For quad growth
For quad growth, hack squat rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, easier on the joints.
Both are good choices, and they train the quads differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
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.
Reverse Nordic. Leaning back from the knees loads the quads, rectus femoris included, in a long stretch. Hard to add weight.
For quad growth, hack squat rates well ahead on our research criteria: easier to progress, easier on the joints. Both are good choices, and they train the quads differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
Hack squat is easier: it’s easy to learn, while reverse Nordic takes some practice.
Hack squat needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Reverse Nordic needs no equipment, so you can do it anywhere.
Hack squat: it rates Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Good for reverse Nordic.