Squat machine - hack machine and technique for using it

Squat machine

Design Features

The HAKK machine is a steel frame installed at an angle of about 15° to the floor. Along it there is a platform with support for the shoulders and back. The difference from other exercise machines is that the athlete does not have to hold the bar with his hands while performing exercises. There are various modifications of the hack machine. It is used not only for hack squats, but also for leg presses and reverse squats (recommended for girls).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/X6prSmVW3Yk

Advantages of the simulator:

• Helps beginners master the technique, because most of the axial load is removed from the spine.
• Suitable if the classic option is prevented by back pain or intervertebral hernia.
• Makes it possible to load certain muscles of the thighs depending on the position of the legs,
• Allows you to lift more weight, which increases the production of growth hormone, which burns fat deposits.

The exercise has a number of advantages compared to regular squats:

• You don't need a partner to lift weights. If it suddenly becomes difficult, it is always easy to block the barbell. The athlete will be able to get out from under the projectile without the risk of being crushed.
• There is a targeted load on the hips, whereas in regular squats many other muscles work, which keep the athlete from falling. There is no need to maintain balance here, since the exercise is isolated.
• The athlete cannot fall because he rests his back on the frame and holds his shoulder pads with his hands.
• There are no bruises left from the bar.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/1x9Eze8pC7w

Execution technique

Classes are preceded by a warm-up, warming up the joints. To begin with, take the minimum weight. The number of repetitions depends on the program.

The exercise is performed as follows:

• Stand on the machine, press your back and pelvis to the back. At the same time, maintain the natural arch of your lower back. Hold the shoulder pads with your hands and rest your head on the headrest.
• The downward movement begins with inhalation. To start, go down to a 90° angle, but you can go lower. If you have knee pain, then squatting too low is contraindicated.
• As you exhale, slowly rise up; there is no need to linger at the top point. Do the required number of repetitions.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/_Put3duK57U

Analysis of common mistakes

• The knees extend beyond the toes. This is a dangerous position, especially if a lot of weight is being taken. At first, it is advisable to have someone supervise the exercise from the outside.
• Knees point inward. Very dangerous, can lead to ligament rupture and cartilage damage. The knee joints should point in the same direction as the feet - they do not go out or in. How to control this? If you look from above, the correct position is your knees as wide as your feet.
• The lower back and pelvis “walk” - this should not be allowed; they must be pressed against the back during the entire exercise. Otherwise, you can get an intervertebral hernia.
• The head is lowered or raised too high. Although the Hackenschmidt machine takes some of the load off the back, there is no reason to disrupt the natural alignment of the vertebrae, as this can lead to injury.
• Squatting on your toes or your heels lifting under the weight. Invalid error. It occurs due to insufficient stretching of the Achilles tendons. You need to do some stretching, but until then, don’t do this exercise. If this does not help, then it is better to replace the hack squat with the leg press. The support during the exercise is always on the heels! It is the heel that produces the push before the upward movement.
• Heavy weight squats without a belt. If a significant load is taken, you need to wear a belt. This is necessary in order to preserve the internal organs.
• On your feet are high-soled sneakers and slippers. For exercise, it is preferable to wear special closed shoes with hard soles that allow the foot to remain stable.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/vT9PWoZNfio

Changing foot positions

For squats, two options are most often used - wide and narrow. In the GAKK machine you can choose one of four positions.

• With a narrow stance of the legs, the emphasis is on the lateral heads (they are located on the outer surface of the thighs).
• A wide stance forces the medial heads of the quadriceps (inner thigh) and adductor muscles to engage more, which are quite difficult to get to work in basic exercises. Typically, working on these areas is of particular interest to women.
• If you move your feet away from you, placing them near the top of the platform, then the hamstrings and buttocks are actively involved in the work.
• You can place your feet on the bottom edge; in this position, the front surface of the thigh actively works.

