Smith Hack Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Position the bar at shoulder height and stand with the bar resting across your upper traps.
2. Step your feet forward about 12-18 inches in front of the bar, maintaining a shoulder-width stance.
3. Rotate the bar to unlock it from the safety pegs and stand tall with a slight bend in your knees.
4. Engage your core and keep your chest upright, leaning your back slightly against the bar for support.

How to do it

1. Inhale and lower your hips by bending at the knees and hips, keeping your torso upright as if sliding down a wall.
2. Continue descending until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, ensuring your heels remain firmly planted.
3. Exhale and drive through your mid-foot and heels to return to the starting position.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase and a powerful 1-second concentric (lifting) phase.

Form checklist

• Keep your back straight and chest up throughout the entire movement.
• Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not cave inward.
• Do not let your heels lift off the ground at the bottom of the rep.
• Avoid locking out your knees completely at the top to maintain constant tension on the muscles.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pushing the floor away' rather than just standing up to maximize quad recruitment.
• Experiment with foot height; placing feet lower on the floor increases knee flexion and quad emphasis, while higher placement engages more glutes.
• Keep your head neutral and eyes forward to maintain a safe spinal alignment.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate momentum and increase time under tension.
• Use a narrow stance to further isolate the outer sweep (vastus lateralis) of the quadriceps.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the smith hack squat work?

The smith hack squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the smith hack squat?

The smith hack squat uses smith machine and weight plate.

Is the smith hack squat good for beginners?

The smith hack squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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