For quad growth
For quad growth, hack squat and pendulum squat score the same on every criterion, so use whichever is free, or both.
Both are good choices that train the quads the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Hack Squat. Deep knee bend under stable, heavy load: the quads are clearly the limiter.
Pendulum Squat. Like the hack squat: a deep knee bend on a stable machine, so the quads give out before anything else.
For quad growth, hack squat and pendulum squat score the same on every criterion, so use whichever is free, or both. Both are good choices that train the quads the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Hack squat needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Pendulum squat needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
About the same: both rate Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.