What are hack squats

Hack squats are an effective exercise used to pump up the quadriceps. It was invented by the Russian wrestler Georg Hackenschmidt, this athlete tried to invent an ideal version of pumping his legs - and he succeeded. The exercise is performed using free weights; for this purpose, each gym has a special machine with axes for placing weights. Professional bodybuilders consider this exercise to be complex specifically for the upper thigh. In addition to this, the hamstrings, calves and gluteal muscles are well included in the work. If you do the work correctly, the spine will not experience stress.

Sometimes there are cases when an athlete is strictly prohibited from performing squats with a barbell due to previous injuries. You can replace such an important exercise only with hack squats. After all, the special machine is designed in such a way that it does not place any stress on the spine. Thanks to the independent adjustment of the working scales, using this machine has no difficulty. You will not expose yourself to injury, there are levers on the device, if your leg is injured, you can instantly fix the weight and stop the process of performing the exercise.

Now let's look at a few benefits of the hack machine squat.

1. The exercise is very simple to perform; you do not need to maintain balance (as is done during squats with a barbell).
2. You can easily increase your carrying capacity.
3. The load on this simulator is uniform, and this protects against the possibility of injury.
4. This exercise can be performed with fairly heavy weights without insurance, thanks to a well-thought-out design.
5. During work, the body produces a large amount of growth hormone (testosterone), which all bodybuilders are chasing.

In addition to all these advantages, the hack machine provides the opportunity to perform the exercise in various ways. You can lift the load up, it is also possible to do squats with different positions of the legs, and with different directions to pump the muscles.

Hack squats with and without a machine

We owe the appearance of this training to the Russian wrestler (Baltic German) Georg Hackenschmidt. His name thundered at the beginning of the 20th century, when the athlete became the first world champion in freestyle wrestling. He was a medalist at the world weightlifting championships and set several world records.

The signature move of the “Russian Lion,” as he was called abroad, was squats with a barbell or dumbbells, which he held behind his back, at hip level.

The modern hack trainer or Hackenschmidt machine is made, let's say, based on those famous squats.

And all squats, where the load is along the spine, and the legs and feet are brought forward, are called hack squats.

Hack exercise with barbell

A good choice if you want powerful quadriceps.

It also pumps up the hamstrings, calves, forearms and many other muscles.

Essentially, this is the same deadlift, only performed from behind. This activity is suitable for both men and trained women.

Stand in front of the barbell, feet shoulder-width apart. Toes slightly to the sides. Barbell at the back. The chest is raised up, the back is straight.

The bar follows your legs throughout the entire movement.

Squeeze your quads and glutes and slowly lower the bar until it touches the floor.

Hack squat in the simulator

This is a steel frame located at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with a movable platform on which the legs rest.

And the shoulders rest against special shoulder pads. A sled with a platform on which the load is secured moves along the frame. Some modifications do not have shoulder pads.

Regular squats

This is a basic exercise.

Sit in the hack. The movements on the machine simulate squats with a load, while the back is fixed (pressed against the platform).

When doing this, make sure you have:

• Flat back
• Retracted shoulder blades
• The head does not fall down - do not overstretch the cervical vertebrae
• Knees did not straighten in the top position
• Heels did not come off the platform
• The knees did not protrude beyond the toes

The placement of your legs can be different, depending on what exactly you want to work on.

So, if the feet are close, the lateral head of the quadriceps works.

At shoulder level and wider – the adductor muscles of the thigh are in action.

Placing your feet high (extended to the upper edge of the platform) means placing emphasis on your buttocks and thighs.

And low (at the lower edge of the platform) - the front surface of the thigh is pumped.

For greater effect, you can combine this exercise with leg flexion/extension on a block machine.

This workout is suitable for those who have a herniated disc; experts recommend it rather than the reverse squats described below.

Female version

Back squats

Such exercises with a reverse tilt are recommended, including for girls, since they perfectly pump up the buttocks.

They are also done using the Hackenschmidt simulator.

Stand facing the car, feet at shoulder level, strictly parallel to each other.

