Am I using enough weight on the leg press?

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KimmalyS
KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone! I have been weight training about 2-3x per week for the past 5 months. I'm 5'5" 130lbs. just wondering about how much weight I should be able to press on the leg press machine. I started at a weight equal to my body weight and am now pressing 155lbs.

Just read articles online and all of them states that I should be able to press twice my body weight.. which would be 260lbs?? Doesn't seem right to me.. what I'm pressing is challenging already, I can't imagine pressing 260lbs without injuring myself. But hey, haven't tried!

Does it depend of the type of leg press machine in using? Sitting up pushing as supposed to lying down (plates)?
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Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited January 2017
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    It's all subjective to what kind of training and program you are running to achieve your gosls.

    If you are not progressively increasing weights, you will not leg press as heavy as if you were.

  • KimmalyS
    KimmalyS Posts: 131 Member
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    Thanks for the feedback! I do squat, but definitely can't squat a lot of weight. Right now, I'm squatting 40lbs on each side. I'm not seeing too much progress which is another reason why I am curious if i am lifting enough. Iv been eating well, and am consistent. Am I being realistic? Is 5 months enough time to see progress?
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    If you are using progressive training, twice your body weight can be achieved fairly quickly, relatively speaking. I'm surprised how much I can Leg press compared to how much I can squat. I can press 12 plates 5 times for several sets. I def cannot squat anywhere near that much.

    However, I've been training for years.

    Ignoring things that say you should be doing X. Just do what you can do. If you do leg press once or twice per week, you should be able to add 5 lbs to each side per week for months before it really starts feeling super heavy. Stick to lower reps, like 5 per set. If you want, do the 5x5 style, 5 sets of 5 reps each, and each week add 5 lbs per side. You'll be amazed how quickly your strength will increase.

    But, is there any reason you're not squatting? Squatting is a superior exercise to leg press. Do what makes you comfortable, just wondering. And, by no means do you have to squat. I'm just asking out of curiosity.

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    You will see more progress if you follow a progressive full-body compound lifting program (like stronglifts or strong curves, etc.) Free weights are better than machines because they will incorporate your core and stabilizing muscles. Pick a program, follow the program.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    edited January 2017
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    kimsey978 wrote: »
    Thanks for the feedback! I do squat, but definitely can't squat a lot of weight. Right now, I'm squatting 40lbs on each side. I'm not seeing too much progress which is another reason why I am curious if i am lifting enough. Iv been eating well, and am consistent. Am I being realistic? Is 5 months enough time to see progress?
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    If you are using progressive training, twice your body weight can be achieved fairly quickly, relatively speaking. I'm surprised how much I can Leg press compared to how much I can squat. I can press 12 plates 5 times for several sets. I def cannot squat anywhere near that much.

    However, I've been training for years.

    Ignoring things that say you should be doing X. Just do what you can do. If you do leg press once or twice per week, you should be able to add 5 lbs to each side per week for months before it really starts feeling super heavy. Stick to lower reps, like 5 per set. If you want, do the 5x5 style, 5 sets of 5 reps each, and each week add 5 lbs per side. You'll be amazed how quickly your strength will increase.

    But, is there any reason you're not squatting? Squatting is a superior exercise to leg press. Do what makes you comfortable, just wondering. And, by no means do you have to squat. I'm just asking out of curiosity.

    40lbs on each side with a squat? So 125lbs? I'm guessing you can do at least twice that on the leg press in comparison (for the same reps). I'm guessing you're just holding back on the leg press.

    For the record, repping 125lbs on the squat isn't bad at all for your size and gender. Keep up the good work.
  • ajwcyclist2016
    ajwcyclist2016 Posts: 161 Member
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    For myself in my weight training for strength on the bike. One of the exercises I have to do is a single leg press. I don't have a set weigh but a target number of reps to do set out in my training programme say 8 heavy if I get to 5 weight to heavy get to 12 weight to light , 15 reps medium weight. At the moment I have to do 30 light weight deep burning and boy do they burn when I get to 20 it is really starting to burn. I basically try to push through the pain and idealism fail at 30. Obviously my training will be different to your as my goals are different. Do you have a set number of reps to do and when you are doing do you stop at the number set out knowing you can do a few more. If can keep going. Then next time increase the weight. That's what I do. I personally don't care what the next person can do I'm there for myself and not to lift the heaviest weight of everybody
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    The leg press is an assistance to the squat on a lot of programs. I was using the leg press (the one you load plates on; not the machine) and pressed 180lbs+ on each side for 3x8. My squat PR is 180lbs. Point being, you can press more on a machine than squat with a bar.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Pay no attention to what articles say you should be lifting. They're ridiculous, especially for beginners. You should be lifting more than you did a few months ago. That's the only goal.
  • lamm84416
    lamm84416 Posts: 709 Member
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    About 7 years ago, I was training for a body building competition. I weighed about 170 lbs and was doing a 700 lb leg press for 5 reps. It took me about 6 months of training almost daily to get there by progressively adding more weight with each session. Of course, I also did squats and deadlifts, leg curls and extensions, and weighted lunges which all contribute to being able to do a heavy leg press. As others have said, don't pay attention to what articles say, as long as you are getting better, then you are doing good. Better means that you're lifting more than you were. Also, as others have said, pick a program you want to do and stick with it and don't worry about what others are doing or lifting. This is about YOU and no one else.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    A question regarding squats vs. leg presses. Going back to the original post; the O.P stated "I'm 5'5" 130lbs. just wondering about how much weight I should be able to press on the leg press machine. I started at a weight equal to my body weight and am now pressing 155lbs."

