The Hack Lift (also known as the Hack Squat) is a deadlift with the bar behind the legs. If that sounds awkward, it kinda is… But there may be some surprising benefits from adding Hack Lifts into your lifting routine.
The History of the Hack Lift
The Hack lift is named for ‘Hack,’ the great weightlifter, strongman, and catch wrestler George Hackenschmidt. While many credit him with ‘inventing’ the lift, it’s fairer to say that he popularised the lift and used it extensively. Interestingly, the description he offers in his 1908 book The Way to Live is a strict version seldom performed nowadays, with the hands close or even crossed behind the back.
This version of the lift is akin to the Kettlebell Hack Lift (also seldom performed nowadays) and to achieve a decent range of motion it is imperative to lift the heels and go up onto the toes in what was referred to in the ‘old days’ as a deep knee bend. As I mentioned, this is a seldom-performed feat nowadays and is shunned because it supposedly is harmful to the knees. However, performed well, this lift is similar to a barbell (or KB) leg extension (and similar in that regard to the Sissy Squat) and is unlikely to be any more deleterious to the knees than a leg extension.
This style of lift puts most of the burden on the quads and can be a great lift to add variety to training or when one wants to focus more on the anterior thigh.
Why Hack Lift?
The usual way to perform the Hack Lift though is not in the ‘deep knee bend’ style above. It is more akin to a conventional deadlift with a double overhand grip (underhand grip can lead the bar to ‘rotate’ more into the back of the leg).
This lift has several nuances that can make it a valuable addition to a lifter’s repertoire.
The back remains more upright
For those of us old dogs who have pulled far too heavy, for far too long and suffered some back issues because of it, the Hack Lift provides a back-friendly option because to perform the lift best and to handle the most weight, you need to keep your back upright. While some ‘body English’ is going to come into near max attempts, there will still be a need to keep the back relatively upright as if you hinge forward too much, you’ll find yourself pulling the bar into a ‘notch’ created by your hamstring above your knee and it’ll be near impossible to work around it. By staying more upright (and imagining pulling the bar ‘back’ as you pull from the floor) you will pass the catch point behind the knee and the bar will contact the back of the leg higher up on the hamstring, thus allowing you to complete the movement.
Note: There will always be some ‘on-the-pull’ adjustment and forward knee shift to lock the bar out after it contacts your hammies.
It is quad-intensive
In addition to remaining upright, the knees are often pushed forward more at the start and when moving ‘around’ the bar during the lift. This places an additional load on the quads. While many people are best-served by focussing a large amount of work on ‘hip dominant’ or ‘hinge’ work (like kettlebell swings) and focussing on posterior-chain recruitment if you’re looking for a quad-dominant deadlift style this (or squat-style deadlifts) can fit the bill. Many people also don’t have squat racks in their garage gyms and so this can provide a squat alternative that can work effectively to pack size onto the lower body and improve pulling and squatting strength… And if you don’t believe me, remember that the great Reg Park often performed Hack Lifts as his only leg exercise.
It is self-limiting
This is just my opinion, but I find that the awkward nature of the lift limits the amount of weight you can use (in a positive way) and restricts falling into poor movement patterns. It also limits the range of motion and for people who suffer hip shifts, butt winks and other low-back/hip issues resulting from injury, posture, or overuse, it can offer a gentle alternative to regular squats. You also must brace and set yourself at the point of greatest loading as compared to a squat in which you might get buried in the hole (not cool if you’re training at home without spotter-arms!)
There is limited eccentric
This is possibly debatable but compared to a barbell squat, the lowering portion of a Hack Lift is significantly easier. Once completed the bar is almost guided to the floor under control rather than slowly lowered.
How to perform the Hack Lift
- Stand in front of the bar with a comfortable foot position. Usually, this is around hip-width and slightly inside shoulder width (or a little narrower than squat stance for most people). Of course, foot position varies according to the individual.
- Squat down and grip the bar outside your legs. You may take any grip but I find the standard (palms back) hook grip to be both the most effective and comfortable. If you find hook-gripping uncomfortable, feel free to take a standard or mixed grip…or harden up. 😉
- Straighten the back without excessively arching the back.
- Sit back so that your weight is over the middle of the foot (if you try to lift excessively ‘from your heels’ you may find that heavy lifts ‘catch’ on the back of your hammies).
- Push your knees forward as much as possible while keeping the weight over your midfoot and keeping your back upright.
- ‘Squeeze’ the weight of the floor and imagine pulling the bar ‘back’ behind you.
- You will need to shift the knees forward slightly when the bar contacts the hamstrings.
Check out the vid below of some very strong lifters from India competing in the Hack Lift
Sample program
This sample program is reminiscent of the programs followed by classic physical culture icons like Reg Park. In this version of a 5 x 5 program, the first two sets are lighter sets to find your groove and the final 3 sets are performed with a heavier, working weight (all 3 performed with the same weight).
A1) Power Clean and Press 5 x 5
B1) Hi Incline Dumbbell Press 5 x 5
B2) Chest Supported Dumbbell or Kettlebell Row (on incline bench) 5 x 5
C1) Hack Lift 5 x 5
D1) Ab Wheel Rollout 1 x Tmax (training or ‘easy’ maximum – not to failure)
If you use RPE (rate of perceived exertion), work sets should be around 7-8 or if you’re an RIR (reps in reserve), work sets should have about 2-3 reps left ‘in the hole’. If you’re an easy strength type of lifter, just lift heavy but not to failure, and increase the reps when the 3 working sets feel fast and easy.