Firmly grasp the handles and bend over, placing your shoulders under the soft cushions. The head is raised up.

Keep your core muscles (lower back and abs) tense, with your back arched.

Push your pelvis back, bend your knees and slowly lower yourself until parallel to the platform. do while exhaling.

As you inhale, return to the starting position.

Make sure that

• heels did not leave the floor
• the knees were apart and not touching
• the back was not rounded
• the weight wasn't too much

Hack exercise using a barbell

In case there is no simulator

Allows you to pump up your knees without insurance and at the same time does not burden the spine.

The technique is as follows.

The back is straight, the arms are extended down, the chin is raised up - this will help avoid injury to the spine.

Can be performed on the floor; for greater amplitude, you can stand on two platforms (one for each leg).

We lower the barbell at an angle, pointing it towards the chest area. We hold it with both hands.

As you inhale, lower yourself back, keeping your back straight.

Afterwards, lying down with your body on the bar, we rise to the original position.

Dangerous training

By the way, some fitness professionals consider this exercise harmful.

Even though there is indeed less pressure on the back, such training is a big risk for the knee joints.

The fact is that during the execution, the skeleton is exposed not only to the force of gravity of the load, but also to the reaction force of the support.

As a result, the knee is subjected to what is called a “shear force.” It is transmitted by the hip bone and is directed upward horizontally. And this is not natural for the knees and can cause injury.

There is an opinion that it is much better to just squat - this way you will pump up your legs, build strength and endurance, and at the same time lose weight. Simple and free!

How to squat correctly in a hack machine?

The correct execution technique is extremely important when working with large weights, even in such fairly comfortable conditions as the hack machine creates. There are several types of errors:

• improper preparation for the exercise;
• incorrect execution technique;
• incorrect completion of the exercise;
• unreasonably high load;
• incorrectly selected training program for this simulator.

Making any of these mistakes can lead to injury, low performance efficiency, and psychological discomfort. How to perform the exercise correctly at each stage, we will analyze further.

Preparation

Before mastering squats on a hack machine, you need to properly prepare:

• Dress for training in tight-fitting clothes, maybe sleeveless. There should be no coattails, hanging chains or ropes. All this can get caught on the simulator.
• Do not wear shoes with thick and soft soles - no sneakers or house slippers. Shoes for the gym should have thin and very hard soles. This is necessary to ensure that your efforts are completely directed towards lifting the weight, and not into deforming the sole. The top of the shoe should also be securely fixed with laces, several Velcro, and so on. Ideally, you will have weightlifting shoes. Professional cycling shoes will also do.
• If your hair is long, you should gather it up or braid it, otherwise it will get caught in the moving parts of the machine or get wrapped around a cable or roller. The consequences can be simply unpredictable.

• The knees are the most traumatic places when doing squats, including in a hack machine. Put on thick knee pads, tie an elastic bandage around your knees, and apply warming ointment. All this can and should be done, even if you do not have problems with your knees.

Warm-up

Don't start your workout straight away with hack exercises. Warm up by doing a few dozen regular squats to prepare your body for a heavy load.

Execution technique

Before starting the exercise, make sure that the load is securely fastened to the stoppers. Sometimes the previous lifter will carelessly throw on the stoppers, and when you sit under the weight and begin to get comfortable, the weight will fall down and hit you. Next, squats are done in this order:

• Set the working weight in the hack machine. If you have chosen the right load, at the beginning of the exercise you should feel that you can stop at any time during the squat. If your knees give way, it means the weight is chosen incorrectly and you should reduce the load.
• Stand on the footrest with your back to the machine.
• Sit down a little, lean back, lean your back on the back of the moving part of the machine. Your shoulders should be under the shoulder pads.
• Lift your chin forward so you can look at the ceiling.
• Bend your lower back slightly up and forward so that you are not tempted to help yourself with your back. A good indicator of the correct posture is the ability to raise the toes of your shoes at any time.
• There is no need to bend and straighten your knees all the way; it is enough to reach an angle between the thigh and shin of just under 90 degrees, and then straighten your legs.

