thoughts?
ATG.
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
thoughts?[/quote]
I like eggs.
Cleans+Front Squats
[quote]Bloobird wrote:
Cleans+Front Squats[/quote]
Really? How does that help? The question was “What do you think of bb hacks?”, not “how does -insert favorite author- suggest you go about gaining leg size”.
While were at it though, how much leg size have you gained from front squatting what you can clean?
Occupation: High School Student
Weight: 135
Height: 5’5"
Body fat %: 12
Years Training: Not Long
Oh wait, nevermind. It all makes sense now.
ive only got expierence doing them in the smith machine from below knee… but they wreaked the bottom of my quads. top of knee area.
do them and see how it goes.
I’ve never seen it used by anyone, also don’t think it would be good for size. Its a really awkward position, I tried them once just felt really weird-I have huge ass so could be why also-.
The hack squat machine at my gym is great though after some heavy barbell squats.
I’ve attempted to incorporate them in my routine a handful of times and almost immediately dropped them because of how awkward they are.
The only people I could imagine insisting on using this exercise are those who train at a home gym who don’t own a squat rack.
Like Poliquin once said (paraphrased), “There’s a reason why some of these long forgotten exercises are long forgotten!”
[quote]shizen wrote:
I’ve never seen it used by anyone, also don’t think it would be good for size. [/quote]
Why do you say it isn’t good for size?
[quote]Protoculture wrote:
I’ve attempted to incorporate them in my routine a handful of times and almost immediately dropped them because of how awkward they are.
The only people I could imagine insisting on using this exercise are those who train at a home gym who don’t own a squat rack.
Like Poliquin once said (paraphrased), “There’s a reason why some of these long forgotten exercises are long forgotten!” [/quote]
So because you have a hard time doing them they now relate to Poliquin’s quote and the only reason to do them is because you don’t have a squat rack?
[quote]DanErickson wrote:
Protoculture wrote:
I’ve attempted to incorporate them in my routine a handful of times and almost immediately dropped them because of how awkward they are.
The only people I could imagine insisting on using this exercise are those who train at a home gym who don’t own a squat rack.
Like Poliquin once said (paraphrased), “There’s a reason why some of these long forgotten exercises are long forgotten!”
So because you have a hard time doing them they now relate to Poliquin’s quote and the only reason to do them is because you don’t have a squat rack?[/quote]
You are correct; Poliquin never singled out hack squats when he made that statement. He merely pointed out that there are reasons why certain old school exercises are no longer practiced.
Seeing how barbell hack squats are a rarely, if ever, performed old school exercise I connected the dots because I’ve never see any current elite bodybuilder or power lifter use them (with any real consistency); so I’m guessing that I’m not the only one who finds them awkward or simply a poor substitute for exercises such as:
back squats, front squats, single leg variations, leg press, power squat or machine hack squat (assuming you have access to this equipment).
I like them. but i get brush burns on the inside of my elbow. but they are just limited by grip strength which is a negative
[quote]Stronghold wrote:
Bloobird wrote:
Cleans+Front Squats
Really? How does that help? The question was “What do you think of bb hacks?”, not “how does -insert favorite author- suggest you go about gaining leg size”.
While were at it though, how much leg size have you gained from front squatting what you can clean?
Occupation: High School Student
Weight: 135
Height: 5’5"
Body fat %: 12
Years Training: Not Long
Oh wait, nevermind. It all makes sense now.
[/quote]
so where do you weigh in on them? i know that for the most part you know your shit, so im curious.
i just did em for the first time last week and they made me bust out in a sweat after one or two sets and i felt em decently in the quads. i just want to switch things up a bit because ive been starting with leg presses for moooonths and i dont have the best hips and ankles, among other things for traditional squats.
i mean if a regular hacksquat machine works im guessing a BB one would too? the only thig that sucks is the bar-burn i get on the back of my legs since its like a reverse deadlift. my legs are just too fuckin small and i need to get them bigger.
oh my grip strength is fine too, i rack pull with 405, RDL with 315 and can only do BB HS with 2 plates so my grip doesnt factor in at all, i can rest pretty easily at the full extended lockout portion to catch some breath and gusto too. i could hold that damn bar all day.
They seem to work pretty well for me. My weight has gone from less than 140 pounds to over 200 and I’d say 80% of the squats I’ve done have been hack squats. In about 20 months of lifting I’ve worked my way up to 159 kg for nine reps. Though I should admit that my glutes seem more developed than my quads which might not be what you’re after. Then again I might just be a great glute genetics guy.
A long-sleeved T-shirt keeps the inner elbow burn to a minimum. But even wearing sweatpants I still end up with silly-looking bald spots on the back of my calves.
I’m actually abandoning them now - I got some sawhorses so I’m gonna start doing mostly front squats for a change. But yeah, they work. Give’em a try.
On the subject of old school squat variations.
I freakin’ love zercher squats.
Kept my deadlift numbers flying up and up and up and up and…
i cant really make much progression on zerchers. they really compress against my diaphragm and make it hard to breath much i cant get good depth on em either.
I prefer the hack machine over the bb version here…
Oh, and Stronghold: You took the words out of my mouth, brother…
[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i cant really make much progression on zerchers. they really compress against my diaphragm and make it hard to breath much i cant get good depth on em either.[/quote]
Play around with your technique - you can go pretty much ATG on these.
Just like everything else, they can work if you use the right weight and loading parameters. But I wouldn’t rely on them exclusively.
I’ve used them in addition to squatting, deadlifting and unilateral exercises (step-ups, lunges, etc.). They are a pretty good exercise and put a little more emphasis on the quads but still hit your overall leg.
For size, stick with a heavy weight for 4x12.