever range of motion is doable and then progress with that! This machine already starts at 60 pounds.
Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item th-cam.com/users/postUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.
Did these for the first time yesterday. My max barbell squat is 225lbs and I could barely get 10 reps of 90lbs with this machine. Definitely implementing it in my routine from now on.
If you were buying one hack sqaut machine for a home gym would you buy this piece of equipment or a normal hacksquat machine where your body is in a straight line
We personally like the one with your body in a straight line. But This one is more affordable and takes up less space which is ideal for garage gym or home gyms. Both would be a great option. Share a picture with us if you do get one :)
What's the clicking noise on the way up and way down on rhe machine? It's pretty loud . Other brands have had a problem with the spring on the safety handle rubbing against metal . Is that what it is ? Also what is the ratio of rhe machine? If you have 100 pounds on ,how much effectively are you pushing ? I'm guessing the machine is a 45 deg machine so you'd be pushing 70% of 100 pounds . Is that correct ?
You are right, it is the loose spring from the safety. It is a little annoying once you pointed it out. I would say the ratio is about that, maybe a little less if you are tall and can't get all the way down. This machine starts at 60 pounds and I load up about 270 more wights (total weight of 330) and get between 8-10 reps and my regular deepest squat I do about 225 if I go to this same ratio on my squats then I can do about 290. I do this to fire my quads and glutes and go slow. Easier to load more weight here and work and contracting the fibers in a short range of motion that is a little safer than regular squats.
There was a recall on that handle...if you contact life fitness they will send you the new one and no more clicking! The cutout of the old handle was bogus.
Great video! Does the machine itself have a "base" weight? That is to say, when doing repetitions without any weight, you still have weight? I ask this to know if this weight has to be added to the weight already loaded. I've heard that by itself they are 40 to 110 lbs (or 20 to 50 kg), but I'm not sure. Thank you!
I love this machine, and it's a staple in my leg training. But the key is going down all the way until it fully bottoms out for proper depth. For added time under tension, I not only do a slow 3 sec eccentric, but also a full 1 sec pause at the very bottom to stimulate dead weight. Taking out the stretch reflex momentum makes it way harder.
100% agree! We suggest going full range of motion. We do see many people loading too much weight and sacrificing range of motion. We have also done pulse reps at the bottom. Those are killer!
Very important that you only go down as much as you can and not kill yourself trying to go as deep as possible since you do not want to strain your knee joints for this! I just made this mistake myself today and realised it very quickly so I luckily do not have pain. The depth/rom will get better, I assume, as we get better at this movement.
Sí, puedes sustituir por las sentadillas en la smith machine con una posición de las piernas mas angosta . Eso creará un efecto similar en tus piernas. También otra opción si no tienes problemas con la espalda haciendo peso muerto, puedes hacer barbell hack squat. Muy buena sustitución para esta hack squat. Aquí esta el video por si lo quieres intentar th-cam.com/video/7ubU4RDCqZs/w-d-xo.html
I just did a wooden version of something like this it's fun but more difficult than the hacksquat you must hold the pedal while moving unlike the hacksquat this recquires stamina and mobility in this the arm is of great support unlike the hack squat not for begnners who don't really have the experience but it's fun if you don't like the weight squat hack squat makes squatting fun doesn't really recquire much human effort since it's a machine unlike weight squatting
This machine can be a little tricky and also not so friendly with taller people. You are right they should make the other version of the hack squat. Our local gym just got a new one that is much smoother that we will upload a video of soon!
I noticed this too! Although both machines are "hack squats", I'd argue that they are different machines. Linear hack squat seems to have a much larger moment arm to the knee joint than your regular hack squat, in contrast, a regular hack squat has greater ROM. Not sure which one is "better" (highly subjective), but I'd guess the regular hack squat would be more "hypertrophic" because of it's greater ROM/being able to work at the lengthen position of the quad muscle.
@@joshuaaguilar1033 Completely agree with you! The regular hack squat is the preferred option for individuals that are taller. Most body builders would agree with this. The liner hack squat can be a tough option for people 6 ft and over or individuals with longer femurs.
