11 Best Hack Squat Alternative Exercises For Legs

What is the Hack Squat?

The hack squat is a great secondary exercise to the barbell squat. Some even prefer the hack squat to be their main squat.

The hack squat is a machine-based squat used for building the lower body. You stand on a fixed platform under shoulder pads that bear however much weight you select.

That means you need a squat machine for the exercise, which is quite expensive. But there are hack squat alternative exercises that non-gym goers can do if they don’t have access to a squat machine.

Typically, the platform of the hack squat machine is tilted so your toes are slightly below your heels. This mimics the same position as if you’re doing regular squats with weight plates under your heels. The point with this is to aid ankle mobility to get a deeper squat.

Although the hack squat may seem like a traditional barbell squat without the barbell, there are some key differences.

Traditional squats require core stability to balance a barbell or hold a kettlebell, which distributes the work among your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. On the other hand, hack squats keep your back and hips fixed. The result is that your knees are doing most of the rotational work, which makes your quads bear the majority of the burden.

Key Benefits of Hack Squats

Hack squats are an excellent exercise to beef up those quadriceps. It’s simple, fun to do, and offers several benefits. Such benefits include:

There’s plenty of movement at the knees
It helps strengthen your legs
Develops the muscles so your thighs look more defined and in-shape
Increases your lower body power

The main advantage is that using the machine takes away the need to focus on balance. You have the freedom to push to your depth without the distraction of trying to maintain perfect upper body form.

In a 2017 study, researchers found that people could lift greater loads with the hack squat than with a back squat. While more core muscle activation was required in the back squat, the hack squat showed it had an advantage when lifting heavier weight.

Muscles Worked

Quadriceps
Gluteus (maximus and medius)
Hamstrings
Calves
Abdominals

The hack squat involves significant movement of the hips and knees. This makes the quads and glutes primary drivers when standing up from the bottom position.

The hamstrings, calves, and abdominals are also contributing to the movement. However, their involvement is much less than the quads and glutes, primarily assisting with knee and hip extension.

Limitations of the Hack Squat

To do hack squats, you need a hack squat machine
Few gyms, commercial or private, will have hack squat equipment
Hack squat machines can be pricy for one muscle group and may not be feasible for many fitness enthusiasts
Can be limited in terms of adjustment, which makes it hard to use. For example: Too long of legs on a small hack squat machine

Due to the above reasons, many people opt for other quad-targeting hack squat alternative exercises that can offer the same benefits.

Best hack squat alternative exercises for building strength in your legs

While the hack squat does have tremendous advantages to building up those quads, it’s not the only essential exercise for quad or hamstring development.

Here are some of the best hack squat alternatives that you can do with minimal equipment.

Wall Hack Squats

Wall squats are an excellent hack squat alternative that keeps your ankles, hips, knees, and shoulders aligned. You can also practice them nearly anywhere.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings
Equipment Needed: Wall or flat vertical surface, kettlebell, pair of dumbbells (if you wish)

Steps to Follow

Take a dumbbell (or kettlebell) and hold it to your chest
Lean your back against a wall
Plant your feet in front of you at about shoulder width and about 2 feet from the wall
Bend at the knees and slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel with the floor
Do not round your lower back, and keep your core tight
Pushing through your heels, stand back up to the starting position

Pro Tip:
If you have trouble sliding up and down the wall, consider using a towel or foam roller between your back and the surface

Jump Squats

jump squat hack squat alternative exercise

Another great hack squat alternative is the jump squat.

While hack squats are fantastic for building muscle strength and size, squats performed with explosive force help develop muscle power.

With jump squats, you increase your ability to generate force quickly. This is essential in some sports. While you can do jump squats with weights, the unweighted version is challenging enough for most people and easier on your joints.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings

Steps to Follow

Position your feet about shoulder-width apart
Keep your knees soft and hold your arms by your sides
Bend your hips and knees until you’re in a quarter squat position (or slightly above parallel)
As you lower down into your squat, thrust your arms behind your body
Swing your arms explosively forward as you jump as high as you can into the air
Land on the balls of your feet, allowing your hips and knees to bend to absorb force
Repeat

Front Squats with Resistance Bands

The front squat is a good hack squat substitute to target your quadriceps.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Quads, glutes, hips, hamstrings
Equipment Needed: Resistance bands

Steps to Follow

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart
With both feet, step on the inside of the resistance band so the band is under midfoot (not the toes, but midfoot)
Take the top end of the band in your hands
Lift the band to shoulder height, turning palms face up
Make sure your elbows and knees are on the inside of the band
Raise your heels slightly to target the quads even more
Bend your knees and squat as you would normally

Pro Tip:
Remember, the goal, when doing this hack squat alternative, is to target the quads. The resistance band will try to pull you forward at the waist, so make sure that your knees are bending more than your hips as you squat

Goblet Squat

The goblet squat hack squat alternate exercise will have you moving through a full range of motion. Unlike hack squats, the weight used for goblet squats will be front and center of your chest, which is easier on your spine and lower back.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves
Equipment Needed: Dumbbell or Kettlebell

