10 Best Narrow Stance Hack Squats Alternatives for Quad Development

Narrow Stance Hack Squats are done standing with a machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Narrow Stance Leg Press, the Lying Machine Squat and the Smith Machine Leg Press.

Narrow Stance Hack Squats

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do Narrow Stance Hack Squats

The steps for Narrow Stance Hack Squats themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Quadriceps, with calves, glutes, hamstrings · Machine · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Place the back of your torso against the back pad of the machine and hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads provided.
  2. Position your legs in the platform using a less than shoulder width narrow stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Your feet should be around 3 inches or less apart. Tip: Keep your head up at all times and also maintain the back on the pad at all times.
  3. Place your arms on the side handles of the machine and disengage the safety bars (which on most designs is done by moving the side handles from a facing front position to a diagonal position).
  4. Now straighten your legs without locking the knees. This will be your starting position.
  5. Begin to slowly lower the unit by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up (back on the pad at all times). Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees (which is the point in which the upper legs are below parallel to the floor). Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
  6. Begin to raise the unit as you exhale by pushing the floor with mainly with the heels of your feet as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

The 10 Best Narrow Stance Hack Squats Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Narrow Stance Hack Squats on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Narrow Stance Leg Press

    1. Narrow Stance Leg Press

    92% match

    Quadriceps · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, done seated instead.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a less-than-shoulder-width narrow stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Your feet should be around 3 inches or less apart. Tip: Keep your head up at all times and also maintain the back on the pad at all times.
    2. Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you. Tip: Make sure that you do not lock your knees. Your torso and the legs should make a perfect 90-degree angle. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you inhale, slowly lower the platform until your upper and lower legs make a 90-degree angle.
    4. Pushing mainly with the heels of your feet and using the quadriceps go back to the starting position as you exhale.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and ensure to lock the safety pins properly once you are done. You do not want that platform falling on you fully loaded.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: quadriceps, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Body position: seated, not standing
  2. Lying Machine Squat

    2. Lying Machine Squat

    91% match

    Quadriceps · Beginner · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the quadriceps.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Adjust the leg machine to a height that will allow you to get inside it with your knees bent and the thighs slightly below parallel.
    2. Once you select the weight, position yourself inside the machine face up with the knees bent and thighs slightly below parallel to the platform. Make sure that the knees do not go past the toes. The angle created between the hamstrings and the calves should be one that is slightly less than 90 degrees (since your starting position requires you to start slightly below parallel). Your back and your head should be resting on the machine while your shoulders are pressed under the shoulder pads.
    3. Place your hands by the handles and position your feet slightly pointing out at a shoulder width position. This will be your starting position.
    4. While pressing with the balls of the feet as you breathe out, make your whole body erect as you squeeze the quads. Hold the contracted position for a second. Tip: Since you are starting below parallel, you can opt to use your hands to help you up by pressing on your thighs only on the first repetition.
    5. Slowly squat down as you inhale but instead of going all the way down to the starting position, just stop once your thighs are parallel to the platform. The angle between your hamstrings and calves should be a 90-degree angle.
    6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: two-legged squat, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Primary muscle: quadriceps, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
  4. Smith Sumo SquatPlay demonstration

    4. Smith Sumo Squat

    85% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it works the glutes rather than the quadriceps.

    • Smith-machine
    How to perform it
    1. Set up the smith machine with the barbell at hip height.
    2. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outwards.
    3. Position yourself under the barbell, resting it on your upper back and shoulders.
    4. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat position, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
    5. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
    6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: two-legged squat, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Primary muscle: glutes, not quadriceps
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Body position: standing, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
  5. Hack Squat

    5. Hack Squat

    84% match

    Quads · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the quads rather than the quadriceps.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. Place the back of your torso against the back pad of the machine and hook your shoulders under the shoulder pads provided.
    2. Position your legs in the platform using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Tip: Keep your head up at all times and also maintain the back on the pad at all times.
    3. Place your arms on the side handles of the machine and disengage the safety bars (which on most designs is done by moving the side handles from a facing front position to a diagonal position).
    4. Now straighten your legs without locking the knees. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances described in the foot positioning section).
    5. Begin to slowly lower the unit by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up (back on the pad at all times). Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees (which is the point in which the upper legs are below parallel to the floor). Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly.
    6. Begin to raise the unit as you exhale by pushing the floor with mainly with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: two-legged squat, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Primary muscle: quads, not quadriceps
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats
    • Body position: standing, the same as Narrow Stance Hack Squats

Narrow Stance Hack Squats FAQ

What muscles does Narrow Stance Hack Squats work?

Narrow stance hack squats primarily target the quadriceps, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and secondarily load the adductors and patellar stabilizers. The movement emphasizes knee extension (high knee flexion angles) with less hip extension, so quad activation rises as knee travel increases.

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