@@doublegswellness7341 Completely agree, I am 6ft 1 and this machine gives me nothing but knee pain even when I place my feet at the top of the platform, never had that problem in my previous gym with the traditional hack squat machine.
They did with this one that was recently released. th-cam.com/video/8AXtP_CHO4k/w-d-xo.html I haven't tried since it's so new but early reviews, people seem to favor the older one here
For most people no, you can put more weight here. We believe this because the angle on this one is more upright and you can't achieve a higher level of range of motion (flexion) compared to the other hack squat. The starting weight on this one is 65lbs and the other hack squat starts at 105 lbs. I put three 45s on each side on this one, and I only put two 45s on each side on the other hack squat and thats a big time struggle. Barbell hack squat is even way tougher than the machine versions.
We also believe every machine will help you gain strength. You just have to learn how to maximize its potential through the best movement possible. Thank you for your comment.
I'm not understanding your comment, but both back and biceps are pulling muscles. They move in the same pattern and will always feel them when you pull towards your body. Or when you stretch them in the eccentric motion.
Tried one of these for the first time. I'm sure why but it didn't feel like the muscles were really activating that well with it. I'm not sure if it's because I didn't have that muscle memory or what
Of course as long as you are performing it with good form. Most clients we have seen report more back issues when doing the barbell squat because or the position of the load it has as they retract the shoulder blades and not being able to maintain a proper upright torso. Another great exercise would be the belt squat, pendulum squat or the matrix hack squat. Those videos will be up soon!
Yes it can be. We have many clients with lower back issues that can do this but start with no weight as the starting weight is 65 pounds. Please talk to a trainer that know how to use this or a member at your gym that does it all the time just to be there incase it feels a bit awkward when you first try it. We recommend strengthening the glutes and legs before trying this that way you have more stability when you try this machine.
Ideally for safety purposes that is true. But some peoples 90 degree look slightly different depending on the size of them femurs and hips. For example, males have narrow and longer hips and females tend to have wider but shorter hips. It is much easier for females to squat lower compared to males. Also some people have very long femurs and others have shorter which makes it easier for them to squat at fuller ranges of motion. We personally believe if you can go lower and keep great tension on your quads and not your lower back you should go for it. Thanks for your comment. We will make a video about this topic soon :)
Came here looking for the difference between the linear hack squat vs the upright hack squat with shpulder support. Stayed because i felt like i was using linear wrong
Unfortunately the taller you are, the less range of motion you can perform on this machine because of its fixed position. If I want to go to full range I would do a smith machine squat with my heels elevated, barbell squat or pendulum squat. I hope this video helped you perform this exercise as best as it can.
just a reminder, its not necessary to keep your heels down. the classic form is even thought through with the heels elevating, people tend to forget, that our forfoot supposed to do stuff like this. look at tom platz for example in his hacksquats. we jump and land on our forfood, so it can take HUGE hits. just control the movement and enjoy big stress on your quads!
Agreed, you can load the quads nicely if the heels are elevated. We believe that this applies with people that are very experienced or have very healthy knees/joints. We keeps heels down as a safety precaution. One thing that should be reminded is load on the machine. Tom always said form over weight! You have to be in full control to apply what he was doing and most people don't apply that in the beginning of their fitness journey. Thanks for the comment and shedding light on this topic with the rest of us💪
Sorry you felt that way. You could be putting too much pressure on the toes or maybe you might be too tall that it won't allow you to get proper range of motion. We don't get anyone over 6 ft on this machine because most of them say it's too hard on their knees or lower back. Another alternative for this if you don't have any other hack squats machines is the landmine hack squat.
@@matthewcarbone2108 I have it in my gym and it sucks, all the pressure is on the lower back which is the only part attached to the cushioning. Even with perfect form and feet placement your lower back will feel a lot of pressure.
Some people enjoy this machine. Most people don't use it properly or they are too tall for it. We have both options at the gym we work at and people appreciate that.
Man this is one of the worst hammer strength machine ever made It’s more of a glute exercise than guads Because there is barely any knee flexion when do it Poorly designed
True, not as much knee flexion as we would like. We just hope people can get the best out of it if they ever decide to try this with this video. Some people like it both experienced and beginner lifters. I personally like the barbell hack squat. The really burns the quads more effectively with the right technique.
