For building mass, squats are king. However, when long-limbed hardgainers try to back squat, it often looks like an ugly good morning. Switching to a safety squat bar (holding the squat rack) is a game changer.
The Benefits
The padded yoke takes stress off your shoulders.
The bar design moves the weight forward like a front squat. This means less stress on your spine and more on your quads.
Holding the rack helps you keep a more upright torso. This makes your squat look more like the pretty squats of someone with a good squat structure. It also adds some extra stability to the lift, which lets you lift more weight for more reps.
Performance Tips
For big legs, don't sit back like a powerlifter. Instead, spread your knees and sit down.
Drive your traps into the bar pad as you come out of the hole.
If you start leaning forward to recruit more low back and hips, use your hands to push the weight back over your feet and make your quads do the work.
Don't cheat with your arms. You're trying to build your legs, not your ego.
Good alternatives: Machine squat, leg press, Zercher squat, hip belt squat.