Place your heels or full feet on the platform; no need to stand on your toes. The knees should be above the toes, not converging inward towards each other and not diverging to the sides.

• When moving down, inhale, when moving up, exhale. Inhale deeply, do not pinch. The up and down movement should be smooth, continuous, without jerking. Do not pause for rest in both the upper and lower phases.
• If you feel dizzy during the exercise, you can fix the sled, and then linger for a while in a semi-recumbent position in the machine to recover. Breathe deeply, just as you did during the exercise.

If immediately after starting the exercise you feel discomfort, increased blood pressure, or hear crunching of the ligaments, interrupt it without waiting for injury.

• If hack squats are new to you, do 8 squats in 3 sets during your first workout. If the level is average, do 10 squats in 4 sets, and if the level is high, do 12 squats in 4 sets. It is best if the training program is recommended by a professional trainer-instructor.

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A master of sports in powerlifting will tell you about all the nuances of the correct technique for performing hack squats in a machine:

After completing the exercise, do not forget to return the stoppers to the locking position. Later, you should develop a reflex - you will have to unconsciously fix the bar after each approach.

Adviсe

When performing hack squats, you should take the following recommendations into account:

• Start the exercise with a light weight - feel your balance, warm up your muscles, let your knees have enough lubrication (articular fluid).
• With hack squats, your center of gravity is lower than with shoulder squats, and your position is more stable. However, if you have a poor vestibular system, you can still fall with the barbell both forward and backward. Both of these can have disastrous consequences. So move smoothly. At first, it won't hurt to have some insurance.
• You can place wide, thick rugs under the pancakes (they are available in any room). Firstly, you will not start deadlifting from the most difficult and traumatic low point. Secondly, the bar will rattle less when lowered. Thirdly, this way you will mark your work area, and other people will keep their distance without getting too close or disturbing you.
• Leg extension is done with exhalation, squatting with inhalation.
• With hack squats, you can target different areas of the quadriceps. The fact is that if you place your legs differently, then different muscle groups will be pumped. So, for each workout, choose different options for placing your feet - place your feet together, spread them wider, rest your heels on the upper edge of the platform, place your feet below the center of the platform.

In each of the variations, different bundles of muscle fibers will be maximally used, and there will be a constant overall increase in size and strength.

Types of squats

On the Smith machine you can experiment with different variations of squats, which may, although not significantly, differ from the basic movements. Depending on how the legs are placed, the level of load on specific leg muscles depends. For example:

• Feet are placed together. In this position, the maximum share of the load falls on the front parts of the quadriceps of the thighs. Slightly less load is distributed across the knees. This option is suitable for those with healthy knees.
• Feet are placed shoulder-width apart. As a result of squats, the main load is distributed along the lateral parts of the thighs and their inner surfaces. This option is more suitable for girls.
• Squats with legs wide apart are also practiced more by girls. Here the main load acts on the inner thighs.

To develop the buttocks, you can put your legs slightly forward and rest your back on the bar. At the same time, you should be afraid of losing your balance. The design features of the Smith simulator do not allow this.

It should be noted that there are other squat options used by athletes. For example:

• Squats from your knees. It is considered a fairly heavy exercise, which is used in powerlifting and weightlifting. It is intended for better development of the lower phase of squats with a barbell. Such movements allow you to develop large muscles, as well as some smaller muscle groups that are inactive under classical loads. Squatting on your knees does not allow you to build muscle mass, but it does have a complex effect on the muscles. This exercise is characterized by maximum load on the knees. Therefore, this exercise is not suitable for beginners. For less stress on your knees, it is better to use soft knee pads.
• Front squat with barbell. Its difference is that the barbell is not located on the back muscles, but on the chest muscles and deltoid muscles. As a result, the back will take a purely vertical position, which radically changes the load on all muscle groups. Although the exercise is rare, it is effective and allows you to work out not only your legs, but also your upper body. In addition, strong abs are formed.
• Pique or sumo squat with wide legs. In this position, the load on the quadriceps is minimal, but the load on the inner thighs is maximum. Your legs should be spread as wide as possible, with your toes pointing to the sides at an angle of 45 degrees. At the same time, you need to make sure that your knees do not bend inward, and that your abdominal and buttock muscles are tense.

