Leg Press World Record

“N o competition, no progress”, said Bela Karolyi, the ethnic Hungarian Romanian-American coach of the famous Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, and he was right. Not only in sports, but in science, politics, economy, and so on, people do their best to be the best, or at least this is how things should work in a decent world. Some are freakishly smart, while others have incredible strong or fast bodies that allow them to amaze the world around them. The Guinness World Record Book is actually a great thing to read to discover how diverse human nature is and how persistent some people can be in achieving their (sometimes deemed impossible) goals.

When it comes to weightlifting, there are a few records that have been noted in the world record book, especially when it comes to Olympic weightlifting (Georgian superheavyweight Lasha Talakhadze – 1,067 pounds) or bench pressing (American Julius Maddox – 782 pounds). Yet, when it comes to leg pressing, we cannot talk about an official record (although the amount of weight some people can press is incredibly high), and this is because there are several ways of doing the exercise, and people cannot agree on the best leg press machine to be used for the competition. Some like to press on a horizontal machine, while others consider the 45-degree press to be more challenging. Last but not least, there is the vertical press that is often integrated into a Smith machine.

Until this dilemma is to be resolved, we are left with a series of records that were established in the presence of non-official witnesses (coaches, bodybuilders, people at the gym), filmed, and spread all around the internet, so these will be the ones we will be talking about today.

Fitness Enthusiast Using Inclined Leg Press

How Much Can the Average Man Leg Press?

Before taking a look at the exceptions, let’s take a moment to see what the averages are when it comes to regular people with different experience levels, so we have something to compare to the records. For the data we present in the table below, we used the calculators offered by Strength Level.

Sled Press Standards

Who Holds the Record for Pressing the Most on the Leg Press?

The absolute record on leg pressing is still disputable, but there are some bodybuilders who have proven their value in front of a crowd and even had their performance recorded and spread on the internet so everybody can see it. We set as a lower pressing limit 2,000 lbs. as we considered that this weight is already out of the ordinary.

The Strongest: William Cannon – 2,469 lbs.

William Cannon is not an athlete who once tried to set a record and managed it. He is the king of record-breaking, with more than 600 records established by now. In the past 20 years, Cannon used his incredible force and resistance to complete a 3.5-hour marathon while carrying a 48-lb backpack or do 5 reps on a rowing machine that opposed a resistance of 500 lbs. On 29 September 2021, he managed to do a 2.470-lb leg press, setting a new record for this exercise as well. What is important to mention is that it did it all for charity and plans to break 1,000 records until he is 65, with all the money continuing to go to charitable actions.

The Highest Number of Reps: Joseph Holt – 2,465 lbs.

Joseph Holt managed to do what most people thought to be impossible and got his performance registered by Record Setter. In the video that is posted on their website, you can see Holt taking his seat at a 45-degree leg press that is loaded with plates – a total of 2,465 lbs. As he starts pressing, the spotter rushes to the machine to try and stabilize the plates as they seem to be ready to fall. The machine is charged to its maximum, and Holt manages to do 10 presses. It doesn’t even look as if he is about to pop a vessel. In the end, he just stands up from the machine without even taking a break. That’s amazing!

The Best to Watch: Ronnie Coleman – 2,300 lbs.

Coleman does know to put up a show, and he also was mentioned by Record Setter for his performance of pressing 2,300 lbs. In the video showing his performance, you can see an already pumped-up Coleman getting ready for the exercise. His veins are showing across his large muscles, and he is already sweaty from the heat in the room. His coach verifies the load and invites him on the sled. He manages to do 8 reps. One minute before, he said he had done an 800-lb squat the same day.

The Hardest to Believe: Pat Robertson – 2,000 lbs.

There is a kind of controversy around religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, who claims to have pressed 2,000 lbs. when he was 73. His performance is recounted on the Christian Broadcasting Network, which belongs to him, where it is told that he worked with his physician until he was able to do 1 press with this charge. Besides the claim that there were several people in the room when this happened, we don’t have a video or even a picture that can prove it.

Fit Woman Flexing Muscles During Leg Press Workout

How Big of an Achievement Is to Leg Press a Lot of Weight?

While it is true that you will be able to add more weight when you are pressing than when you are squatting, this doesn’t mean that it is an easy job to press 900 lbs. Trying to break the records we have mentioned before can even turn out to be very risky, even for individuals who are in great physical shape. So, yes, being able to lift over 2,000 pounds is definitely something to brag about.

How Much Weight Can You Load on a Leg Press?

When Bobby Chiafullo tried to press over 2,700 lbs., the machine he was using looked packed, and it felt that there was no room to add even a 10-pound plate. However, larger apparatuses can be built, so there is not necessarily a limit to how much weight can leg presses handle. The limit is on the human physique’s side as it is already clear that if the records already set are to be broken, the difference will be only a few hundred pounds.

What’s important to understand is that you need a commercial machine to try and set new records, as home presses can only handle under 2,000 lbs., and some cannot even deal with more than 1,000 lbs. Even at the gym, if you plan on going over 2,000 lbs., we recommend talking with a gym representative about the machine model you intend to use so you can find out more about its weight limit. Trying to press more on a machine that cannot handle it can result in accidents.

Final Thoughts

It is mind-blowing to see somebody pushing a plate that was loaded with thousands of pounds with their feet. And even if some say that the inclined press cuts 30% of the load, the resistance it opposes is still incredible. Yes, lifting 1,000 lbs. on the machine is nothing close to lifting even a couple of hundred pounds while squatting, but you cannot just take the credit from those who can reach this performance. And there is no doubt that the machine can help you a lot in developing leg strength you will be later using in your squat exercises.