Hi All,
I was looking through charles’s article list and he has an article called Very Dumb Training Recommendations - Part 1. he referred to Don as a dukie dukie shorts wearing moron.
The reference came from don’s article variable cluster training.
He concluded that hack squats shouldn’t be done with clusters because:
Hack squats are a great exercise when done with barbells, only about 5% of trainees can do them safely with most well designed machines. Since I recommend doing them with a barbell in most cases, they are not a good choice when doing cluster training for the following reasons:
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since one needs to rest 10-15 seconds between reps within a cluster, hanging on to the bar isometrically drains the forearms, therefore taking away the needed neural drive to the knee extensors.
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If one does not want to hold the bar during the rest pause, replacing the bar on the racks in between reps becomes a circus act that again takes away the needed neural drive to the knee extensors.
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Cluster training in essence requires high loads normally 90% of maximum. As soon as one leans forward, the stress is taken away from the knee extensors once again… It is hard for most trainees to concentrate that well for that long. Hence a greater potential for injury for that exercise.
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Hack squats are to be done with individuals with serious strength preparation in the VMOs. Training with maximal loads in this exercise that places enormous torque on the knee extensors is only for the very elite.
All in all the barbell hack squats are best suited for hypertrophy or functional hypertrophy methods not for relative strength nor strength-endurance training
whats your thoughts?