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How to do the Sled Hack Squat

Glutes & HamstringsGlutes & HamsMachineBeginner

The sled hack squat is one of the most effective machine-based tools for building thick, powerful glutes and hamstrings while keeping spinal stress to a minimum. Master this movement and you will lay a foundation of lower body strength that carries over to nearly every athletic demand.

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Muscles worked

Primary
GlutesHamstrings
Secondary
Lower backCalves

Step-by-step

  1. Position your shoulders and back flat against the pad with feet placed high and shoulder-width apart on the platform, toes slightly flared.
  2. Unhook the safety handles, brace your core, and lower the sled in a controlled 3-second descent until your knees reach at least 90 degrees.
  3. Drive through your full foot, leading with your hips, to press the sled back to the start without locking out your knees at the top.
  4. Re-rack the safety handles only after completing your final rep with control.

Common mistakes

  • Placing feet too low on the platform shifts stress onto the quads and knees rather than the glutes and hamstrings, so move your foot position higher to keep tension where it belongs.
  • Allowing the lower back to peel off the pad at the bottom of the rep compresses the lumbar spine, so limit your depth to the point where your back stays fully supported.
  • Rushing the descent with no eccentric control wastes half the muscle-building stimulus, so enforce a deliberate lowering phase on every single rep.

Pro tip — At the bottom of each rep, pause for one full second and consciously press your feet into the platform before driving up, this eliminates momentum and forces your glutes and hamstrings to do all the work from a dead stop.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps

Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).

More Glutes & Hamstrings exercises

Barbell Bench SquatBarbell Bench SquatBarbell DeadliftBarbell DeadliftBarbell Front SquatBarbell Front SquatBarbell Lying Lifting (On Hip)Barbell Lying Lifting (On Hip)Barbell Romanian DeadliftBarbell Romanian DeadliftBarbell Seated Good MorningBarbell Seated Good Morning
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