Squats with lunges. This is a classic version of squats, but with one difference: one of the legs moves forward. You should squat until your thigh and shin form a right angle. After this you need to raise your torso. In such conditions, the maximum load falls on the front leg. After each squat, the leg must be changed.

Useful tips

Remember to hold your breath as this will help you maintain tension in the muscles around your lower back. If you inhale prematurely, the pressure inside the chest will decrease and the stability of the spine will decrease. And under no circumstances should you linger at the bottom point; immediately rise up. The direction of movement must be changed quickly, but without jerking.

Hack squats (photos of the trainees are presented above), with a competent approach, are not only hard and exhausting work, but also a rather painful process (at first). You must remember that working your leg muscles is not at all the same as, for example, your pectoral muscles. We can say that the most important thing in such training is the ability to work, surpassing one’s own capabilities. Therefore, hack squats are the most effective exercises for working the leg muscles. This type of training was invented by Georg Hackenschmidt, a famous multiple champion and record holder in weightlifting and French wrestling.

Good luck in your training!

Leg press

The leg press is performed on the same machine. Pumps up the front of the thighs and partially engages the gluteal muscles.

Leg press technique in the HAKK machine:

• Position yourself under the platform and place your feet in the chosen position. Slightly push the platform up, unlock the weight by pressing the lever.
• Bend your knees and lower the weight down - at the bottom your knees will be very close to your chest. A position in which the lower back begins to move away from the support should not be allowed, as this increases the axial load.
• The upward movement begins with the effort of the legs; you cannot use the muscles of the torso. At the top point, the knees are not straightened.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/pjPTyt1-8Ho

You need to increase your weight gradually. If the lower back begins to “walk”, other technical violations appear, it means it is too big.

There are several options for positioning your feet.

• Shoulder-width apart - works the quadriceps, promotes weight gain;
• feet wide, toes pointing outward - the adductor muscles located on the inside of the thighs are more loaded;
• narrow foot placement - the outer side of the thighs works;
• the closer to the upper edge of the platform the legs are placed, the more the buttocks are activated - the amplitude can be increased;
• single leg press - works the entire thigh, additionally loads the buttocks;
• the closer the legs are to the lower edge of the platform, the greater the load - with such a position, too large an amplitude is fraught with injury to the knees.

Representatives of the fair sex do not need to take record weights, 15-20 kg is enough, only with a large number of repetitions (12-15).

The safety precautions are the same as when performing hack squats: your knees point in the same direction as your toes; you cannot lift your lower back or tilt your head; You need to push the platform with your heels.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/UewWeGizEEs

After completing the exercise, it is not advisable to suddenly get up from the machine - this can cause dizziness.

Alternative options

The leg press in a hack machine can be replaced with squats with a barbell or dumbbells.

With a barbell

There are several types of barbell squats. The classic version involves parallel placement of the feet. To pump the inner thighs, the socks should be pointed to the side. You can strengthen the outer side of the quadriceps by raising your heels to the side.

In the Smith machine

Strength training using a Smith machine becomes more effective. It has a lot of advantages and helps build muscle mass remarkably. This device is recommended for people with weak bones and spine.

Girls with a Smith machine can not only lose weight, but also strengthen their muscles, pump up their buttocks and legs. The design helps to pump up the legs, back, arms, chest, gluteal and thigh muscles.

Question answer

What can be replaced?

The hack is considered to be the best exercise for the quadriceps. But if you have problems with your knees, you can replace it with a leg press or squats with dumbbells, a barbell, or a body bar on your shoulders.

Which is better: hack squats or leg presses?

