Thoughts on leg training

Ok.......hack squat machine and smith machine squats are ineffective......right?  Everyone says it, so it must be true......meh..........let’s look at it from a 50 years + point of view........the contention is that neither machines allow for the full coordinated employment of the lower back, glutes, hamstrings and quads........point well taken......but if you’ve ever done a heavy set of 20 hack squats or smith squats to the point of gagging, you know something is happening.......my observation is that to get that same leg torturing feeling with free squatting puts the trainee at risk of injury due to the fact that the erector muscles invariably fatigue before the glutes, hams and quads.......this forces the trainee to compromise form and invites disaster.......So is the solution to stop squatting......nope......here’s what I do in my old age.........for Strength I employ hacks or smiths to really attack quads......then I do deadlifts to attack hams, glutes lower back.........ok, following me?

Now on alternate leg days I start with free squat triples.....slowly working up to a challenging set......this usually takes around 6 to 8 sets.......then I’ll do a light  high rep leg workout.......I am finding that the heavy “machine/ deadlift sessions are building strength to improve on my squat days and that I’m remaining injury free..........that’s it.....just and that’s about it