💡 How to follow: The Hackenschmidt squat — learned from George Hackenschmidt, who still ran pain-free in his 80s. It fixes runner knee pain by building the knees through a full range of motion. Form: lift the heels, squat through full ROM with the weight behind your back. Work up to the Running Ability target: 8 reps with 25% body weight loaded behind your back.
1
Why the Hack Squat
ConceptUnderstand
George Hackenschmidt ran pain-free into his 80s. Squatting through a full range of motion builds the knees — the fix for runner knee pain and a core Running Ability target.
- Hackenschmidt ran pain-free in his 80s
- Build the knees through full ROM
- The fix for runner knee pain
- One of 12 Running Ability targets
2
Perfect Form — Heels Up, Weight Behind
FormEvery rep
Three simple parameters: lift the heels off the ground, squat through a full range of motion, weight held behind your back — which shows you have full control.
- Lift the heels
- Squat through full range of motion
- Weight behind your back — full control
- Stay pain-free through the depth
3
The Target — 8 Reps @ 25% Bodyweight
StandardBuild to it
Tested on the creator and many runners: 8 reps with 25% body weight loaded behind your back. Most runners can't do it yet — but you can build to it with pain-free training.
- Target: 8 reps, 25% body weight behind you
- Most runners can't do this yet
- Build up with pain-free training
- Stays a Running Ability gate for staying uninjured