145lb dude leg pressing 1800lbs, bull?

[CanadianIron]

Sorry for quoting TMZ, but I caught this out of the corner of my eye while my wife was watching.


Apolo Ohno's lower body is so powerful -- dude claims he can leg press 1800 pounds of raw steel ... which is the Hollywood equivalent of 20 Nicole Richies.



For the record, Ohno only weighs about 145 -- without his eight Olympic medals of course.





http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=d8a3e833-996c-4d64-8514-ba2d37ecc175

[waderow]

Sorry for quoting TMZ, but I caught this out of the corner of my eye while my wife was watching.



http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=d8a3e833-996c-4d64-8514-ba2d37ecc175

suuuuuure LOL

[natenator]

Not sure if it's bull or not but I wouldn't be surprised. Speed skaters are mighty powerful.

[CanadianIron]

suuuuuure LOL

I was in the middle of a 9/11 argument, I have no time for TV!

As for the weight, isnt an 1800lb(40 plates) leg press equiv to a 1270lb-bw squat as far as verticle load conversion?

[Delt King]

I''ve been working out for 20 years and i've never seen a leg press that could fit 40 plates. cmon

[natenator]

I''ve been working out for 20 years and i've never seen a leg press that could fit 40 plates. cmon
Neither have I but I also know that specialized athletes have their own custom training equipment.

There'a s skiier who has a custom squat machine that puts load on him during the negative portion of the squat then reduces a portion of the weight through the contraction. It's supposed to mimic the force a skier would face in turns thus allowing them to build their strength and muscule endurance.

[Delt King]

I thought about that after i wrote it. I guess these guys would train in specialized facilities. Heck even Canada invested 118million in the "Own The Podium" program.

[steve_d]

Not sure if it's bull or not but I wouldn't be surprised. Speed skaters are mighty powerful.

but this speed skater is a twirp, and doesn't do long track where you really see the powerful skaters. You can tell he is just joking around. he's thinking - that's a dumb question, i dunno...18 hundred. I'd do the same thing if I were him

[O-Train]

With decent ROM I bet my left nut it would crush him like a bug. Not that it even matters...when's the last time someone competed in a leg press competition...

[Ron Partlow]

Who knows what "leg press" means. Is that short, partial reps with knee wraps and the back of the sled all the way up?

Scott Abel tells a famous story all the time of one of the most impressive things he ever witnessed in his life. An American speed skater squatting 185, ass to grass, for 300 reps. They are very explosive athletes with really huge strength endurance.

[JonnyO]

I wouldnt doubt the strength of some of these skaters. Those races they do are apparently as physically demanding as you can get on the legs.

[Ron Partlow]

I wouldnt doubt the strength of some of these skaters. Those races they do are apparently as physically demanding as you can get on the legs.

Yes, I am now a huge fan of the Team Pursuit event, after seeing the German Woman physically fail just short of the finish line and slide for Gold. One of the American Men almost failed too....If you watch the race against Canada for the gold, you will notice the third American starts to really labor during the last lap....Looks like he is losing control of his one arm and has no power left in his leg. Just going numb. Looks like a very demanding pace at that distance when the very top athletes are barely completing the race.

[cog]

I have posted some similar second hand info on the strength of these guys...Ohno is quite short and all quads...I believe it.Anybody here tried speedskating?Even if you squat decent this will make your quads pretty tired real quick.That and the stabilising muscles in the calves.

[cog]

Neither have I but I also know that specialized athletes have their own custom training equipment.

There'a s skiier who has a custom squat machine that puts load on him during the negative portion of the squat then reduces a portion of the weight through the contraction. It's supposed to mimic the force a skier would face in turns thus allowing them to build their strength and muscule endurance.

Fred Hatfield employed a device like this.It has a lever operated by a partner.

[steve_d]

I have posted some similar second hand info on the strength of these guys...Ohno is quite short and all quads...I believe it.Anybody here tried speedskating?Even if you squat decent this will make your quads pretty tired real quick.That and the stabilising muscles in the calves.