There is ongoing debate about which of these exercises is best for pumping up the quadriceps. In terms of efficiency, athletes who train using the Hackenschmidt method achieve greater definition. But the leg press is much safer, as it takes the load off the back and does not injure the knees.

How long to squat?

It's better to start with 15 repetitions. The maximum number of hack squats is 35 (for men) and no more than 20 (for women). Since this is an energy-consuming exercise, it is better to use a “pyramid”, increasing the mass in each subsequent workout. After that, for variety, start the reverse order - gradually reduce the number of lifts, but increase the weight.

If you choose hack exercises for weight loss, you need to realize that they were not originally designed to burn calories. Their main task is to pump up the hips. If you work out the full program, instead of slimmer legs (we are talking about women), you can get a pile of muscles. Therefore, they are primarily recommended for track and field athletes to build muscle mass. In order for them to be effective in terms of weight loss, training schemes and execution techniques must be adjusted taking into account individual data.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/MBOkwJT56Gw

Efficiency of classes

Hack squats in the simulator are a formative type of exercise designed to thoroughly work out the lateral parts of the quadriceps.

The first thing that needs to be emphasized is that the exercises on the hack simulator are basic, that is, multi-joint.

Basic exercises affect the entire body and create positive conditions for muscle stress. Stress is one of the main factors for the growth and strengthening of muscle tissue.

All movements on the simulator are completely natural for our body. This exercise is also effective for both beginners and professionals.

It is worth noting that hack squats make the shape of the legs more prominent than regular squats with a barbell, but to get a greater effect, the program should be composed of two basic and two isolated exercises.

For example:

• squat with barbell 4x12;
• hack squats 4x12;
• leg extension in a sitting machine 4x15;
• leg curls in a lying machine 4x15;
• With this program and subsequent changes in weight and number of repetitions, your legs will be strong and your form will be amazing.

Common mistakes

Of course, all people make mistakes

However, mistakes in the gym can lead to serious injuries, so we advise you to pay attention to the following points when performing squats with a barbell on a machine:

You cannot place your knees in such a way that they look inward. This position of the legs risks torn ligaments or cartilage damage.

To prevent such injuries, it is important to turn your knees so that they are parallel to your feet, that is, pointing in the same direction as your toes. Do not fix your pelvis during squats

Such laxity can result in a diagnosis such as intervertebral hernia. To stay healthy, press your gluteal muscles against the back of the machine.

Incorrect head position affects the curvature of the spine. Under no circumstances should you look at the ceiling or floor to cope with physical activity. The best option is to look ahead. Thus, the spine will be as smooth and natural as possible and will be able to withstand the small load that is placed on it during the exercise.

Heels coming off the platform. This error can be caused by two reasons. The first is not stretching well enough. The solution is simple: spend more time stretching your muscles, and only after that start exercising. The second reason is related to individual anatomy. In this case, you will not be able to stretch your muscles, and the best solution is to use the leg press.

Incorrect breathing. It may seem like it doesn't affect anything, but it doesn't. If at the moment when you inhale air, you straighten up, then the level of blood pressure in the lungs may increase, which negatively affects the functioning of the entire body. Therefore, breathe correctly during squats: inhale when you lower and exhale when you rise.

Choosing shoes. We are talking not only about the most comfortable sneakers in which you will be able to exercise comfortably, but there is also no need to choose separate shoes for the exercise machine. It’s just that shoes with low, that is, low, soles are best suited for sports. It is important that the sole is hard. This will ensure your feet are stable on any machine. It is also worth remembering that sneakers must be completely enclosed to protect the foot from damage.

Important! In rare cases, increased pressure in the lungs coupled with heavy physical activity can lead to rupture of the organ.

Pros and cons of the hack squat

Typically, such questions are asked by people who study without a coach or with an inexperienced instructor. The free weight squat is fundamentally different from the hack machine in terms of biomechanics. In the squat, the weight of the barbell is distributed relatively evenly between the back and hips, especially in a technique that is safe to lift.

