The hack squat is one of the best machines for building bigger quads. You load a sled onto your shoulders, plant your feet on the angled platform, and drive up and down a fixed track. Because the machine controls the bar path and takes your lower back out of the equation, you can push your quads close to failure without worrying about balance or spinal load. That’s why it’s a staple on so many leg days.
You might need an alternative for a handful of reasons. Plenty of gyms don’t own a hack squat machine, and if you train at home you almost certainly don’t have one. The fixed track can bother some people’s knees or lower back if the angle doesn’t fit their build. And if your gym has a reverse hack squat or a V-squat instead of a traditional hack squat, you’re really just after the same quad work from a slightly different tool.
I picked these 10 hack squat alternatives for how well they load the quads the way a hack squat does, how easy they are on your back and knees, and what equipment they need. There’s a machine option for most gyms, a barbell option if you’d rather use free weights, a single-leg option, and a bodyweight option you can do at home. I’ll tell you when to reach for each one, how to do it, and where it fits in your training.
Table of Contents
- 1 The 10 Best Hack Squat Alternatives
- 2 Reasons to Choose the Hack Squat
- 3 Muscles Worked
- 4 FAQs
- 4.1 What can I replace the hack squat with?
- 4.2 What’s the best hack squat alternative at home?
- 4.3 Is there a cable hack squat alternative?
- 4.4 What machine can I use instead of a hack squat?
- 4.5 Can I do a hack squat on a Smith machine?
- 4.6 What’s a good single-leg alternative to the hack squat?
- 4.7 Is the reverse hack squat the same as a hack squat?
- 5 Key Takeaways
- 6 Other Alternative Exercises
- 6.1 The 8 Best Hammer Curl Alternatives
- 6.2 The 7 Best Deadlift Alternatives
- 6.3 The 9 Best Barbell Row Alternatives
- 6.4 The 9 Best Pendlay Row Alternatives
- 6.5 The 10 Best Front Squat Alternatives
- 6.6 The 10 Best Glute Bridge Alternatives
- 6.7 The 10 Best Bent Over Row Alternatives
- 6.8 The 10 Best Plank Alternatives
- 6.9 The 10 Best Lying Leg Curl Alternatives
- 6.10 The 8 Best Decline Bench Press Alternatives
- 6.11 The 10 Best Romanian Deadlift Alternatives
- 6.12 The 10 Best Pallof Press Alternatives
- 6.13 The 10 Best Leg Extension Alternatives
- 6.14 The 9 Best Lunge Alternatives
- 6.15 The 9 Best Leg Press Alternatives
The 10 Best Hack Squat Alternatives
- Leg Press
- Reverse Hack Squat (V-Squat)
- Belt Squat
- Front Squat
- Safety Bar Squat
- Heel-Elevated Back Squat
- Feet-Forward Smith Machine Squat
- Bulgarian Split Squat
- Goblet Squat
- Sissy Squat
1. Leg Press
When to Perform the Leg Press
The leg press is the closest machine swap for a hack squat, and it’s the first one I reach for when a gym has no hack squat. You still push a loaded sled with your feet on a platform, your back is fully supported, and you can train your quads to failure without a spotter. Foot placement changes the emphasis, and feet low and close together hits the quads hardest, which is what you want here. I run it for 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
How to Perform the Leg Press
- Sit in the machine with your back flat against the pad and your feet about shoulder width on the lower part of the platform.
- Push the sled up and release the safety handles.
- Lower the platform by bending your knees until they reach roughly 90 degrees, keeping your lower back on the pad.
- Press through your whole foot to drive the sled back up, stopping just short of locking your knees.
Equipment: leg press machine.
This video from Colossus Fitness shows how to perform the leg press with good form.
Tips for the Leg Press
- Keep your feet low on the platform to bias the quads, the way a hack squat does.
- Don’t let your lower back round off the pad at the bottom. Cut the depth short if it does.
- Leave a slight bend in your knees at the top so the tension stays on your quads.
- Add a pause at the bottom of each rep for more time under tension without more weight.
For more machine swaps and a closer comparison, see our leg press alternatives and leg press vs hack squat breakdowns.
2. Reverse Hack Squat (V-Squat)
When to Perform the Reverse Hack Squat
If your gym has a reverse hack squat or a V-squat machine instead of a standard hack squat, this is the swap that feels almost identical. You face into the machine with the pads on your shoulders, so your torso stays upright and your quads take the brunt of the work. A reverse hack squat and a V-squat machine are close cousins, and plenty of lifters find both easier on the lower back than a traditional hack squat because of that upright angle. I treat it as a straight replacement and run 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
How to Perform the Reverse Hack Squat
- Step into the machine facing the back pad and set the shoulder pads snug against you.
- Plant your feet about shoulder width on the platform with your toes turned out slightly.