I know this is true, but the same can be said for many sports you would start out without ever having done it. They train for it, and while it is demanding, they are conditioned for it, and to them the pain is not the same as someone like me trying it for the first time.

a muscle is a muscle, it can adapt. someone who's never done a squat in their life will feel the burn after a set. hell, even after a period of injury when I only leg press for a month or so, and return to squat, it still feels like the worst pain ever.

Anyway, 1800 is not what he leg presses.

[Dryvrgrl]

Cindy Klassen is a speed skater.
Cindy Klassen has an entire fitness facility (gym) dedicated to her.
the leg press holds 10 plates maximum.
Cindy Klassen outweighs Ohno by about 40 pounds

conclusion... (based on random facts and many assumptions)

No-No Ohno

[cog]

Cindy Klassen is a speed skater.
Cindy Klassen has an entire fitness facility (gym) dedicated to her.
the leg press holds 10 plates maximum.
Cindy Klassen outweighs Ohno by about 40 pounds

conclusion... (based on random facts and many assumptions)

No-No Ohno

Test.This isn't the first time some athlete has had big leg press numbers.There was a Puerto Rican BB about 15-20 years ago,weighed 165 lbs,did leg press with 2100 or so.Just for show.That might have been one rep,I believe.Was in one of the muscle mags.Maybe Cindy uses one leg?

[cog]

I know this is true, but the same can be said for many sports you would start out without ever having done it. They train for it, and while it is demanding, they are conditioned for it, and to them the pain is not the same as someone like me trying it for the first time.

a muscle is a muscle, it can adapt. someone who's never done a squat in their life will feel the burn after a set. hell, even after a period of injury when I only leg press for a month or so, and return to squat, it still feels like the worst pain ever.

Anyway, 1800 is not what he leg presses.

How do you know this?What hits you with speedskating is that you don't get to straighten out.

[Dryvrgrl]

I tried to find pics... supposedly he posted some on his twitter... I dont have that.. anyone twitter him?

[steve_d]

how do I know what? that he doesn't press 1800? or that a muscle can adapt? What gets ME is that I don't get to straighten out...but I would bet my balls it doesn't get them as much as it would me. same with cycling. I used to be do competitive cycling, and getting into those positions on you're bike was brutal when you weren't used to it. eventually that was the position that felt comfortable.

I am not saying its easy - and I am sure many of you already have assumed thats what I am saying. All I am saying is that people do train and get good at things, muscles adapt, things aren't as painful for them...The pain most of these people feel is lactic acid build up etc. Or not being able to get enough oxygen to the muscle, etc.

What is it that I said that you don't believe?

[Dryvrgrl]

http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/1400000/Apolo-Anton-Ohno-apolo-anton-ohno-1482474-924-1160.jpg

[Dryvrgrl]

Leigh, who does sports specific training, believes this to be possible.

I am still a sceptic

[waderow]

I tried to find pics... supposedly he posted some on his twitter... I dont have that.. anyone twitter him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg

[musclehead123]

Neither have I but I also know that specialized athletes have their own custom training equipment.

There'a s skiier who has a custom squat machine that puts load on him during the negative portion of the squat then reduces a portion of the weight through the contraction. It's supposed to mimic the force a skier would face in turns thus allowing them to build their strength and muscule endurance.


We had these types of machines at a gym i used to go to, took off about 40%-60% of the weight in the contraction portion, they worked great.

[CanadianIron]

Sure Ohno is an amazing skater, but are we not forgetting that these guys train for endurance and they're "all natural"... for how many people actually try to get into speed skating vs how many people weight lift, the sample rate for speed skaters is extremely low. Ohno might be in the bottom 10% of the population for actual ability, because no one ever tries speed skating.

When you hit the gym you can see the naturally strong guys, the strongest of the strongs. Genetically superior to Ohno in every way. Now we're supposed to believe this 145lb dude, all natural can leg press twice as much as most guys 200+ lbs who are genetically gifted and have been taking AAS for 5+ years... riiighht...

I honestly doubt he could leg press 8 plates/side or 720lbs for a full ROM.

Sure speed skating is demanding, but I'd put money on the fact that if everyone in the general population was forced to try it, most of these people would fall off the podium when all the really gifted people discovered their gifts. These olympic events are so obscure you have no idea if the people doing them are really any good or not.

The champ from Holland (forget his name) claimed to have 26" legs, and he wasnt even that lean. I dont think these guys are built for 1RM.

