Hip Sled Bilateral Unilateral Hack Squat Machine

Hip Sled overview

Hip Sled training has become a central tool for strength and conditioning programs that want serious lower body development without compromising joint health. The Samson Bilateral Unilateral Hip Sled Hack Squat is built for that exact purpose. It gives coaches and athletes a stable, controlled path for heavy squats and presses while allowing both two leg and single leg work from the same platform.

This Hip Sled is engineered for programs that cannot afford downtime. It is fabricated from thick structural steel, features industrial bearings, and rides on precision guide systems that keep the motion smooth under heavy loads. From high school programs building foundational strength to collegiate and tactical rooms managing large groups of athletes every day, this machine is designed to hold up and stay consistent.

The footprint is carefully balanced to provide stability while still fitting into real world weight rooms. Overall dimensions are approximately 94.8 inches in length, 60 inches in width, and 68.75 inches in height, with a machine weight of about 902 pounds. That mass translates directly into confidence when the sled is fully loaded.

Performance benefits for athletes

A well designed Hip Sled gives coaches an option when back squats are not the right choice for every athlete or every session. By supporting the torso and guiding the movement path, the Samson Hip Sled reduces demands on the spine while still loading the hips and legs in a meaningful way.

Athletes can train traditional sled presses with both legs to develop total lower body strength. The adjustable back pad and foot plate allow the coach to fine tune hip and knee angles, which helps manage stress on the knees while still challenging the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.

The unilateral function opens up even more possibilities. Single leg presses, split stance work, and tempo variations help address imbalances between sides and build hip stability. This is especially valuable for field and court sport athletes who cut, sprint, and land on one leg during competition.

Coaches can also use partial range sets, pause reps, and cluster sets on the Hip Sled to develop power through specific joint angles without the technical demands of heavy barbell work. That combination of safety and intensity makes this machine a staple in long term athlete development.

Samson construction and materials

Samson has been building professional weight room equipment since 1976, and this Hip Sled reflects that history. The frame uses thick wall steel tubing with welds designed to handle repeated heavy loading. The structure is overbuilt on purpose so that it remains solid year after year, even in busy institutional settings.

The sled rides on industrial grade linear bearings and guide rods. These components keep the travel path true and help extend the service life of the machine. Smooth movement reduces unnecessary jolting at the top and bottom of each repetition, which athletes will feel immediately.

The foot plate is large and adjustable, giving room for narrow, shoulder width, and wide stances without forcing awkward positions. Coaches can vary foot placement to shift emphasis between quadriceps dominant and hip dominant patterns.

Padding and upholstery are built to withstand daily use. Dense foam supports the body without bottoming out and the covers are double stitched for durability. High traffic contact points are positioned away from frame edges to minimize wear.

Finally, the powder coat finish is chosen for both protection and appearance. It stands up to chalk, sweat, and frequent plate changes while giving your room a professional, unified look when combined with Samson racks, benches, and storage systems.

Programming ideas for coaches

Bilateral strength work

Use the Hip Sled early in a session for primary lower body strength. Classic loading options include heavy sets of five to eight reps, strength endurance sets of eight to twelve, and contrast sets paired with jumps for power development. Because the torso is supported, it is easier to manage fatigue between sets when you are working with large groups.

Unilateral and accessory training

The unilateral feature lets you turn the Hip Sled into a single leg tool without moving athletes to another station. Single leg presses, iso holds at challenging joint angles, and slow eccentric repetitions are all effective options for building resilient knees and hips. These variations also help maintain strength in athletes who cannot tolerate heavy barbell loading for a period of time.

Return to play progressions

When an athlete is returning from a lower body injury under the guidance of a medical team, a Hip Sled can support the transition back to full squatting. The guided path and adjustable range allow you to load the athlete in a predictable way while observing how they move and respond. Always follow the direction of your sports medicine staff, but this machine is often an important part of that progress.

Integrating this Hip Sled into your weight room

A key advantage of this Bilateral Unilateral Hip Sled Hack Squat is how easily it fits into a complete Samson room design. The footprint works well along a wall, in a dedicated lower body zone, or paired across from a row of racks. When you work with Samson on a full room project, our team will place each sled to protect flow and sight lines for coaching.

Because the machine is plate loaded, it ties directly into existing plate storage and barbell systems. Coaches can standardize plate stacks for each station so athletes know exactly how to load for their assigned sets.

Many programs choose to pair this Hip Sled with glute ham developers, belt squats, and Samson Flex Rack systems so that every rack lane has a full menu of lower body options. That layout keeps athletes in their lanes and reduces unnecessary traffic during busy sessions.

Learn more about Hip Sled training

If you are building your understanding of lower body machine training, the following resources provide useful background on the movement patterns that a Hip Sled supports:

• Leg press technique and coaching cues for understanding joint angles and foot positions.
• Hack squat exercise information that explains how sled based squats target the lower body.
• Exercise library content for leg press variations that shows how to adjust stance and range of motion.

These resources focus on movement education rather than specific equipment brands, and they align well with how coaches use a Hip Sled in a modern strength program.

Start your Samson weight room project

This Bilateral Unilateral Hip Sled Hack Squat is not sold as a stand alone retail item. It is specified as part of a complete Samson weight room solution that is planned, designed, and installed around your program.

Since 1976 Samson has been helping schools, colleges, and tactical organizations create rooms that last. We use some of the thickest structural steel in the industry, combined with commercial grade finishes and hardware, so your room can serve many generations of athletes without constant replacement.

The best way to begin is with a free three dimensional rendering of your space. Our team will map your room, select the right combination of racks, Hip Sleds, benches, and accessories, and show you how the finished layout will look before any commitment is made. You can explore different configurations, adjust your budget, and make decisions with full confidence.

To start that process and see how this Hip Sled fits into a complete Samson design, visit our Start Your Design page. From first concept to final installation, we will help you build a weight room that matches the level of your athletes and supports real performance for years to come.