- Unrack the weight and lower into a squat until your thighs are roughly parallel to the platform.
- Drive up through your feet to stand back up, stopping just short of locking your knees.
Equipment: reverse hack squat or V-squat machine.
This video from Life Fitness shows how to set up and perform the plate-loaded V-squat.
Tips for the Reverse Hack Squat
- Keep your whole back against the pads through the rep. Don’t let your hips shoot back.
- Push your knees out in line with your toes instead of letting them cave in.
- A wider stance shares the load with your glutes, and a narrow stance keeps it on the quads.
- Sit a little deeper than you think if your knees feel good, since the upright position lets you drop between your legs.
3. Belt Squat
When to Perform the Belt Squat
The belt squat hangs the load from your hips instead of your shoulders, so it takes your spine out of the movement almost entirely. That makes it my top pick when a hack squat bothers your lower back, or when you want to hammer your legs on a day your back is already fried from deadlifts. You still get a strong quad and glute stimulus and you can train close to failure safely. I use it for 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
How to Perform the Belt Squat
- Strap the belt around your hips and stand on the platform or blocks so the weight hangs freely.
- Set your feet about shoulder width with a slight toe-out.
- Squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel, keeping your chest up.
- Drive back up through your heels and midfoot to standing.
Equipment: belt squat machine, or a dip belt and two boxes loaded with a cable or plates.
This video from Alan Thrall shows how to set up and perform the belt squat.
Tips for the Belt Squat
- Stand tall and let the belt pull straight down. Don’t lean forward into it.
- A wider stance lets you sit deeper without your lower back rounding.
- Hold the frame lightly for balance if you need to, but don’t pull yourself up with your arms.
- This is one of the few leg exercises you can push hard the day after heavy deadlifts, since it spares your lower back.
For how it stacks up against a barbell squat, see our belt squat vs back squat comparison.
4. Front Squat
When to Perform the Front Squat
The front squat is my go-to barbell alternative when you want free-weight carryover and a strong quad bias without a machine. Holding the bar across the front of your shoulders forces you to stay upright, which shifts the work onto your quads much like a hack squat does. It also builds real core and upper-back strength a machine won’t. I program it for 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps when strength is the goal, or 8 to 10 reps for size.
How to Perform the Front Squat
- Set the bar across the front of your shoulders with your elbows high, using either a clean grip or a crossed-arm grip.
- Unrack the bar and step back with your feet about shoulder width.
- Sit straight down, keeping your elbows up and your torso as vertical as you can.
- Drive up through your midfoot to stand, keeping the bar path over your midfoot.
Equipment: barbell and rack.
This video from Candito Training HQ shows how to front squat with proper form.
Tips for the Front Squat
- Keep your elbows pointed forward and up. If they drop, the bar rolls off your shoulders.
- Expect to use roughly 80 percent of your back squat weight, since the front-loaded position is harder to hold.
- Elevate your heels on small plates or lifting shoes to sit more upright and push the quads harder.
- Brace your core hard before each rep to keep your torso from folding forward.
For more on what it trains, see our front squat benefits and muscles worked guide.
5. Safety Bar Squat
When to Perform the Safety Bar Squat
The safety bar sits the weight slightly in front of you with padded handles at your shoulders, so it’s kinder to your shoulders and keeps you a touch more upright than a straight bar. Reach for it when your shoulders can’t rack a normal barbell comfortably, or when you want more quad emphasis than a low-bar back squat without switching to a machine. I run 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 10 reps.
How to Perform the Safety Bar Squat
- Set the safety bar across your traps and grab the handles in front of your shoulders.
- Unrack the bar and step back into a shoulder-width stance.
- Squat down to at least parallel, letting the bar’s forward weight keep you upright.
- Drive up through your midfoot to stand.
Equipment: safety squat bar and rack.
This video from Rogue Fitness shows how to use a safety squat bar.
Tips for the Safety Bar Squat
- Fight the bar’s tendency to tip you forward by driving your upper back into it.
- Keep pulling the handles down and back to stay tall through the rep.
- A heel-elevated stance turns this into an even stronger quad exercise.
- Start lighter than your back squat, since the forward load changes the balance.
6. Heel-Elevated Back Squat
When to Perform the Heel-Elevated Back Squat
Elevating your heels on plates or a wedge lets you sit more upright and push your knees further forward, which loads the quads a lot like a hack squat does. This is the closest a plain barbell gets to the hack squat feel, and it needs nothing more than a bar and something to raise your heels. I use it for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
How to Perform the Heel-Elevated Back Squat
- Set your heels on a pair of small plates or a slant board, feet about shoulder width.
- Rack the bar on your upper back and unrack it.
- Squat straight down, letting your knees travel forward over your toes and keeping your torso tall.
