Legs · Sled
Sled Hack Squat
How to do the sled hack squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Sled
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Position yourself on the sled hack squat machine with your back and shoulders against the pad and feet shoulder-width on the platform. Unlock the safety handles, lower your body by bending your knees, then push back up through your heels, keeping the emphasis on your quads.
- 1Your quads and glutes working as you push against the platform
- 2Your back pressed against the pad and head neutral
- 3A strong drive through your heels, extending without locking your knees
Common mistakes
- Letting your knees cave in; track them over your toes
- Rounding your back or lifting your hips off the pad
- Bouncing out of the bottom; control the movement
Muscles worked
The sled hack squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the sled hack squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.