Weight difference between machine and free weights

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  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    SingingSingleTracker wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    I can easily leg press sets of 12 x 120kg
    I ain't squatting that weight any time soon

    Two main things to remember why you can leg press more than you can squat ('tis true for all of us)....

    Performing a leg press means you are only moving the equivalent of about 0.707 x weight because the leg press itself takes some of the weight. (So you should be able to squat 85kg, right?)

    Performing a squat means you are actually squatting the weight of the load + your own body weight. You are sitting down during the leg press and don't have to lift your own body weight.

    It's really hard to make a blanket statement with leg press machines since everyone is different based on factors such as angle of the sled, friction, angle of the leg plate, position of the stops etc. Some leg presses I could do over 1200lbs easily while others would be hard at 900.

    Squats also load the core and have a lot of mechanical differences that create disadvantaged leverages compared to leg press. I can leg press over 1000lbs at my current gym but my squat maxes around 355. It's a huge difference.

    Squat being about a third of press seems pretty typical from personal experience and people I know.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    SingingSingleTracker wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    I can easily leg press sets of 12 x 120kg
    I ain't squatting that weight any time soon

    Two main things to remember why you can leg press more than you can squat ('tis true for all of us)....

    Performing a leg press means you are only moving the equivalent of about 0.707 x weight because the leg press itself takes some of the weight. (So you should be able to squat 85kg, right?)

    Performing a squat means you are actually squatting the weight of the load + your own body weight. You are sitting down during the leg press and don't have to lift your own body weight.

    It's really hard to make a blanket statement with leg press machines since everyone is different based on factors such as angle of the sled, friction, angle of the leg plate, position of the stops etc. Some leg presses I could do over 1200lbs easily while others would be hard at 900.

    Squats also load the core and have a lot of mechanical differences that create disadvantaged leverages compared to leg press. I can leg press over 1000lbs at my current gym but my squat maxes around 355. It's a huge difference.

    Squat being about a third of press seems pretty typical from personal experience and people I know.

    My experience working out with many others would also support yours.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    SingingSingleTracker wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    I can leg press 650kg for reps. This should make me one of the best squatters of all time. I'm not.

    You can?

    That article is dumb

    Exactly.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    SingingSingleTracker wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    I can easily leg press sets of 12 x 120kg
    I ain't squatting that weight any time soon

    Two main things to remember why you can leg press more than you can squat ('tis true for all of us)....

    Performing a leg press means you are only moving the equivalent of about 0.707 x weight because the leg press itself takes some of the weight. (So you should be able to squat 85kg, right?)

    Performing a squat means you are actually squatting the weight of the load + your own body weight. You are sitting down during the leg press and don't have to lift your own body weight.

    It's really hard to make a blanket statement with leg press machines since everyone is different based on factors such as angle of the sled, friction, angle of the leg plate, position of the stops etc. Some leg presses I could do over 1200lbs easily while others would be hard at 900.

    Squats also load the core and have a lot of mechanical differences that create disadvantaged leverages compared to leg press. I can leg press over 1000lbs at my current gym but my squat maxes around 355. It's a huge difference.

    Squat being about a third of press seems pretty typical from personal experience and people I know.

    Damn I need to up my leg press if that's true
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    SingingSingleTracker wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    I can easily leg press sets of 12 x 120kg
    I ain't squatting that weight any time soon

    Two main things to remember why you can leg press more than you can squat ('tis true for all of us)....

    Performing a leg press means you are only moving the equivalent of about 0.707 x weight because the leg press itself takes some of the weight. (So you should be able to squat 85kg, right?)

    Performing a squat means you are actually squatting the weight of the load + your own body weight. You are sitting down during the leg press and don't have to lift your own body weight.

    It's really hard to make a blanket statement with leg press machines since everyone is different based on factors such as angle of the sled, friction, angle of the leg plate, position of the stops etc. Some leg presses I could do over 1200lbs easily while others would be hard at 900.

    Squats also load the core and have a lot of mechanical differences that create disadvantaged leverages compared to leg press. I can leg press over 1000lbs at my current gym but my squat maxes around 355. It's a huge difference.

    Squat being about a third of press seems pretty typical from personal experience and people I know.

    Damn I need to up my leg press if that's true

    Me too, I can squat 70kg but no way can I leg press 210kg
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    SingingSingleTracker wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    I can easily leg press sets of 12 x 120kg
    I ain't squatting that weight any time soon

    Two main things to remember why you can leg press more than you can squat ('tis true for all of us)....

    Performing a leg press means you are only moving the equivalent of about 0.707 x weight because the leg press itself takes some of the weight. (So you should be able to squat 85kg, right?)

    Performing a squat means you are actually squatting the weight of the load + your own body weight. You are sitting down during the leg press and don't have to lift your own body weight.

    It's really hard to make a blanket statement with leg press machines since everyone is different based on factors such as angle of the sled, friction, angle of the leg plate, position of the stops etc. Some leg presses I could do over 1200lbs easily while others would be hard at 900.

    Squats also load the core and have a lot of mechanical differences that create disadvantaged leverages compared to leg press. I can leg press over 1000lbs at my current gym but my squat maxes around 355. It's a huge difference.

    Squat being about a third of press seems pretty typical from personal experience and people I know.

    Damn I need to up my leg press if that's true

    Or do like Pat Roberts and lie -- there was only about 1000lbs on the sled as indicated in the video in the article that said 2000lbs so LOL at that bit of truth that slipped by -- and cheat with a range of motion that would make the quarter squatters laugh while using your arms to assist.

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