- Drive up through the balls of your feet and heels to stand.
Equipment: barbell, rack, and plates or a slant board for your heels.
This video from Team Youphoric shows how to perform the heel-elevated barbell back squat.
Tips for the Heel-Elevated Back Squat
- Let your knees drift forward on purpose here. That forward travel is what shifts the load onto your quads.
- Half an inch to an inch of heel elevation is plenty for most people.
- Keep your torso upright, closer to a front squat than a low-bar back squat.
- Lifting shoes with a raised heel do the same job if you’d rather not stand on plates.
7. Feet-Forward Smith Machine Squat
When to Perform the Feet-Forward Smith Machine Squat
Setting your feet out in front of you on a Smith machine mimics the angled sled of a hack squat. The fixed bar path holds you upright and takes your balance out of the movement, so you can grind your quads to failure safely. This is the closest match if your gym has a Smith machine but no hack squat. I run 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
How to Perform the Feet-Forward Smith Machine Squat
- Set the bar on your upper back and walk your feet 6 to 12 inches in front of your hips.
- Unrack the bar by rotating your wrists.
- Squat straight down along the fixed bar path until your thighs pass parallel.
- Drive up through your feet to stand, staying tall the whole way.
Equipment: Smith machine.
This video from Renaissance Periodization shows how to perform the feet-forward Smith machine squat.
Tips for the Feet-Forward Smith Machine Squat
- The further forward your feet, the more the quads take over and the easier it is on your back.
- Keep your whole foot planted. Don’t let your heels lift off the floor.
- Because the bar is fixed, you can chase failure without a spotter.
- Add a pause at the bottom for extra quad tension without loading the bar heavier.
8. Bulgarian Split Squat
When to Perform the Bulgarian Split Squat
This is the single-leg option on the list, and it’s the one I use to fix side-to-side imbalances or to train legs hard with light dumbbells. With your rear foot on a bench, the front leg does almost all the work, so a pair of moderate dumbbells goes a long way. It hits the quads and glutes and demands balance a machine never will. I program 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per leg.
How to Perform the Bulgarian Split Squat
- Stand a couple of feet in front of a bench and rest the top of one foot on it behind you.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Lower straight down until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the floor.
- Drive up through your front foot to stand, keeping most of your weight on the front leg.
Equipment: a bench and a pair of dumbbells (bodyweight works to start).
This video from Colossus Fitness shows how to perform the Bulgarian split squat.
Tips for the Bulgarian Split Squat
- Keep most of your weight on the front leg. The back leg is just there for balance.
- A more upright torso hits the quads, and leaning forward brings in more glute.
- Set your front foot far enough forward that your knee stays over your midfoot at the bottom.
- Hold a rack or the bench with one hand if balance is the limiting factor early on.
If the rear-foot-elevated position bothers you, see our Bulgarian split squat alternatives.
9. Goblet Squat
When to Perform the Goblet Squat
The goblet squat is the easiest alternative to set up at home, since all you need is one dumbbell or kettlebell held at your chest. The front-loaded weight keeps you upright and biases the quads, and it teaches a clean squat pattern better than almost anything. I use it as a higher-rep quad builder or a warm-up, usually 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps.
How to Perform the Goblet Squat
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against your chest with both hands.
- Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width, toes turned out slightly.
- Squat straight down between your knees until your elbows touch the inside of your thighs.
- Drive up through your midfoot to stand tall.
Equipment: one dumbbell or kettlebell.
This video from ScottHermanFitness shows how to perform the goblet squat.
Tips for the Goblet Squat
- Keep your elbows inside your knees to hold your chest up and your torso vertical.
- The weight sits close to your body, so it’s easy on your lower back.
- Once one dumbbell gets too light, switch to a heavier option like the front or heel-elevated squat.
- A slow lowering phase and a pause at the bottom add difficulty without heavier weight.
10. Sissy Squat
When to Perform the Sissy Squat
This is the no-equipment option, the one you can do anywhere from a hotel room to your living room floor. By letting your knees travel forward and leaning back as you descend, you load the quads through a long, deep range using just your bodyweight. It’s harder than it looks. Start with 2 to 3 sets of as many clean reps as you can manage and build from there.
How to Perform the Sissy Squat
- Stand tall, holding a rack or sturdy support with one hand for balance.
- Rise onto the balls of your feet and let your knees travel forward.
- Lean your torso back in a straight line with your thighs, keeping your hips extended.
- Lower as far as your knees allow, then pull yourself back up by extending your knees.
Equipment: none (a rack, pole, or sissy squat bench helps with balance).
This video from ScottHermanFitness shows how to perform the sissy squat.
Tips for the Sissy Squat
- Ease into the range of motion over a few weeks. The deep knee bend is a lot for the joint at first.
- Keep your hips, torso, and thighs in one straight line as you lean back.