Nice video. Just started doing this exercise. How do you gain the mobility to go lower?
Thanks Chad. We recommend placing your feet a little further from you (higher on the platform). This way you can create a longer and safer knee flexion without putting so much stress on your toes. We want to keep as much weight in the heel as possible. Another good way is to start with light weight and go as low as possible. Hope this helps.
@violet 😂that's what happen to me the very first time! The one at your gym is another brand and we actually ordered one just like how you are describing it. Unless it is the v-squat also from the hammer strength brand. Start with whatever range of motion is doable and then progress with that! This machine already starts at 60 pounds.
Given that this is done on leg day, I recommend working on hip and ankle mobility
Keep in mind, the Five stars are based on my needs for this item th-cam.com/users/postUgkxUHHotQRjIQnfuxEeVotlkHVYWH0DXZoS When I first bought the bike I was going to return it immediately. After trying it out for several days/weeks I came to realize it is actually perfect for WHY I bought it.This is not a workout, the resistance is, eh, it makes a bit of noise, not loud, and it isn’t very stable even with the mat. The mat certainly keeps the bike from sliding but nothing keeps the mat from sliding (if that makes any sense, lol). Mine is place on my hard wood floor. Maybe it would be better with a rug underneath??I sit for long hours for work and wanted something to keep my legs moving. This bike does exactly that! For the price it is amazing, it is compact, easy to use, light weight, keeps track of time, calories etc (not sure how accurate it is) but good little product. I am happy with it.
We are happy for your dad! Thanks for sharing.
Did these for the first time yesterday. My max barbell squat is 225lbs and I could barely get 10 reps of 90lbs with this machine. Definitely implementing it in my routine from now on.
That is great! We do this in two out of our 6 phases each year. Hope you have great results with it.
Thank you! Very helpful video for beginner learning!
You are welcome!
Ugh thank you for a simple vid with tips
You're very welcome!
Thank you, I did 2 sets wrong. I found your video, and I'm ready now!
Glad we could help! The gains are coming in for sure!
tile forward 100% correct. Much easier on the back. feels better in the quads for some reason as well.
Glad it help and you felt it how its supposed to feel 🤙
Coming here after I hurt my lower back lol wish I would have watched this first
Oh no! So sorry about that. But hey now you know!
Why? What did you do wrong?
Same for me i just wrecked it lol
Gotta use that tip srsly....
If you were buying one hack sqaut machine for a home gym would you buy this piece of equipment or a normal hacksquat machine where your body is in a straight line
We personally like the one with your body in a straight line. But This one is more affordable and takes up less space which is ideal for garage gym or home gyms. Both would be a great option. Share a picture with us if you do get one :)
What's the clicking noise on the way up and way down on rhe machine? It's pretty loud . Other brands have had a problem with the spring on the safety handle rubbing against metal . Is that what it is ?
Also what is the ratio of rhe machine? If you have 100 pounds on ,how much effectively are you pushing ? I'm guessing the machine is a 45 deg machine so you'd be pushing 70% of 100 pounds . Is that correct ?
You are right, it is the loose spring from the safety. It is a little annoying once you pointed it out. I would say the ratio is about that, maybe a little less if you are tall and can't get all the way down. This machine starts at 60 pounds and I load up about 270 more wights (total weight of 330) and get between 8-10 reps and my regular deepest squat I do about 225 if I go to this same ratio on my squats then I can do about 290. I do this to fire my quads and glutes and go slow. Easier to load more weight here and work and contracting the fibers in a short range of motion that is a little safer than regular squats.
There was a recall on that handle...if you contact life fitness they will send you the new one and no more clicking! The cutout of the old handle was bogus.
Great video!
Does the machine itself have a "base" weight? That is to say, when doing repetitions without any weight, you still have weight?
I ask this to know if this weight has to be added to the weight already loaded. I've heard that by itself they are 40 to 110 lbs (or 20 to 50 kg), but I'm not sure.
Thank you!
The starting weight of this machine is 65 pounds, and you're welcome hope we were able to help out.
@@doublegswellness7341Thank you very much for your reply!
