Leg press weight is harder to standardise than a barbell lift, because machines are built and angled differently, so a number that is heavy on one leg press is ordinary on another. This page reads the leg press against bodyweight as a rough standard, and explains why the leg-press-to-squat conversion people look for is only ever approximate.
Why the leg press machine weight varies
Unlike a barbell, a leg press has a sled, an angle and a lever arm that differ by manufacturer, so the same effort produces different displayed weights on different machines. A leg press weight read against bodyweight gives a rough band, but it is inherently less precise than a squat standard, and comparing two people's leg press numbers assumes the same machine.
Average leg press weight, and what counts as a good leg press weight
Because the leg press supports the load, the numbers run far higher than a squat: multiples of bodyweight are common even for intermediate lifters. A good leg press weight, read against bodyweight, is well above what the same person squats, which is why the two should never be read as the same measure of leg strength.
The leg-press-to-squat conversion
People look for a leg-press-to-squat conversion, but there is no reliable single ratio, because the machine removes the balance and stabilisation a free squat demands. Any conversion is a loose estimate, and the honest use of a leg press number is to track your own progress on the same machine, not to predict a barbell squat.
Questions people ask about leg press weight
How much should I be able to leg press?
Read your leg press against bodyweight for a rough band, but treat it as machine-specific; a good leg press weight is several times what the same person squats because the machine supports the load.
What is a good leg press weight?
On most machines a good leg press for a trained lifter is a multiple of bodyweight, well above their squat, but the exact number depends heavily on the machine's angle and lever arm.
Can I convert my leg press to a squat?
Only very loosely. The leg press removes balance and stabilisation, so no single conversion is reliable; use the leg press to track progress on the same machine instead.
What is the average leg press weight for male lifters?
It varies more than any other lift on this site, because machines count the sled, the carriage and the angle differently. On one machine, read as a multiple of bodyweight, it sits well above the squat; across two gyms the same lifter reads two different numbers, which is why the conversion matters more here than the average does.