    If a 130# person leg presses 130#s isn't that the same thing as doing a body weight squat? And then isn't doing a 155# leg press the same as squatting 25#s? Doesn't a persons body weight count in squatting weight where it is not included in the leg press? With a squat, you are lifting yourself as well as the added weight, no? So that doing a 245# leg press is the same as squatting 115#s?

    Thanks.
    FWIT I do squats and shun machines of all sorts save for cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical and rower, and assisted pull-ups {not a cardio, but a machine I don't avoid}).
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    pondee629 wrote: »
    A question regarding squats vs. leg presses. Going back to the original post; the O.P stated "I'm 5'5" 130lbs. just wondering about how much weight I should be able to press on the leg press machine. I started at a weight equal to my body weight and am now pressing 155lbs."

    If a 130# person leg presses 130#s isn't that the same thing as doing a body weight squat? And then isn't doing a 155# leg press the same as squatting 25#s? Doesn't a persons body weight count in squatting weight where it is not included in the leg press? With a squat, you are lifting yourself as well as the added weight, no? So that doing a 245# leg press is the same as squatting 115#s?

    Thanks.
    FWIT I do squats and shun machines of all sorts save for cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical and rower, and assisted pull-ups {not a cardio, but a machine I don't avoid}).

    Wouldn't the placement of where the load is make a difference? I can definitely push more with my legs than having the barbell on my back/shoulders, going down and then pushing my way back up.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    260 lbs. is definitely not impossible. It takes patience and progressive training. Slowly, week by week increase your reps or weight. This can even be done at each work out. Eventually, you'll be amazed at how much you can press. Honestly, leg press is one of the easiest exercises to increase strength with in my opinion. I've been lifting for like two years and can max out the entire machine - 405 lbs - and I'm not huge. I think that's only 3.5 x my bodyweight or something like that. You're more powerful that you think you are, just increase weight slowly and use proper form to ensure you don't injure yourself.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    A question regarding squats vs. leg presses. Going back to the original post; the O.P stated "I'm 5'5" 130lbs. just wondering about how much weight I should be able to press on the leg press machine. I started at a weight equal to my body weight and am now pressing 155lbs."

    If a 130# person leg presses 130#s isn't that the same thing as doing a body weight squat? And then isn't doing a 155# leg press the same as squatting 25#s? Doesn't a persons body weight count in squatting weight where it is not included in the leg press? With a squat, you are lifting yourself as well as the added weight, no? So that doing a 245# leg press is the same as squatting 115#s?

    Thanks.
    FWIT I do squats and shun machines of all sorts save for cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical and rower, and assisted pull-ups {not a cardio, but a machine I don't avoid}).

    Wouldn't the placement of where the load is make a difference? I can definitely push more with my legs than having the barbell on my back/shoulders, going down and then pushing my way back up.

    Do you account for your own body weight when making this determination? Again, is doing a 245# leg press as a 130# person the same as doing a 115# squat (115+130=245). Of course you can press more. You aren't lifting yourself with the leg press machine, no?
  • KickboxFanatic
    KickboxFanatic Posts: 184 Member
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    I leg press roughly 5.5 times my body weight or 4 times my squat working set weight. Heavy leg press is going to directly feed into increasing your squat and deadlift numbers when used as an accessory exercise in a progressive overload program.
  • trudie_b
    trudie_b Posts: 230 Member
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    Well, I just had to try this out today! I maxed out the machine at 200kg (440lbs) - I'd have liked to have known if I could have gone heavier! I think so.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    pondee629 wrote: »
    A question regarding squats vs. leg presses. Going back to the original post; the O.P stated "I'm 5'5" 130lbs. just wondering about how much weight I should be able to press on the leg press machine. I started at a weight equal to my body weight and am now pressing 155lbs."

    If a 130# person leg presses 130#s isn't that the same thing as doing a body weight squat? And then isn't doing a 155# leg press the same as squatting 25#s? Doesn't a persons body weight count in squatting weight where it is not included in the leg press? With a squat, you are lifting yourself as well as the added weight, no? So that doing a 245# leg press is the same as squatting 115#s?

    Thanks.
    FWIT I do squats and shun machines of all sorts save for cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical and rower, and assisted pull-ups {not a cardio, but a machine I don't avoid}).

    Leg press still doesn't carry over like that. There's also a difference in types of leg press- some you move the foot board thing, others the foot board is fixed and your seat moves.
    Also, you're missing out on some good weight machines by shunning everything but cardio and assisted pull ups. I machine lifted my way to a stronger squat/bench/and deadlift.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    KimmalyS wrote: »
    Hey everyone! I have been weight training about 2-3x per week for the past 5 months. I'm 5'5" 130lbs. just wondering about how much weight I should be able to press on the leg press machine. I started at a weight equal to my body weight and am now pressing 155lbs.

    Just read articles online and all of them states that I should be able to press twice my body weight.. which would be 260lbs?? Doesn't seem right to me.. what I'm pressing is challenging already, I can't imagine pressing 260lbs without injuring myself. But hey, haven't tried!

    Does it depend of the type of leg press machine in using? Sitting up pushing as supposed to lying down (plates)?

    That's something you work up to...you don't come out of the gate pressing our squatting twice your body weight...it is fairly standard strength goal to work up to.

    Personally, I'd get into the squat rack and use the leg press as an accessory movement.
  • rks581
    rks581 Posts: 99 Member
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    Question about leg presses -- yesterday I was waiting for the machine and a woman was doing leg presses with very little weight (30 or 50 lbs). She looked athletic, maybe a rower or dancer, with strong legs. I wondered why she wasn't simply doing squats. Maybe she was trying to maintain weight to remain within a weight class or something. Any ideas on why someone might leg press 30-50 lbs?

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