9 Hack Squat Alternatives
The hack squat trains your quads and glutes on an angled sled, with your back and shoulders against pads as you squat down and drive up. You need a substitute when your gym has no hack squat machine, when it is taken, or when you train at home.
-
1. Barbell back squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- Barbell + Weight plates + Squat rack
The back squat is the free-weight version of the same pattern, with the bar on your upper back. You must balance and brace the bar yourself, so your torso and hips work more than on the sled.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-10 reps (from the app's rules).
-
2. Front squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- Barbell + Weight plates + Squat rack
With the bar on the front of your shoulders, your torso stays upright, much like on the hack squat sled. It is a strong quad exercise, but it needs good wrist and upper back mobility and takes time to learn.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-10 reps (from the app's rules).
-
3. Goblet squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- Dumbbells
You hold a dumbbell at your chest, which keeps your torso upright and your squat deep. It is easy to learn and needs one dumbbell, but the load is limited by how much you can hold.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-12 reps (from the app's rules).
-
4. Kettlebell goblet squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- Kettlebell
The kettlebell version holds the bell by the horns at your chest. It trains the same upright squat at home, with a lighter load than a plate-loaded machine.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-12 reps (from the app's rules).
How to do it
- Hold the kettlebell by the horns against your chest, elbows pointing down.
- Stand with your feet a little wider than your shoulders, toes turned out slightly.
- Sit down between your heels with your chest up until your elbows reach your knees.
- Drive up through your whole foot to stand tall.
-
5. Leg press
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- Leg press
The leg press is the other common machine squat, with your back on a pad and the sled moving away from you. It keeps the guided path and heavy loading, and many people find it easier to set up.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-12 reps (from the app's rules).
-
6. Bodyweight squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- No equipment
The bodyweight squat keeps the knee and hip bend with no equipment. It is much lighter than a loaded sled, so use a slow lowering phase to make each rep count.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-12 reps (from the app's rules).
-
7. Pistol squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- No equipment
The pistol is a deep squat on one leg, so your body weight becomes a heavy load for one quad. It is an advanced move that needs balance and good ankle mobility.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-20 reps (from the app's rules).
How to do it
- Stand on one leg with the other leg held out in front.
- Reach your arms forward to counter your weight.
- Lower slowly until your hip is below your knee.
- Keep the standing heel down and push back up.
-
8. Smith machine squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- Smith machine
The Smith machine fixes the bar path, so it feels close to a machine squat. You can place your feet a little forward to keep your torso upright, much like on the hack squat.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-12 reps (from the app's rules).
How to do it
- Place your feet slightly in front of the bar.
- Unhook the bar and brace your core.
- Lower until your thighs are about parallel.
- Press through your heels and keep your back against the bar path.
-
9. Chair squat
- Same main muscle
- Same movement pattern
- No equipment
You sit back to touch a chair and stand up again. It is the gentlest squat on the list and a good start for beginners.
To build muscle: 3 x 8-12 reps (from the app's rules).
How to do it
- Stand just in front of a sturdy chair with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Sit your hips back and down until you lightly touch the seat.
- Keep your shins close to vertical and your chest up.
- Drive through your whole foot to stand tall.
Comparison table
| Exercise | Main muscles | Equipment | Level | Same pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hack squat (this exercise) | quads and glutes | Hack squat | Beginner | - |
| Barbell back squat | quads, glutes and lower back | Barbell, Weight plates, Squat rack | Intermediate | Yes |
| Front squat | quads and glutes | Barbell, Weight plates, Squat rack | Advanced | Yes |
| Goblet squat | quads and glutes | Dumbbells | Beginner | Yes |
| Kettlebell goblet squat | quads and glutes | Kettlebell | Beginner | Yes |
| Leg press | quads and glutes | Leg press | Beginner | Yes |
| Bodyweight squat | quads and glutes | None | Beginner | Yes |
| Pistol squat | quads and glutes | None | Advanced | Yes |
| Smith machine squat | quads and glutes | Smith machine | Beginner | Yes |
| Chair squat | quads and glutes | None | Beginner | Yes |
How we chose
Keep a deep knee bend with an upright torso, because that is what makes the hack squat hit the quads hard. The machine holds your back and fixes the path, so you can push close to your limit with little balance demand. Without it, pick a squat that keeps your chest up, such as the front squat or goblet squat. The leg press and Smith machine squat keep the guided path. At home, slow tempo and one-leg squats replace the missing load.
The ranking is the same rule as the swap list in the Oh My Coach app: exercises with the same first main muscle and the same movement pattern come first, then the rest of the pattern, ordered by how well each one works as a main exercise. An exercise never replaces itself. The extra picks for home, dumbbells and bands come from the same rule with only that equipment.
Questions
What is the best hack squat alternative at home?
The goblet squat with a dumbbell or kettlebell is the closest match because it keeps you upright. With no weights, do slow bodyweight squats, then split squats and pistol squat progressions.
Can I replace the hack squat with the leg press?
Yes. Both are machine squats for the quads and glutes with your back supported. The leg press tilts you back, while the hack squat keeps you closer to a standing squat.
Is the front squat a good hack squat substitute?
Yes, for the quads. Both keep the torso upright. In one study the front squat gave similar muscle activity to the back squat with lower knee compressive forces. It does take practice to hold the bar in the front rack.