For any physiologists? kinesiologists or whoever Does anyone remember the old barbell hack squats (with the bar behind the back) like george hackenschmidt did? If any one does could you help me figure out how you keep the bar from hittin the hamstrings on the way up (impedes the last 1/3 of movement), this is the biggest problem for me. Would a gerard trap bar be an effective substitute for the straight bar?
I think CP wrote about correct form of Hack squat in one of his articles, or QA columns. You can search the site. I think he wrote that bar should touch your lower ass and upper hams all the time. I have been doing it that way and it really feels in my vastus mediaalis. So dock the bar behind you so that your ass hangs abow it and keep the bar touching your body.
I raise my heels on a barbell plate or block, and kind of push my knees forward sissy squat-style on the ascent. I should add that when I do barbell hacks I do them towards the end of a thigh workout, or pre-fatigued by leg extensions, and typically use a light weight of between 20 and 30 kg!