In a hack machine, it completely puts pressure on the shoulders, is projected onto the hips and puts quite a significant load on the knees.

The pros and cons of gakka can be summarized as follows:

• The variation is good for bodybuilding purposes. Allows you to load your legs with reduced “recoil” to the back, and get a fairly high-quality workout without the use of huge weights and the metabolic stress that accompanies such practice;
• The exercise can be used for those who are trying to master the squat with a vertical back, but cannot maintain balance with a barbell placed on top of the trapezius. At the same time, such a person can bend his hips and knees in principle, and sit in a full squat with a low barbell;
• The movement is suitable for those who need something to “finish off” their legs after regular squats, but the leg press is not suitable due to an unstable lower back position or some other similar factor;
• The machine is considered safer for performing drop sets and supersets, but is not intended for squatting with rubber shock absorbers. Although for a version of the squat with a rubber shock absorber around the hips, the hack is more suitable than the barbell, as it allows you to activate the hip;
• A significant disadvantage of Hakka is that it cannot replace squats with a barbell on the back and chest, but it is often used as a replacement, so people who practice such things rarely achieve significant progress. They may suffer both because of their ignorance and because the trainer convinced them of the need to “isolate the legs and exclude the back from the movement.” Let us remind you that you should do this only after your back muscles have strengthened. It is absolutely not necessary to perform Hakka squats with huge weights, the same applies to the barbell. But harmonious development of the body is achieved only by combinations of basic movements with free weight and exercises in simulators.

What to replace it with?

If there is no hack squat machine in the gym, you can replace working in it with a leg press exercise in a special machine. It should be understood that the leg press machine is not a hack machine, although it works on a similar principle. How to properly perform a leg press is shown in the video below:

If machines for isolated quadriceps work are not available, you can perform hack squats, originally invented by Georg Hackenschmidt. For this we only need a barbell. So, how to do this exercise:

1. The barbell is loaded with plates, after which it should be on the floor.
2. Stand with your back to the bar so that the bar is behind your calf muscles.
3. Bend over, grab the barbell with both hands with an overhand grip (each hand on its side). You should be able to see the back of your hands.
4. The knees smoothly straighten, the load goes mainly to the hips and buttocks, the bar goes up.
5. Without fully straightening the legs, a smooth reverse movement (downwards) begins until the barbell touches the floor.

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The hack machine is an excellent simulator that is perfect for both beginners due to the ease of mastering the exercise, and for experienced athletes due to the gentle load on the knees and spine.

How to do the exercise

Press your back as tightly as possible against the surface of the machine. There should be no back bends or gaps. Proper technique for performing the exercise also promotes good posture. Arching your back increases the load on the intervertebral discs and can lead to injury.

For women who do not have developed abdominal muscles or are recovering after childbirth, a corset is also desirable. You can start exercising on exercise machines approximately 2-3 months after giving birth. The frequency of training for women on the Hack simulator should not exceed 1-2 times a week.

Make sure the shoulder pads lie flat and fit snugly against your body. Modern exercise machines have soft and dense pads made of plastic or silicone. On old or homemade exercise machines, the shoulder pads may simply be metal. Place a towel.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/hQI1HuNVpFA

Positioning of the legs when performing the exercise

Place your feet correctly. In the classic version, the feet are parallel to each other, at a short distance. If we were not talking about bodybuilding, it would be worth saying shoulder width apart. The distance between the feet is about 30 cm. In this case, the load on the quadriceps femoris muscle is maximum.

For hack squats, positioning of the legs is also allowed with pointed toes. In this case, the participation of the calf muscles and buttock muscles increases. On the other hand, with this method of positioning the legs, fatigue increases, the number of repetitions decreases, and the development of the complex quadriceps muscle worsens. Once you have taken the correct position on the machine, you can remove the stopper and start moving. An inclined foot platform is needed in order to keep your heels off the surface. Keep an eye on this.

