Lever Single Leg Squat on Hack Squat Machine
- Zielmuskel
- —
- Equipment
- Leverage machine
- Körperregion
- Hips
- Typ
- Strength
The lever single leg squat on a hack squat machine is a unilateral lower-body strength exercise that loads one leg at a time through a guided squat pattern, placing primary demand on the quadriceps and glutes of the working leg. The machine's fixed track removes the balance challenge of free-standing single-leg squats, letting you focus on leg development and exposing asymmetries between sides.
Lever Single Leg Squat on Hack Squat Machine: So führst du sie aus
- 1Set the foot platform at a comfortable height and adjust the shoulder pads to fit your torso. Load an appropriate weight for single-leg work, which will be considerably less than your two-legged hack squat.
- 2Step onto the platform with one foot centered and your toes angled out slightly. Keep the non-working leg either raised off the platform or rested lightly to the side so it contributes no drive.
- 3Unlock the machine's safety handles and stand tall with your working leg straight, back flat against the pad, and shoulders settled under the pads.
- 4Begin the descent by bending your working knee, allowing your hips to drop along the carriage path. Keep your heel firmly on the platform throughout.
- 5Lower until your thigh reaches parallel with the platform or slightly below, stopping before your lower back rounds away from the pad.
- 6Drive through your heel to press the carriage back up, extending your knee and hip together until your leg is fully straight at the top.
- 7Complete all reps on one side, re-engage the safety handles, then switch feet and repeat with the other leg.
Technik-Tipps
- Start with a lighter load than you expect to need — single-leg versions of machine squats expose weaknesses quickly, and control matters more than load.
- Keep your working heel flat on the platform throughout the movement; allowing it to rise shifts stress away from the glutes and onto the knee.
- Maintain consistent contact between your back and the pad to avoid compensating with lumbar flexion at the bottom of the rep.
- Pause briefly at the bottom of each rep to eliminate momentum and ensure the working muscles are fully engaged before pressing back up.
Häufige Fehler
- Using the non-working leg to assist the push — resting it on the platform and subtly pushing through it defeats the purpose of the exercise and masks side-to-side strength differences.
- Cutting the range of motion short by stopping well above parallel, which reduces the demand on the glutes and limits the training stimulus.
- Allowing the knee to cave inward during the press, which places uneven stress on the joint — drive the knee out in line with your foot instead.
- Loading too heavy too soon, which causes the lower back to peel off the pad at the bottom and shifts the work away from the legs to the spine.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the lever single leg squat on a hack squat machine work?
The primary movers are the quadriceps and glutes of the working leg. Because only one leg is loaded at a time, each side must work independently, making strength imbalances more apparent than in bilateral squat variations.
How is this different from a regular hack squat?
A standard hack squat uses both legs simultaneously. The single-leg version isolates one leg at a time, roughly doubling the relative load on that leg and forcing each side to produce force independently, which helps correct left-to-right strength asymmetries.
How deep should I squat on this exercise?
Aim to lower your thigh to parallel with the platform or slightly below, provided your lower back stays flat against the pad. Depth beyond that point is fine if your mobility allows it without your back rounding away from the machine.
How much weight should I use compared to my two-legged hack squat?
Expect to use significantly less — often 40–60% of your two-legged hack squat load, sometimes less if you have a pronounced strength imbalance. Prioritize controlled movement over adding plates.
Can beginners do this exercise?
It is better suited to lifters who have already built a base with bilateral squat movements and have adequate single-leg stability. Beginners should first develop comfort with two-legged hack squats and exercises like split squats before progressing to this variation.
