Hack squat vs leg press: both are classic exercises for training legs. But which one is better, what are the pros and cons of each, how to choose, and what are the differences between them?
In this article, I will answer all your queries regarding hack squat vs leg press, so that you can optimize your leg training schedule. So let’s dive deep into it.
Hack Squat Vs Leg Press: OVERVIEW
Everybody loves a muscular physique but nobody wants to have a massive upper body and thin chicken legs. Strong legs are as important as wide shoulders or big biceps.
Hence, your lower body training session should be optimal for the proper development of your legs. It should include enough exercises to hit each n every muscle of the lower body with the required intensity.
When we talk about training legs, squatting is probably the best exercise for the all-around development of legs. However, just squats are not enough. Hack squats and leg presses have their own benefits.
Apart from squats, these are two of the major exercises for training the lower body. Both exercises hit almost all the major muscles of the legs, but they have several differences.
Hack Squat Vs Leg Press: DIFFERENCES
Both exercises hit the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, with different intensities of course. They both have different setups, require different machines, and have different ranges of motion. So let’s look at them.
Form and Technique
Be it leg press or hack squat, both exercises require specific machines and weights. So you must have a proper setup or excess to a modern gym.
How to do Leg Press
1. Load the leg press machine with the desired weight.
2. Sit on the machine with your head and back on the pad and feet on the platform.
3. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and in the center of the platform.
4. Now remove the safety bars, grab the handles, and push the weight until your legs become almost straight (make sure to not lock the knees).
5. Now bend your knees to lower the platform slowly and keep lowering until your knees are at 90 degrees or less with your hamstrings.
6. Exhale while pushing the weight up and inhale while lowering it.
7. Keep repeating for several reps.
How to do Hack Squats
1. Load the desired weight on the machine and take the position in which you are most comfortable.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and in the middle of the platform.
3. Unrack the machine and stand up with a slight bend in your knees.
4. Take a deep breath and start bending your knees to lower the weight slowly.
5. Keep lowering down until your knees are at slightly less than 90 degrees with the hamstrings.
6. Now push the platform up with your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Also, tighten your core while moving up.
7. Repeat the movement for desired reps.
As we can see, hack squats and leg presses require different machinery and have different setups.
In hack squats, you remain in the standing position with a load on your shoulders. While during leg press, you remain in a sitting position supporting your back and hips and gear supported by your feet.
Apart from this, there is a difference in range of motion, joints worked, and muscles used.
Form of both exercises is quite similar but on different setups. However, the movement pattern of the hack squat is more related to the conventional squat.
Joints And Range of Motion
Leg presses and hack squats are compound movements, which means they engage multiple joints and muscles simultaneously.
Both of them include the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle joint. However, the range of motion of different joints in leg presses and hack squats is different.
Hack squat engages all these joints largely. Whereas, in leg press, only knees and ankles are used largely and engagement of the hip joint is moderate.
| Joint | Hack Squat | Leg Press |
|---|---|---|
| Knee | Very large | Large |
| Ankle | Large | Large |
| Hip | Large | Moderate |
ROM of knee and hip joints in hack squat is greater than in leg press.
Muscles Worked
Both exercises involve all the muscles of the lower body along with the core muscles. However, they target different muscles differently.
Hack squats muscles worked
Hack squats mainly hit the quads and glutes. It also involves the hamstrings and calves but to a smaller degree. Along with this, hack squats also engage the core and spinal erectors to support the heavy load.
Leg press muscles worked
Leg press mainly works on your quads. It also hits on your glutes but to a smaller degree than hack squats. Along with this, leg press also engages your hamstrings and calves.
However, your spinal erectors and core muscles are not engaged as much because you are doing this exercise in a seated position.
| Muscles | Hack Squat | Leg Press |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Quads Glutes | Quads |
| Secondary | Hamstrings Core Calves Spinal erectors | Glutes Calves Hamstrings |
Pros and Cons of Hack Squats
Pros
1. As the name suggests, the hack squat is closely related to the legendary barbell squat.
2. It puts less strain on your lower back than other squat variations. So if you have any lower back issues then you can replace squat with hack squat.
3. Hack squats engage more muscles than the leg press.
4. It is one of the best exercises to build muscles and strength in your lower body.
5. Hack squat machines have a safety bar so you can do this exercise even without a trainer or spotter.
6. Hack squat is easier to learn, so it is good to start with it if you are a newbie.
Cons
1. The major drawback of a hack squat is that you do this exercise with the support of a machine which is not easily available in every gym.
2. Hack squat doesn’t engage your stabilizing muscles as a barbell squat would engage.
3. It also doesn’t engage your core muscles as a barbell squat would engage.
4. Hack squats puts more load on your shoulders, so it can be difficult to perform if you have soreness or pain in your shoulders.
5. The setup of the hack squat machine is such that you can’t train one leg at a time.
6. The risk of injury in the hack squat is slightly more than in the leg press.
Pros and Cons of Leg Press
Pros
1. Leg press is one of the most famous and effective exercises for the legs. Almost every gym freak does this.
2. Its setup and posture are so simple that anyone can do this easily, even a newbie too.
3. As with hack squats, there is a safety bar in the leg press machine. So you don’t need a spotter while doing this.
4. During leg press, your lower back always remains supported. So you can add this leg exercise to your routine even if you have a back injury.
5. You can do this exercise with a single leg too. That means you can train one leg at a time which you can not do with squats.
6. Leg press puts less pressure on your shoulder and spine as compared to hack squats. So it is better to do leg presses in case of injuries.
7. Unlike a hack squat machine, a leg press machine is easily available in almost all gyms.
8. It’s good for people having muscle imbalance as it gives you the luxury to train one leg at a time.
9. Leg press gives you the luxury to lift superheavy weights.
Cons
1. The major con of the leg press is that it needs a machine. However, you’ll easily find this machine in almost any gym.
2. As with a hack squat, it doesn’t strengthen your stabilizing muscles as much as barbell squats or lunges.
3. Another major con of leg press is that it doesn’t engage the core, glutes, and hamstrings as much as hack squats.
4. There is a significant chance of ego lifting because you can load too much weight by reducing the range of motion.
Which One Should You Choose
Now after knowing about both exercises, this is the main question we are left with. However, you can add both exercises to your leg training routine but based on their pros and cons, which is better for you?
When To Do Hack Squats
If you have lower back issues or you are unable to perform barbell squats, then you should add hack squats to your routine. This exercise is the best replacement for squats.
Another reason to prefer hack squats is that it engages more muscles than the leg press. Along with quads, it gives more emphasis on your glutes too and also engages core muscles.
When To Do Leg Press
If your major goal is to build and strengthen your quads, then leg press is a go-to exercise for you. It focuses more on quads and gives less emphasis on your glutes as compared to hack squats.
Another plus point of leg press is that it is very comforting for your spine. So in case of any injury or back pain, you should go for a leg press over a hack squat.
Since you can train one leg at a time, leg presses are also preferable over hack squats if you have a muscle imbalance.
Hack Squat Vs Leg Press: SUMMARY
So this was the science-based article explaining the difference between hack squat vs leg press. Both are major compound exercises for the legs but they have several pros and cons.
If we talk about overall muscle involvement then hack squats win the game as it engages more muscles than the leg press. Also, the movement pattern of hack squats is similar to barbell squats hence it works as a replacement for barbell squats.
However, leg press targets primarily your quads and puts less impact on your core and stabilizing muscles. Leg presses are also beneficial in case of back-related injuries as it puts no load on your spine.