Great demo and video! My gym recently got the hack machine and I was too scared to try it out 😅😅
Thanks! Glad you found it helpful. Now you don't have to be scared 💪
I love this machine, and it's a staple in my leg training. But the key is going down all the way until it fully bottoms out for proper depth.
For added time under tension, I not only do a slow 3 sec eccentric, but also a full 1 sec pause at the very bottom to stimulate dead weight. Taking out the stretch reflex momentum makes it way harder.
100% agree! We suggest going full range of motion. We do see many people loading too much weight and sacrificing range of motion. We have also done pulse reps at the bottom. Those are killer!
Very important that you only go down as much as you can and not kill yourself trying to go as deep as possible since you do not want to strain your knee joints for this! I just made this mistake myself today and realised it very quickly so I luckily do not have pain. The depth/rom will get better, I assume, as we get better at this movement.
I don't find this variation is used in a lot of gyms, but it is used in mine and is a cybex machine.
They are kind of rare. We hope this video helps as many people as possible. It can be awkward at first.
Tenho 1,68 de altura , acha que da para substituir agachamento no smith por esse hack ?
Sí, puedes sustituir por las sentadillas en la smith machine con una posición de las piernas mas angosta . Eso creará un efecto similar en tus piernas. También otra opción si no tienes problemas con la espalda haciendo peso muerto, puedes hacer barbell hack squat. Muy buena sustitución para esta hack squat. Aquí esta el video por si lo quieres intentar th-cam.com/video/7ubU4RDCqZs/w-d-xo.html
I just did a wooden version of something like this it's fun but more difficult than the hacksquat you must hold the pedal while moving unlike the hacksquat this recquires stamina and mobility in this the arm is of great support unlike the hack squat not for begnners who don't really have the experience but it's fun if you don't like the weight squat hack squat makes squatting fun doesn't really recquire much human effort since it's a machine unlike weight squatting
Oh nice! Do you have a picture or a video of that?
Hammer strength need to make a proper hack squat machine
This machine can be a little tricky and also not so friendly with taller people. You are right they should make the other version of the hack squat. Our local gym just got a new one that is much smoother that we will upload a video of soon!
I noticed this too! Although both machines are "hack squats", I'd argue that they are different machines. Linear hack squat seems to have a much larger moment arm to the knee joint than your regular hack squat, in contrast, a regular hack squat has greater ROM. Not sure which one is "better" (highly subjective), but I'd guess the regular hack squat would be more "hypertrophic" because of it's greater ROM/being able to work at the lengthen position of the quad muscle.
@@joshuaaguilar1033 Completely agree with you! The regular hack squat is the preferred option for individuals that are taller. Most body builders would agree with this. The liner hack squat can be a tough option for people 6 ft and over or individuals with longer femurs.
@@doublegswellness7341 Completely agree, I am 6ft 1 and this machine gives me nothing but knee pain even when I place my feet at the top of the platform, never had that problem in my previous gym with the traditional hack squat machine.
They did with this one that was recently released.
th-cam.com/video/8AXtP_CHO4k/w-d-xo.html
I haven't tried since it's so new but early reviews, people seem to favor the older one here
Are you able to load more weight onthe regular hack squat
For most people no, you can put more weight here. We believe this because the angle on this one is more upright and you can't achieve a higher level of range of motion (flexion) compared to the other hack squat. The starting weight on this one is 65lbs and the other hack squat starts at 105 lbs. I put three 45s on each side on this one, and I only put two 45s on each side on the other hack squat and thats a big time struggle. Barbell hack squat is even way tougher than the machine versions.
which position of the feet for the glutes too?
We found that feet higher and pointing out would be best for glutes. It is also better if you fully pause at the bottom and push through the heels.
Super helpful. Thank you.
You're welcome! Glad we could help.
You do gain strength in this machine and it’s very safe.
We also believe every machine will help you gain strength. You just have to learn how to maximize its potential through the best movement possible. Thank you for your comment.
After back I feel in my biceps . That's why I put biceps after back. You can MOT work back without using biceps. Your biceps are already warmed up.
I'm not understanding your comment, but both back and biceps are pulling muscles. They move in the same pattern and will always feel them when you pull towards your body. Or when you stretch them in the eccentric motion.