Steps to Follow

Take a dumbbell or kettlebell and hold it vertically near your chest
Start with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out slightly, hips forward
Bend your knees into a squat, keeping your knees behind your toes at all times
When you touch your elbows to the inside of your knees, stand up by pushing through your heels
Repeat

Pro Tip:
Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribcage to avoid sore wrists from holding the dumbbell or kettlebell. As a result, you’ll be able to support the dumbbell better and reduce the stress on your wrist joints

Sumo Squats

The sumo squat works perfectly with kettlebells (or dumbbells) since they help keep the weight centered. This allows for proper form and better engagement of your glutes and quads.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Quad, hamstrings, glutes, inner thighs, calves, hip flexors
Equipment Needed: Kettlebell or dumbbell

Steps to Follow

Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell either at chest height or hanging between your legs
Position your feet about 12 inches wider than your hips
Point your toes out at around 45-degree angles. Rotate your thighs at this angle as well, keeping them in line with your feet
Pivot your hips back while bending at the knees
Drop into a squat position until your thighs are level to the floor
Rise to the starting position

TRX Hack Squat

The TRX hack squat alternative exercise is similar in motor movements to the hack squat exercise on a machine. But rather than just pushing straight up, the TRX squat allows the quads to push back against the hands and shoulder stability. This allows a greater engagement of the quads.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abdominals
Equipment Needed: TRX Suspension Trainers

Steps to Follow

Begin by facing the anchor point
Grasp the TRX grips in a neutral hold
Lean back until the TRX bands are tight and supporting your bodyweight
Using the resistance of the TRX bands to assist you, start your squat down
Keep leaning back as far as possible, your spine straight
The leverage supplied by the TRX should allow you to squat deep, activating your glutes.
Return to your starting point with slightly bent knees to complete the rep

Wall Sits

Where the wall hack squats involve movement, the wall sits are a static exercise. It’s ideal to do at home since it requires only your body weight and a vertical surface. Despite this, they’re still a demanding exercise, great for increasing strength and stamina, and effective hack squat alternative exercises.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Quads, glutes, calves
Equipment Needed: Wall or flat vertical surface

Steps to Follow

Start with your back pressed firmly against a wall
Plant your feet at about shoulder-width and 2 feet out in front of you
Slide down until your thighs are parallel with your knees
Make sure your knees are directly above your ankles and you’re pressing your back against the wall
Hold the position for 30 – 60 seconds or until failure
Return to standing

Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is another effective good alternative to hack squats. Because it’s an exercise where you train one leg at a time, you get an effective lower body workout while minimizing spinal compression.

Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Target Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, core
Equipment Needed: Flat Weight Bench or box

Steps to Follow

Start with feet shoulder-width apart
Lift your left foot and place it behind you on a bench or box
Point your right foot (still on the ground) straight ahead
Keep your posture straight while you bend your right leg and dip into a squat
Push yourself up, keeping your back straight and knees behind your toes, and return to your starting position

Pro Tip:
If you’re finding balance to be an issue, position your weight bench close to a wall. Touch it to maintain your stability as you go through the single-leg up and down motions

Weighted Step-ups

The weighted step-up is a fantastic exercise for the lower body that improves balance and stabilization. Adding dumbbells increases the load on the working muscles to boost strength in the upper legs and glutes.

Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Target Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, and adductors
Equipment Needed: Weight Bench or box, dumbbells, kettlebells

Steps to Follow

Find a weight bench (step or box) to stand in front of
Hold a set of dumbbells at shoulder height or hanging by your sides
Keeping your back straight, inhale as you step with your right foot onto the bench
Straighten your right leg as you exhale and lift yourself onto the bench
Bring your left foot up onto the bench as well
Step back down to the floor with the left foot
Step your right foot down
Switch sides

Lunges

Lunges are fantastic hack squat alternatives that can target your quadriceps. And you can do them anywhere, with as much or as little weight as you’d like to use.

Level: Beginner
Target Muscles: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves
Equipment Needed: dumbbell or kettlebell (optional)

Steps to Follow

Position your feet about shoulder-width apart
Using your right leg, take a big step forward
Keeping your right knee behind your toe, drop your left knee down until it almost touches the floor
Straighten back up
Step your right foot back and place it beside your left
Switch sides

Lateral Lunges

Lateral lunge is a terrific exercise for your hip abductors and legs, but it requires some hip mobility.

Start by practicing this hack squat alternative exercise without weights if you are new to this training. Your body weight should be challenging enough.

Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Target Muscles: Glutes, quads, hamstrings
Equipment Needed: dumbbell or kettlebell (optional)

Steps to Follow

Stand the hack squat alternative with feet hip-width apart
With your left foot, step as far out to the side as your hips are comfortable with
Bend your left knee, push your hips back, and lower yourself
Once your thigh is level with the floor, push back up to start
Switch legs

11 Best Hack Squat Alternative Exercises to help build Lower Body Strength