The Hack Squat machine - Dangerous exercise.

[Vince B]

That phony Coach quoted me as saying the Hack Squat was good for the knees. This is patently false and I don't recommend doing this exercise.

I built a Hack Machine for my gym because the fellows wanted one. I also made it a Calf Machine which has value. People do a lot of silly things

because they see it in a magazine. Well, don't do this exercise. Stick with Squats and Leg Presses.

[jwb]

I like the counterweight...

[deadz]

That phony Coach quoted me as saying the Hack Squat was good for the knees. This is patently false and I don't recommend doing this exercise.

I built a Hack Machine for my gym because the fellows wanted one. I also made it a Calf Machine which has value. People do a lot of silly things

because they see it in a magazine. Well, don't do this exercise. Stick with Squats and Leg Presses.

What makes Hacks dangerous? I use the machine as an alternate to squats and I don't see a problem.

[apply85]

That phony Coach quoted me as saying the Hack Squat was good for the knees. This is patently false and I don't recommend doing this exercise.

I built a Hack Machine for my gym because the fellows wanted one. I also made it a Calf Machine which has value. People do a lot of silly things

because they see it in a magazine. Well, don't do this exercise. Stick with Squats and Leg Presses.

love love love the hack squat, nothing hits the glutes like hack squat

[YoungBlood]

What makes Hacks dangerous? I use the machine as an alternate to squats and I don't see a problem.

Because your back is supported, your hamstrings have less involvement to balance the leg making for greater sheering forces on the kneecap.

With that being said, I still do a lot of Hacks and use a heavy weight. But I also make sure to not rely on them and still do full squats as well.

[gcb]

always feel the knees when i do hacks

[tbombz]

not dangerous so long as your doing the reps in a controlled fashion.

[Vince B]

You have to do the exercise right and preferably after a warmup with other exercises.

The lads in my gym liked the original version of the machine because it reduced their bodyweight so made it easier to do.

When I increased the angle from 40 degrees to 60 degrees many complained. Yes, now they were lifting 90% of what they weigh

plus 90% of what was on machine. I had to increase the weight of the counterbalance so that the heavy sled weighs only 5 or

10 pounds. It is a wonderful calf machine, though. You can face in or out and do heel raises that feel great.

Whenever you put your feet beyond your knees you are generating a shearing force on your knees. I never do this exercise for

that reason. As you get older you need to protect your knees not damage them. Likewise, I don't recommend doing lunges.

[deadz]

You have to do the exercise right and preferably after a warmup with other exercises.

The lads in my gym liked the original version of the machine because it reduced their bodyweight so made it easier to do.

When I increased the angle from 40 degrees to 60 degrees many complained. Yes, now they were lifting 90% of what they weigh

plus 90% of what was on machine. I had to increase the weight of the counterbalance so that the heavy sled weighs only 5 or

10 pounds. It is a wonderful calf machine, though. You can face in or out and do heel raises that feel great.

Whenever you put your feet beyond your knees you are generating a shearing force on your knees. I never do this exercise for

that reason. As you get older you need to protect your knees not damage them. Likewise, I don't recommend doing lunges.

Food for thought.

[Coach is Back!]

Basil, do know anything about bio-mechanics on how it relates to joint integrity and breakdown? Or the sheer force of a load coming down at about a 45 degree angle?

[apply85]

There is a calf machine in the bally's I go to, it's a cable machine and I think it says free motion on it or something. You can move your calves around on it as u press, get such a good burn on the outer calf muscle. I don't remember what its called exactly

[Coach is Back!]

Basil you're not going to get this from me very often but I apologize. I misread your quote in the knee thread I thought you said "so DO hacks" as in so do hack instead of...so for that I'm sorry. But I still stick by that machines have no place for knee pain or rehab.

[Maddy]

tbombz is highly
educated and has
many degrees in
various google foo
topics

[1stkeepitreal]

Tear drop quads are built with hack squats.

Anything to do with leg exercise will always get the weak to say this machine that machine or this exercise is no good.  Just shut up and squat already!

[Vince B]

Basil you're not going to get this from me very often but I apologize. I misread your quote in the knee thread I thought you said "so DO hacks" as in so do hack instead of...so for that I'm sorry. But I still stick by that machines have no place for knee pain or rehab.

It is always refreshing to read the opinion of a true authority.

[Coach is Back!]

"The weak" hacks are not good on knees. (I put it in laymen to help you get it).

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

And that's what knee wraps are for.  Of course, I'd recommend using a barbell squat on a cage because its more effective and less expensive for most gyms.  Spending over 2k for a machine that does only one movement is a waste in my opinion

[Coach is Back!]

That phony Coach quoted me as saying the Hack Squat was good for the knees. This is patently false and I don't recommend doing this exercise.

I built a Hack Machine for my gym because the fellows wanted one. I also made it a Calf Machine which has value. People do a lot of silly things

because they see it in a magazine. Well, don't do this exercise. Stick with Squats and Leg Presses.

Knee killers

[Vince B]

All the Getbig experts have arrived now! Listen, Melvin, if you need to wrap a joint to train it you are doing something wrong. Do something else for a start.

That machine I made has stainless steel parts, special shafts and bearings and took a long time (over 120 hours!) to design then 6 months to build, plus it has been modified several times. It owes me at least

$30,000 and that doesn't include factory costs. I built it to see if I could make the best piece of gym equipment ever put in a gym. I think I succeeded. It doubles as a

Calf slide machine. That is why I increased the angle. We had a big bloke named Joe L who would load 700 pounds + on it for heel raises. On the low angle the shafts would bend

so I decided to make it steeper. Some guys don't like it now and said it was better before. Everyone is an expert in this game!

[gcb]

haha, got to love the ego trainers - "i can't put as much weight on so it's no good"

[Coach is Back!]

Basil, I already told you if you want to go head to head in a training debate I'm willing, pick the subject.

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

All the Getbig experts have arrived now! Listen, Melvin, if you need to wrap a joint to train it you are doing something wrong. Do something else for a start.

That machine I made has stainless steel parts, special shafts and bearings and took a long time (over 120 hours!) to design then 6 months to build, plus it has been modified several times. It owes me at least

$30,000 and that doesn't include factory costs. I built it to see if I could make the best piece of gym equipment ever put in a gym. I think I succeeded. It doubles as a

Calf slide machine. That is why I increased the angle. We had a big bloke named Joe L who would load 700 pounds + on it for heel raises. On the low angle the shafts would bend

so I decided to make it steeper. Some guys don't like it now and said it was better before. Everyone is an expert in this game!

You wrap it if its hurting when you train to properly stabilize it and keep you from twisting on it wrong.  But like I said before, I think that all hack squat machines are a waste of money because inferior compared to a freeweight exercise....especially something that you spent 30k to build which in my option looks like every other hack squat out there.  For 2k, I can fully equip a personal trainer who wants to open a private studio that will allow him to train any client that comes in.

[1stkeepitreal]

Vince G ......I think you best comment on who makes the best training bra because you know nothing about gym equipment.

[dyslexic]

I could make a long list of potentially dangerous exercises that are done daily on commonly "accepted' machines.


Another "dangerous" machine is the hip abductor/adductor machine. Every gym should be WITHOUT one.


Almost any exercise you do carries potential harm without understanding proper exercise form or the *kinesiology* of exercise.



The Bench Press can easily be another bitch. See people doing it wrong every day. Makes me cringe...

[roccoginge]

I hate the fact that most hack squat machines put your head in a forward position.