Tried one of these for the first time. I'm sure why but it didn't feel like the muscles were really activating that well with it. I'm not sure if it's because I didn't have that muscle memory or what
Could be many factors like height, depth of your squat, or foot positioning. We hope your gym has other squat machines that can be better for you.
Foot positioning
could this be a good replacement for the barbell squat? (Back problems)
Of course as long as you are performing it with good form. Most clients we have seen report more back issues when doing the barbell squat because or the position of the load it has as they retract the shoulder blades and not being able to maintain a proper upright torso. Another great exercise would be the belt squat, pendulum squat or the matrix hack squat. Those videos will be up soon!
Bulgarian split squat is good if you have lower back pain plus it focuses on the quads if your stance is not too wide which then targets the glutes
is it safe for lower back ?
Yes it can be. We have many clients with lower back issues that can do this but start with no weight as the starting weight is 65 pounds. Please talk to a trainer that know how to use this or a member at your gym that does it all the time just to be there incase it feels a bit awkward when you first try it. We recommend strengthening the glutes and legs before trying this that way you have more stability when you try this machine.
I thought your legs are supposed to only go to 90 degrees? Or no
Ideally for safety purposes that is true. But some peoples 90 degree look slightly different depending on the size of them femurs and hips. For example, males have narrow and longer hips and females tend to have wider but shorter hips. It is much easier for females to squat lower compared to males. Also some people have very long femurs and others have shorter which makes it easier for them to squat at fuller ranges of motion. We personally believe if you can go lower and keep great tension on your quads and not your lower back you should go for it. Thanks for your comment. We will make a video about this topic soon :)
Came here looking for the difference between the linear hack squat vs the upright hack squat with shpulder support.
Stayed because i felt like i was using linear wrong
The linear hack squat has been a struggle for most people because of the position. We will be posting the upright hack squat.
@@doublegswellness7341 That would be amazing!
i can't go down like an atg squat. feelds wonky on me
Unfortunately the taller you are, the less range of motion you can perform on this machine because of its fixed position. If I want to go to full range I would do a smith machine squat with my heels elevated, barbell squat or pendulum squat. I hope this video helped you perform this exercise as best as it can.
just a reminder, its not necessary to keep your heels down. the classic form is even thought through with the heels elevating, people tend to forget, that our forfoot supposed to do stuff like this. look at tom platz for example in his hacksquats. we jump and land on our forfood, so it can take HUGE hits. just control the movement and enjoy big stress on your quads!
Agreed, you can load the quads nicely if the heels are elevated. We believe that this applies with people that are very experienced or have very healthy knees/joints. We keeps heels down as a safety precaution. One thing that should be reminded is load on the machine. Tom always said form over weight! You have to be in full control to apply what he was doing and most people don't apply that in the beginning of their fitness journey. Thanks for the comment and shedding light on this topic with the rest of us💪
Got this in my gym it’s crap , don’t work anything just make knees crack !
Sorry you felt that way. You could be putting too much pressure on the toes or maybe you might be too tall that it won't allow you to get proper range of motion. We don't get anyone over 6 ft on this machine because most of them say it's too hard on their knees or lower back. Another alternative for this if you don't have any other hack squats machines is the landmine hack squat.
@@doublegswellness7341 lol I’m a short arse , it just feels awkward and i never get a good burn from it , suppose personal preference 💪🏻
Thank you 😊
You're welcome ☺
I have no idea why a gym would buy this instead of a traditional hack squat
This is better...no strain on the spine
@@matthewcarbone2108 I have it in my gym and it sucks, all the pressure is on the lower back which is the only part attached to the cushioning. Even with perfect form and feet placement your lower back will feel a lot of pressure.
Some people enjoy this machine. Most people don't use it properly or they are too tall for it. We have both options at the gym we work at and people appreciate that.
@@doublegswellness7341I just use the stand up back squats it’s hard for me to use this machine
Man this is one of the worst hammer strength machine ever made
It’s more of a glute exercise than guads
Because there is barely any knee flexion when do it
Poorly designed
True, not as much knee flexion as we would like. We just hope people can get the best out of it if they ever decide to try this with this video. Some people like it both experienced and beginner lifters. I personally like the barbell hack squat. The really burns the quads more effectively with the right technique.