Magnitude of Leg Press Lifts
Since the leg press stabilizes the lifter and moves weights in a direction that is not vertical, it is possible for strength trainers to press very heavy weights (compared to the weight used for other exercises). The actual effective weight on the legs on a typical 45 degree leg press machine is equal to sin(45°)*the loaded weight, for example a machine loaded with 450 pounds plus the sled (118 pounds in this example) is effectively 402 pounds of force on the legs. Bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman is featured in videos wherein he leg presses 2,300 pounds (1,043 kg) for a full eight repetitions. To compare, the world record for the squat is 992lbs (450kg) raw and 1,250lbs (568.18 kg) in a multiply squat suit.
An AskMen.com article states that it is not uncommon for men to leg press over 500 pounds (226 kg), with some men going over 1,000 pounds (454 kg) using a limited-range of motion. Former US Secretary of State and septuagenarian Madeleine Albright claims she is able to leg press in excess of 400 pounds (181 kg). However, a true leg press requires the full range of motion. Typically a person cannot do much more than double the weight of their standard one-repetition, full-range leg-press when attempting limited-range strength straining (e.g., if they can do 500 pounds full-range they could do no more than 1,000 pounds for limited range training).
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