[Durk]

Short track speed skating is kind of like sprinting, so it would be more of a fast twitch muscle sport.

I dunno if its true, but given that he is at the highest level I believe its possible.

[steve_d]

plus, if he had that strength, you'd see him in the summer olympics doing weightlighting as well and getting some gold medals there. I still find it funny some people believe it...its as if olympian are some sort of superhuman. Reminds me of those CTV shorts throughout the olympics making it seem that these athletes have super powers and belong in the justice league or something.

Like the biathlon...they have this supreme ability to go from having a mega heart rate, to all of a sudden going into a coma state to shoot.

[cog]

how do I know what? that he doesn't press 1800? or that a muscle can adapt? What gets ME is that I don't get to straighten out...but I would bet my balls it doesn't get them as much as it would me. same with cycling. I used to be do competitive cycling, and getting into those positions on you're bike was brutal when you weren't used to it. eventually that was the position that felt comfortable.

I am not saying its easy - and I am sure many of you already have assumed thats what I am saying. All I am saying is that people do train and get good at things, muscles adapt, things aren't as painful for them...The pain most of these people feel is lactic acid build up etc. Or not being able to get enough oxygen to the muscle, etc.

What is it that I said that you don't believe?

How do you know he can't leg press 1800?Cycling isn't nearly as demanding on the quads.If you used to cycle competitively than you know what the spin is all about.No comparison.

[O-Train]

How do you know he can't leg press 1800?Cycling isn't nearly as demanding on the quads.If you used to cycle competitively than you know what the spin is all about.No comparison.

It would be very easy to prove it isn't possible. He would never even attempt leg pressing 1800lbs because it wouldn't be at all beneficial to his training.

[cog]

Sure Ohno is an amazing skater, but are we not forgetting that these guys train for endurance and they're "all natural"... for how many people actually try to get into speed skating vs how many people weight lift, the sample rate for speed skaters is extremely low. Ohno might be in the bottom 10% of the population for actual ability, because no one ever tries speed skating.

When you hit the gym you can see the naturally strong guys, the strongest of the strongs. Genetically superior to Ohno in every way. Now we're supposed to believe this 145lb dude, all natural can leg press twice as much as most guys 200+ lbs who are genetically gifted and have been taking AAS for 5+ years... riiighht...

I honestly doubt he could leg press 8 plates/side or 720lbs for a full ROM.

Sure speed skating is demanding, but I'd put money on the fact that if everyone in the general population was forced to try it, most of these people would fall off the podium when all the really gifted people discovered their gifts. These olympic events are so obscure you have no idea if the people doing them are really any good or not.

The champ from Holland (forget his name) claimed to have 26" legs, and he wasnt even that lean. I dont think these guys are built for 1RM.

Your post sounds like the old"If I did the amounts of drugs that guy does i would be huge too".:)You keep forgetting that his focus is 99% lower body.Four times a week,coached.JonnyO can get 30 reps with 1200,I'm sure if he focused on it he could get up there.Genetically superior in every way?A draft horse is pretty strong but he won't last very long on a cross country trek,eh?

[cog]

It would be very easy to prove it isn't possible. He would never even attempt leg pressing 1800lbs because it wouldn't be at all beneficial to his training.

And that other short tracker told me about Heiden one-legged pressing 1100.All bs?

[steve_d]

How do you know he can't leg press 1800?Cycling isn't nearly as demanding on the quads.If you used to cycle competitively than you know what the spin is all about.No comparison.

listen. I didnt compare cycling to speed skating. All I said was that the muscle adapts. you can't debate that.

Believe what you want, it just puts us bodybuilders / powerlifters down when people like you think puny runts can leg press 1800 pounds at 145. Its possible for someone at 145 pounds to do it, sure...but not someone with apollo's muscle mass. Again, he's an olympian, not kryptonian.

[steve_d]

Your post sounds like the old"If I did the amounts of drugs that guy does i would be huge too".:)You keep forgetting that his focus is 99% lower body.Four times a week,coached.JonnyO can get 30 reps with 1200,I'm sure if he focused on it he could get up there.Genetically superior in every way?A draft horse is pretty strong but he won't last very long on a cross country trek,eh?


you can't compare a puny 145 pound boy to johnyO. I don't care how fast the guy can move on 2 skates.