- Hold a plate against your chest once bodyweight reps get easy to add resistance.
- If your knees complain, cut the depth short and build tolerance before going deeper.
Reasons to Choose the Hack Squat
The hack squat earns its spot on leg day for a few reasons, and those are the same qualities I looked for in the alternatives above.
- Heavy quad loading. The fixed platform lets you pile on weight and drive your quads without worrying about balance.
- Easy on the lower back. The machine supports your torso, so your spine takes far less load than a barbell squat.
- Safe to train to failure. With no bar to bail and a guided track, you can push a set to the limit without a spotter.
- Simple to learn. The fixed path lets you focus on pushing hard rather than grooving your technique.
You’d reach for one of the alternatives above when your gym has no hack squat machine, when the fixed angle bothers your knees or back, when you train at home, or when months on the same machine have stalled your progress. For a closer look at how the hack squat holds up against a barbell, see our back squats vs hack squats comparison.
Muscles Worked
The hack squat and the alternatives above are all quad-dominant leg exercises. Your quads do most of the work, with your glutes, hamstrings, and calves helping out depending on the exercise and your stance.
- Quadriceps: the primary target on every option here. The four heads (vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris) extend your knee and get loaded hardest when your knees travel forward, which is why quad-focused options like the heel-elevated and sissy squat feel so different from a low-bar squat.
- Glutes: the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus extend your hips out of the bottom of each rep and do more work on wider stances and single-leg options like the Bulgarian split squat.
- Hamstrings: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus work with the glutes to control the descent and help you stand up, though they take a back seat to the quads on these exercises.
- Calves: the gastrocnemius and soleus stabilize your ankles and assist out of the bottom, especially on heel-elevated and sissy squats where you’re up on the balls of your feet.
- Core: your abs and lower back brace to keep your torso stable, and they work hardest on the free-weight options like the front squat and safety bar squat.
For a full breakdown of what the squat trains, see our squat muscles worked guide.
FAQs
What can I replace the hack squat with?
The closest swaps are the leg press and the reverse hack squat or V-squat, since both load your quads on a supported machine the same way. If you only have free weights, a front squat or a heel-elevated back squat gets you the closest quad bias. Pick based on what your gym has and how your back and knees feel.
What’s the best hack squat alternative at home?
The goblet squat if you have a single dumbbell or kettlebell, and the sissy squat if you have no equipment at all. Between the two you can train your quads through a full range without a machine. A slow lowering phase or a pause at the bottom keeps both challenging as you get stronger.
Is there a cable hack squat alternative?
There isn’t a true one, since a cable can’t load your legs the way a sled does. The closest cable option is a belt squat run off a low pulley, which hangs the weight from your hips and spares your lower back. A cable also works for goblet-style squats if you clip a handle at the bottom of the stack and hold it at your chest.
What machine can I use instead of a hack squat?
The leg press, the reverse hack squat or V-squat, the belt squat, and a Smith machine set up with your feet forward all cover the same quad-focused work. The V-squat is the closest feel if your gym has one. For more machine options, see our guide to the best leg machines at the gym.
Can I do a hack squat on a Smith machine?
Yes. Set the bar on your upper back and walk your feet well out in front of your hips, then squat straight down along the fixed bar path. The forward foot position and guided bar mimic the angled sled of a hack squat, and you can push close to failure without a spotter.
What’s a good single-leg alternative to the hack squat?
The Bulgarian split squat is the best single-leg option, since the front leg does almost all the work and it fixes side-to-side imbalances a machine can hide. Keep your torso upright and most of your weight on the front foot to bias the quads. A pair of moderate dumbbells is plenty to make it hard.
Is the reverse hack squat the same as a hack squat?
They train the same muscles, but you’re positioned differently. On a standard hack squat your back is against the pad and you face away from the machine. On a reverse hack squat you face into it with the pads on your shoulders, which keeps you more upright and often feels easier on the lower back. A V-squat machine works much the same way. If your gym only has the reverse version, you can treat it as a direct swap.
Key Takeaways
If your gym has a leg press, a reverse hack squat, or a V-squat, start there, since those load your quads on a supported machine almost exactly like a hack squat. If you’d rather use free weights, a front squat or a heel-elevated back squat gets you the closest quad bias with a barbell. The belt squat is the one to reach for when your lower back needs a break. And if you’re training at home, a goblet squat with one dumbbell or a bodyweight sissy squat will still build your quads through a full range. Pick the one that matches your equipment and how your knees and back feel, then progress it the same way you would a hack squat, by adding weight or reps over time. You don’t need all 10. Two or three that fit your setup will do more for your legs than trying to rotate through every option at once.
Other Alternative Exercises
If you enjoyed this post, check out our other roundups of the best alternatives for other exercises.
