Hack squat and pain

[theshrine]

I recently joined a new gym and they have a hack squat machine at this gym(pic enclosed if unsure what hack squat machine is). I've never did it before so i've given it a try the last 3 weeks. Each time i do it(whether with one plate a side or 2) i seem to get a pain in my knees at the half way point. today though, i put 3 plates on a side and the pain didn't seem as bad as when 2 plates a side were on. Does anyone else get knee pain from this excercise? Am i better off to do actual squats? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thx

[sana]

my knees hurt when i squat too. and it's the same as you describe... funny thing that when i go heavier, it hurts less.

sorry - have no answer for you :)

but i would say, don't don anything that doesn't feel right.

[beefcake]

How is your leg placement? Your knees should be at a 90 degree bend at the bottom, or if you're feeling badass, an even lower angle. I notice a lot of guys don't space their feet out in front of them enough. Your toes should be at the edge of the platform in front of you.

[decadecadeca]

Yup, don't think it's good for your knees to stick out past your toes that much. Like in the pic, his feet should be flat and legs further apart and forward.

[Stonecold54]

knees should not be over the toeline. hacks put lots of stress on the knee joint. do they sparingly and just for a short burst of variety if they hurt. the fact that you don't feel the pain when the weight is heavier does not mean you are not setting yourself up for an injury.

[ROCKETW19]

hacks hurt my knees also. but one mistake i see people doing is not pushing thru there heels. alot of people push from there toes.

[ZHowitzer!]

I couldn't agree more with what sc said about your nees and toe line.

your lower leg (tib/fib) shoud be perpindicular to the platform at the bottom of the lift...NOT LIKE IN THE PICTURE...and as rockett stated push thru your heels ALWAYS. the stress on your nees gets progressively worse as you push tward your toes. As far as width of your feet...it doesn't matter in a case of wrong or right...it does effect which muscle gets more stress (or part of the leg). If you want to increase the "width" of the outter leg (VMO) then your feet need to be closer together, if you want more meat in the middle of your thigh then a wider stance is needed. Reguardless of how far apart your feet are you need to make sure that your Knees are tracking/pointing in the same direction as your feet (i.e. if yor feet are shoulder width and your upper legs make a V at the bottom of the motion you feet do NOT need to be paralell, they need to mirror the angle of your legs)


and by all means if it feels like it actually hurts in the joint after making sure your form is good...DONT DO IT! Try doing Hack/Front Squats with free weight.