This is the most sought after hack squat by those who know, and for good reason. The Icarian hack squat has a feeling of a back squat, whereas most hack squats feel like front squat. The knees lock right into place and don’t travel forward much. The moving parts with this machine comes from the butt/hips, and your body drops right into that pocket between your legs. This makes it useful for building the squat. Muscle-wise, this machine works the butt and the ‘quad sweep’ – the upper/outer part of the quadriceps.

Many hack squats cause ‘butt wink’, where the tailbone and butt roll under you. Nothing will light the lower back up faster (in a shitty way) than butt wink. The Icarian is at a 35 degree angle, with a wide back pad, and a steep/wide foot plate that takes the butt wink away.