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On Episode 269 of The Menace Podcast,<\/em> host Dennis James and regular cohort Jose Raymond wanted to find out more following a recent Instagram reel that shows Milos Sarcev hack pressing with seven plates on each side of the machine.<\/p>\n Milos Sarcev may be 62, but the former Mr. Yugoslavia and Mr. Universe still loves the thrill of the pump. This was evident when \u2018The Mind\u2019 took to Instagram on Jan. 20, 2026, to share a video of him lifting seven plates on each side of a hack press. \u201cI was like, \u2018oh boy!\u2019\u201d said Dennis \u201cThe Menace\u201d James on seeing the clip. \u201cHe\u2019s gonna be in bed tonight with those hips screaming.\u201d Instead, Sarcev praised the hack press for it\u2019s comfortable feel, and explained why it works so well for him.<\/p>\n With a hip replacement and wear and tear on his knees to deal with, lifting heavy would not be for everyone, but for Milos Sarcev, the thrill of lifting a heavy weight is not an experience that he\u2019s willing to leave behind. Still, during the show, he explained the reason for choosing the hack press, and the differences between this machine and the very similar hack squat in terms of comfort.<\/p>\n While both machines look almost identical, Sarcev says that the movement is not even close between the two. \u201cThis is smooth,\u201d noted Sarcev. \u201cMy knee is screwed up big time, and then I had a spine issue, (but) I don\u2019t even feel it,\u201d shared the bodybuilder-turned-coach about repping the hack press. \u201cZero pain.\u201d<\/p>\n Okay, so how can you tell the difference between a hack press and a hack squat at your local gym? The difference concerns how your upper body is supported towards the top of the machine<\/a>. The hack squat has pads that go over your shoulders, whereas the hack press has pads that support the back. In other words, the pads are lower on the hack press. During the episode, Sarcev pulled up the video of his inspiring session, and took James and Raymond through the process.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time I am doing it with seven plates, in a long time,\u201d revealed The Mind, admitting that he was super scared to be under that kind of weight again, but soon found his rhythm. To get a deeper squat, Sarcev took off some plates for subsequent sets, sharing that the machine was super effective for targeting his quads. In the demonstration, Sarcev used the NEWTECH Torture Hack Press<\/a>. \u201cSuper smooth, I\u2019m telling you,\u201d explained the bodybuilding legend. \u201cYou can feel the weight.\u201d<\/p>\n To watch the full episode, where the panel also discussed PED regimes, and whether Iain Valliere might be making a comeback, see below.<\/p>\nMilos Sarcev Explains the Pros of the Hack Press<\/h2>\n