[steve_d]

here's a vid of his workouts...

http://www.fitmyvid.com/apolo-ohnos-olympic-workout

half way through the video shows him squating. He's got about 250 pounds on the squat rack. Looks like he could handle more weight, but a guy who can press 1800 would make 250 pounds look a hell of a lot easier than that.

[cog]

listen. I didnt compare cycling to speed skating. All I said was that the muscle adapts. you can't debate that.

Believe what you want, it just puts us bodybuilders / powerlifters down when people like you think puny runts can leg press 1800 pounds at 145. Its possible for someone at 145 pounds to do it, sure...but not someone with apollo's muscle mass. Again, he's an olympian, not kryptonian.

Some people might take it that way.It's FOCUS.On just one bodypart.His legs are pretty solid.And he's short.And likely has the benefit of many blood tests to fine tune the training.You would likely know about that from cycling.:)

[cog]

here's a vid of his workouts...

http://www.fitmyvid.com/apolo-ohnos-olympic-workout

half way through the video shows him squating. He's got about 250 pounds on the squat rack. Looks like he could handle more weight, but a guy who can press 1800 would make 250 pounds look a hell of a lot easier than that.

I agree,I was expecting a bigger squat.Maybe he is bullcrapping.

[gregdoucette]

so people don't think cycling can be as hard on the quads as speed skating. try spinting up a 12% grade hill then come talk to me.
There is no way a speed skater is goign to lift more then me with there legs. there also IOC drug tested and are not training specifically for strrength. I beleive. Leg press machines are all different and I would say an 1800 lbs leg press is possible for a really short range of motion. I am gettign 12 plates a side for 12-15 at parallel but If I shorted then motion to only 6 inches or so I can get 40+ reps out of it so its all in how u do it.
185 for 300 reps aint bad but honestly at that light a weight u can simply go all day. I rather see a 370 squat of 20 then 185 for 300.

[Gilmour]

And that other short tracker told me about Heiden one-legged pressing 1100.All bs?


100% BS. Greg Kovacs was one of the strongest pros out there and he did 10 plates per side for one legged reps. Pretty sure Heiden wouldn't even come close, whether or not he only has to worry about his lower body strength. We are talking about a guy who weighs over 300lbs and takes all the gear on earth vs a guy half that size who may be training clean. Even if juiced it wouldn't be much. He might have done one inch reps. If that's the case then maybe I could do it too. People see many things that never really happened.

[steve_d]

I agree,I was expecting a bigger squat.Maybe he is bullcrapping.

the way i saw it was that it wasn't even bullcrapping...it was just joking around as if a little boy asked him...

Like when I am coming out of the gym in university, and you'd get these little 8-9 year old kids saying WOW you are so big, how much can you bench? And you chuckle and say something like 1000 pounds, because to an 8 year old, they don't know the difference from 500 pounds to 5000 pounds, so what difference does it make what you say.

To be honest, I don't even think apollo knows how much he does or can do either - he just does whatever the trainer tells him to do.

[cog]

so people don't think cycling can be as hard on the quads as speed skating. try spinting up a 12% grade hill then come talk to me.
There is no way a speed skater is goign to lift more then me with there legs. there also IOC drug tested and are not training specifically for strrength. I beleive. Leg press machines are all different and I would say an 1800 lbs leg press is possible for a really short range of motion. I am gettign 12 plates a side for 12-15 at parallel but If I shorted then motion to only 6 inches or so I can get 40+ reps out of it so its all in how u do it.
185 for 300 reps aint bad but honestly at that light a weight u can simply go all day. I rather see a 370 squat of 20 then 185 for 300.

Apparently Gaetan Boucher could get 30 reps with 315 at a bodyweight of 165.

[cog]

100% BS. Greg Kovacs was one of the strongest pros out there and he did 10 plates per side for one legged reps. Pretty sure Heiden wouldn't even come close, whether or not he only has to worry about his lower body strength. We are talking about a guy who weighs over 300lbs and takes all the gear on earth vs a guy half that size who may be training clean. Even if juiced it wouldn't be much. He might have done one inch reps. If that's the case then maybe I could do it too. People see many things that never really happened.