Movement

The hack squat exercise requires a soft and smooth continuous movement. Do not reach either the lower or the upper limit when performing the exercise and do not stop. Try to bend your legs so that your knees do not extend beyond the standard foot area. A half squat is enough. The angle of bending of the legs at the knee should not exceed 90 degrees.

If your knees give way and move closer together, stop doing squats. This means that the knees are not ready for the exercise. Reduce the weight to the minimum or remove the weight completely. Exercise your knees and stretch your muscles. There may be an injury that you forgot about or didn't pay attention to. You can’t exercise “through pain.”

Number of repetitions up to 20 times. You can perform 4-5 approaches in one lesson. With an individual training system, adhere to your own regime established by the trainer.

Breathing while performing squats

The technique of doing hack squats requires special breathing. Squat as you inhale and straighten your legs as you exhale, holding your breath slightly at the bottom. Try to avoid oxygen starvation, which causes muscle pain. Consult with a trainer, since choosing a different breathing method is an individual decision.

Performing squats facing the machine

In some cases, hack squats are performed facing the machine. Women who dream of quickly developing their gluteal muscles are especially keen on this. In a normal position, with your back pressed against the machine, the work of the gluteal muscles is minimal, and the deflection of the spine is difficult. When positioned facing the machine, allow for arching in the lower back and deep work of the gluteal muscles.

Rules

Be sure to start by working your legs and buttocks without weights and carry your body weight without a machine for at least 2 months before starting training on the machine. Keep your feet on the stand. Don't stand up on your toes. The support is performed on the heels.

Table for performing hack squats for buttocks

Leg press machine

A fairly popular unit that allows you to work the muscles of the legs and buttocks. Some gym goers do leg presses instead of squats and lunges, thinking it's safer. However, the correct position of the legs and pelvis, plus the choice of backrest angle on this machine, are very important for the health of the knee and hip joints. “Insufficient elasticity of the muscles of the back of the thigh may not allow you to perform the leg press correctly,” explains Nikolai Goryachev. “The pelvis will lift off the surface of the machine, creating an overload in the lumbar spine.”

Herbalist - directory of medicinal plants on ForeverHealth.ru

Herbal healing is a very ancient art, information about which has survived to this day in documented form. It is known that during archaeological excavations evidence was found that even in Mesopotamia they treated the sick with the help of herbs, this was six thousand years ago. The very first official data on herbal medicine comes from China - from about 2700 BC. Although there are other references to miraculous plants, also coming from China, they date back to earlier years. Plants were also used in ancient Egypt, but not only in medicine, but also in cooking and cosmetics.

The fact that herbs were used to treat diseases is also stated in the Old Testament. You must have also heard about “Ayurveda” - an East Indian healing philosophy that means “Science of Life”? It was this philosophy that largely influenced the spread of herbal medicine throughout the world, since in this philosophy herbs have been used for medicinal purposes for several millennia. Some medical books of Ayurveda have survived to this day, which were officially recognized by modern science as medical textbooks, despite the fact that they were written 3500 years ago.

In the past, people were treated not only with teas made from herbs, but also with oils, ointments, tinctures, extracts, poultices; all this could be prepared by herbalists, translated into modern language - doctors. It was their ability to prepare medicines from plants that became the so-called progenitor of modern medicines, which now cost a lot of money. For example, digitalis, which is used to treat cardiac arrhythmias, was based on digitalis. Substances synthesized from white willow bark are found in the well-known and widely used aspirin. Theophedrine and ephedrine are found in a huge number of patented medicines, they are extracted from ephedra, which was used to treat colds and flu in China five thousand years ago. Currently, there are a large number of synthesized drugs.

Of course, we are all very grateful to our modern pharmacists, as they have invented a large number of medicines, thanks to which we can quickly recover from serious diseases that in the past were fatal. These medicines contain precise doses of the necessary substances that help with a particular disease. However, every drug also has side effects, which is why our good old plants still do not lose their appeal. This is especially true when the disease is just beginning to develop and in order to get rid of it, we need a gentle but effective remedy without side effects.

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