Road2HardCoreIron

For machines, I agree with those. However, not all leg press machines or hack squats are created equal. I recently tried the Rogers Squat Pro Pendulum Leg Press. At first, I thought it was garbage. I always felt once your hips rotate off the pad on a leg press, you have maxed out your ROM. If you use that thought process on the Rogers Squat Pro, you will be highly disappointed. The ROM is trash and I can load up the machine with every plate in the gym and the only feeling I get is pain in my knees. However, if you let your hips come off the pad and knees travel back to your armpits the machine will wreck your quads like nothing else.

My two favorite hack squats, Star Track and the old Cybex. We have the Star Track at the gym I frequent and I get asked all the time, how can you use that thing without it murdering you? That is the fucking point dude. Get stronger!

Unfortunately, the best machine for the lower quads is the hack squat, so the only tip I can give you is high quality knee sleeves. I like Cerebus Strength's Triple Ply Knee Sleeves. Anything neoprene is garbage. It might keep your knee warm, but it does nothing for stability and protection. Brian Shaw's Extreme Sleeves are also great. I have them for my elbows. I actually rarely use them, but the powerlifters and strongman competitors burrow them all the time when benching. They say the compression is so great it gives you 30-50 lbs on your bench.

You could also try, but I am sure you already are, single leg extensions and Bulgarian split squats set up to be quad dominant.

The final thing I will offer, close your eyes, block out the noise and focus on the muscle you want to grow throughout the movement. Crazy how you can transfer load by blocking out all the other distractions. I use this technique when I am just not feeling an exercise.