Heiden was over 230 at one point.All lower body.What do we know about oly doping in the early 80's?As I said,this short tracker was right next to him in Wisconsin.But he didn't mention ROM.

[cog]

the way i saw it was that it wasn't even bullcrapping...it was just joking around as if a little boy asked him...

Like when I am coming out of the gym in university, and you'd get these little 8-9 year old kids saying WOW you are so big, how much can you bench? And you chuckle and say something like 1000 pounds, because to an 8 year old, they don't know the difference from 500 pounds to 5000 pounds, so what difference does it make what you say.

To be honest, I don't even think apollo knows how much he does or can do either - he just does whatever the trainer tells him to do.

Could be.I think he added a 1000.

[Gilmour]

Apparently Gaetan Boucher could get 30 reps with 315 at a bodyweight of 165.


That I can believe. Big difference between that and leg pressing 1000 lbs for reps with one leg. It all really comes down to form/ROM in the end. I can do 315x30 but I'm about 240lbs. Still, I am NOT a strong guy by nature and I am 40. He was in his twenties and trained for something - I train without goals. I think Boucher could have done it.

[Gilmour]

Heiden was over 230 at one point.All lower body.What do we know about oly doping in the early 80's?As I said,this short tracker was right next to him in Wisconsin.


Still don't believe it. Maybe partials, but not full ROM. I also used to hear about Ben Johnson doing reps with 675 and then I saw an excerpt of it when he was caught. They weren't even half reps. The idea was explosive strength but the reps themselves were a joke. Maybe could have done 500 for a couple of reps bodybuilding style.
My good buddy's sister won 10 grand a trip to Hawaii when EAS used to do their yearly contests. She claimed to do reps on the leg press with 1000 lbs at a bodyweight of 135 lbs. Then I saw what she meant. One inch reps. Not impressive.

[steve_d]

Apparently Gaetan Boucher could get 30 reps with 315 at a bodyweight of 165.

thats very believable. I am not even that good at squats, and I could rep 22-25 reps with 3 plates at a weight of 170. (down to 11 inches of course, not half squats).

[manfreakca]

I''ve been working out for 20 years and i've never seen a leg press that could fit 40 plates. cmon

hey bro how long u been at central fit??

[Gilmour]

thats very believable. I am not even that good at squats, and I could rep 22-25 reps with 3 plates at a weight of 170. (down to 11 inches of course, not half squats).


315 lbs for 20-25 reps at 170 is extremely good. To say you are not that good at squatting is somewhat retarded. Pound for pound you eclipse 90% of the members here. A video would be eve more impressive. IMO that's ****ing strong and I believe after 20 + odd years at several gyms I am qualified to say I've seen my share of good lifts.

[steve_d]

it's all relative though. By not good, I mean relative to myself, its my worst event. I've competed nationally in powerlifting, and squats are my worst, by far. and my legs are my weakest link to judge me on a bodybuilding stage. So I would think that there are many many people in this world, who have their strenghts in the squats to easily be able to do those kind of lifts.

If ever I can get passed my IT band / trochanter injury, and get to squat again, I'll get a video. By then I'll be weaker though since I am starting to diet any day now.

[Gilmour]

it's all relative though. By not good, I mean relative to myself, its my worst event. I've competed nationally in powerlifting, and squats are my worst, by far. and my legs are my weakest link to judge me on a bodybuilding stage. So I would think that there are many many people in this world, who have their strenghts in the squats to easily be able to do those kind of lifts.

If ever I can get passed my IT band / trochanter injury, and get to squat again, I'll get a video. By then I'll be weaker though since I am starting to diet any day now.


Oh, that makes sense then. Your legs are strong as **** in the normal world though.

[gregdoucette]

Steve jsut feels week cus he is comparing his wimpy squats to mine. I suck at squats too and squated 488 for 7 with a belt on an 11 3/4 inch box. But My squats suck because I compare it to my for examply 380 for 12 bench. so its all relative. steve is a much better deadlifter. Its all relative. Steve probaly out squats 99% of the people at his gym but its still not strong compared to his deadlift for example. Same reasoning as why I say I am not good at squats.